About a year and a half ago, Delta Airlines and unified airline exchange car rental partner, leave Delta with Hertz and Merge with Avis. Now, Delta and Hertz have further expanded their partnership.
As part of the second phase of the partnership, all SkyMiles Meritorious Union Member Medal qualify for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards status and have a new mileage earning structure in place.
Today, we’re highlighting the changes and showing you how to earn some more SkyMiles on your next rental.
A new matching status
In the past, elites with a middleweight Gold Medal could fit Hertz Five-Star status, while elites with a higher-tier Platinum and Diamond Medal might be a good fit. Hertz President’s Circles. Elites with Silver Medals do not enjoy Hertz status.
But that changes today. Entry-level Silver Medalists can now also qualify for Hertz’s Five-Star status. There are no changes to Gold, Platinum or Diamond status matches.
This gives Silver Medalists access to modest Hertz perks, such as a 25% bonus on points earned, free car upgrades, and a wider selection of cars at lots. Ultimate Choice. Five-Star status typically requires 10 rentals or $2,000 spent with Hertz in a given calendar year to earn.
Related: A complete guide to the right car rental elite status
A new mileage earning structure
Hertz rental booked directly with Hertz, on delta.com/cars or through Travel with Delta portal is used to earn 500 SkyMiles per rental, regardless of the rental cost. Furthermore, Medallion elite members receive increased earnings rates of up to 1,250 miles per hire, depending on their elite level.
Delta will now credit miles from your rental price (before taxes and fees):
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- SkyMiles members: 4 miles per dollar.
- Silver medal member: 5 miles per dollar.
- Gold medal member: 6 miles per dollar.
- Platinum Medalist: 7 miles per dollar.
- Diamond medal member: 8 miles per dollar.
As a member without Delta status, I ran a search on Travel with Delta portal. With a Hertz car rental of $68 a day, I could earn 272 SkyMiles ($3.84 per day). TPG . latest valuation). Meanwhile, a Diamond Medallion will earn 544 SkyMiles from the same rental.
This is a mixed bag for frequent Delta flyers chartered with Hertz.
Previously, the same $68 rent would earn 500 SkyMiles without elite status, or up to 1,250 SkyMiles with Diamond Medallion status. At the same time, those who rent expensive cars or those who rent for a long time will get better prices under the new income structure.
For example, if you rented the same car for 14 days for $68 ($952 total in pre-tax spending), you’d earn 7,616 SkyMiles as a Diamond Medallion. Previously, you only earned 1,250 SkyMiles regardless of how long or how much you paid for your rental.
Note that you will not earn Hertz Gold bonus points for choosing to earn SkyMiles (or any airline currency) for renting Hertz, even if you book directly through Hertz. Always run the numbers and see which deal is better before choosing how many points you earn on rentals.
Related: How to never pay full price for a rental car
Link your account
Each Delta’s websiteFinding SkyMiles on Hertz rentals is a three-step process:
- Your input Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Enter the number in the Automotive Loyalty Program section of the Hotel & Car Options page. If you are not already a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member, click the Sign Up Now link on the page to complete your registration.
- Click “Save Changes.”
- (Only for Medallion elite members) Follow Choose to join link to enter your Delta SkyMiles number for verification and opt-in to receive your benefits.
Once you log into your SkyMiles account, navigate to “My Profile” and select “other loyalty programs”.
DELTA.COM
Under “Car Loyalty Program”, add your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards number and select “save”.
Once again, Medallion elite members can navigate to this page to register for Hertz status.
Related: How can you rent a $100,000 BMW for $3 a day
bottom line
Hertz and Delta have expanded their partnership. Silver medal members can now Register for Hertz Five-Star status, and if you book your rental directly from Hertz or through Delta, you’ll earn SkyMiles from your rental base rate.
As discussed, the new income structure is good for long-term renters and for those who rent expensive cars. At the same time, it’s a devaluation for those who book cheap rentals, as you will no longer earn a fixed mileage no matter how much your Hertz rental costs.
