Guide to choosing the right corporate car rental rewards program
Quick insights
- Corporate car rental rewards programs may offer perks like complimentary upgrades, priority service and an accelerated rate for earning rewards.
- You may be able to earn both car rental loyalty program points and credit card rewards when booking business rentals.
- Certain credit cards provide cardmembers with travel protections that could include car rental insurance.
Choosing a car rental loyalty program for business travel may feel overwhelming, especially if you are new to these programs or only rent vehicles a few times a year. Understanding the basics of how business car rental loyalty programs work—and how credit cards can play a role—may help you get more value from every trip.
Here are some practical insights to help you decide which program could fit your company and employees’ travel needs.
Corporate car rental rewards programs explained
A corporate car rental rewards program is a type of loyalty program offered by rental agencies to companies and business travelers. When you enroll, you may be able to earn points or credits each time you rent a vehicle through the participating company (depending on the specific program you join).
These programs are similar to personal car rental rewards, but they often provide added features designed for business use. That can include centralized billing, discounted rates and flexible booking options.
Common benefits of business car rental loyalty programs
Business car rental loyalty programs may offer additional perks aside from the ability to earn points on rental car-related purchases.
While details vary by program, some common benefits for companies and employees include the following:
Expedited service
One potential perk for frequent travelers is the ability to bypass the rental counter entirely and head straight to their vehicle. This may save employees time and reduce the stress of coordinating car travel after a long flight.
Complimentary vehicle upgrades
Loyalty programs often provide tiered upgrades. For example, this perk could allow travelers to drive a premium or luxury vehicle while the company pays the lower negotiated rate for a mid-size car.
Rewards points
Employees may earn points individually on business rentals that can be redeemed for personal use or vacations. The employee would typically need to have their own member profile with the car rental company where they can accumulate rewards for rentals.
Waived additional driver fees
Corporate members often receive complimentary coverage for additional drivers, allowing colleagues on the same trip to share driving duties without daily surcharges for having more than one designated driver.
Flexible return grace periods
Loyalty status may include a grace period on returns (often 1-2 hours), providing a buffer if meetings run over or traffic is heavy. For the employee, this can help to remove the stress of rushing to the airport, and the company may avoid 24-hour overage charges due to minor delays.
Automated insurance
By linking corporate insurance and Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs) directly to a member’s profile, these programs may ensure that rentals are protected under the company’s negotiated terms.
How to determine which rewards program is best
When choosing car rental loyalty programs, it can be helpful to consider how and where you travel for work. Factors that might be important include:
- Frequency of rentals: Some programs reward frequent renters with accelerated rewards or additional upgrades.
- Network size: If you travel to specific cities or airports, it can be helpful to check if the rental agency has convenient locations. If you mostly travel to major cities, a global provider with many locations may be preferable.
- Redemption options: You may want to consider how easy it is to use points for complimentary rentals or upgrades and whether there are blackout dates when redeeming rewards.
- Program partnerships: Some agencies partner with airlines, hotels or credit card issuers, which may allow you to combine or transfer rewards.
If you work for a small business or travel independently for work, you may find value in personal loyalty programs. Many will let you earn points on both personal and business rentals as long as you book directly and use a qualifying payment method. Even if you only travel occasionally work, it can be help to enroll in the rental company’s loyalty program. Some perks, like expedited service or reserved parking, are available right away.
Using your credit card for corporate car rentals
It can be useful to pay for a car rental with a credit card. Some business credit cards (and personal credit cards) provide rewards for travel purchases, which often include car rentals. Some also provide cardmembers with travel protection benefits, which may include rental car insurance. You may be able to use your card’s insurance as primary coverage.
If you’re an employee using a company credit card, not all travel protections may extend to you. For example, some business credit cards only provide travel protections to the primary cardmember, meaning employee cards are not covered.
Coverage varies by the card and card issuer, so review your card’s benefits guide for details.
In summary
Business car rental loyalty programs may offer value through discounted rates, the ability to earn reward points and time-saving benefits. You may be able to enjoy more perks and benefits by understanding how these programs work and how your credit card can interact with them.
If your company has a preferred rental agency, you may be able to access perks like expedited service, complimentary upgrades and waived fees for additional drivers. Even if you only travel occasionally for work, signing up for the car rentals loyalty program with your own member profile may provide you with rewards on both your personal and work trips.
