Giveaway: 5 Free Rental Days from National Car Rental

by Gary Leff

As promised two weeks ago, I’m giving one lucky blog reader 5 free rental car days courtesy of National.

This is the last of 3 giveaways from these generous folks, it started with a Victorinox carryon bag and was followed by National Car Rental Executive Elite status, and now someone gets to rent a car and not pay!

Here’s the fine print that goes along with the free rental days, not especially onerous but I share the legalese nonetheless which amounts to you still pay the taxes:

Complimentary Car rental covers the base rate for the number of consecutive prize days awarded, but excludes taxes, other governmentally-authorized or imposed surcharges, license recoupment and concession recoupment fees, airport and airport facility fees, fuel, additional driver fee, or optional items, which shall be the responsibility of winner. Rental car is subject to National’s eligible driver criteria and the winner’s execution of, and compliance with, National’s standard rental or Emerald Club Master Rental Agreement. Emerald Club membership is subject to the terms and conditions of the Emerald Club. The Emerald Club rules and conditions are subject to change and may be terminated at Sponsor’s discretion at any time.

I love the value proposition here. They’ve asked to pick up my blog posts for their Facebook page, and in exchange I get to give away free stuff to readers. They get to introduce and highlight their product to expert travelers, which makes good sense, their Emerald Aisle is really popular with road warriors and the in-the-know travel set but somehow the broader public doesn’t see the rental agencies as being especially different. So this online push helps them distinguish themselves. And my readers benefit (I’m not taking anything from National for this, just giving away stuff to y’all).

So how does this giveaway work?

  • All you need to do to enter is leave a comment to this post, what you would do with your free rental days from National.
  • Only enter once. Anyone leaving more than one comment will not be eligible to win.
  • I will draw a winning comment at random using random.org
  • The contest will remain open for entries through Friday, May 6 at 6pm Eastern.

This is a giveaway, I don’t get anything by offering it, all interpretations of rules are mine and it isn’t mean to be strict terms and conditions just a friendly gesture to benefit readers. If you have a question, please don’t post it as a comment here since you only get one entry! Instead email me.

Enter away, good luck on the free rental days, and thanks for the giveaway opportunity, National!

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  20. I love driving. Living in Europe has given me some great opportunities to explore some really interesting places that are in the back of beyond. I particularly love small, winding roads along the Mediterranean or in the mountains. We’ve also brought our very North American concept of the Sunday Mystery Drive to Europe and our friends here (http://cheeseweb.eu/2005/08/the-best-smds/).

    One place I’ve not yet driven is Eastern Europe. I would use this to drive from Poland through to the Czech Republic and maybe the Ukraine. I’ve read that there are some gorgeous drives there!

    Cheers,
    Andrew C

  21. I would use it for my beach vacation and it would free me up to fly there and not have to take my car in order to have a car while there!

  27. Thanx National. We’ve been customers for years and have been very satisfied with them..

  28. I could use the free days for my upcoming trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto!

  29. I will use this at the end of summer to take my wife and newborn on our first family vacation

  30. My girlfriend and I would use it to go to Montreal for a long weekend and spend the money we save on transportation for killer cuisine.

  31. I would rent a car and drive to an undisclosed location for 5 days. And turn my blackberry off.

  32. I’m heading to Edinburgh, Scitland in July. I’m taking my elderly mother on her first international trip. It’s been her dream to visit Scotland.the car would be used to tale her on drives to the Scottish highlands, particularly Balmoral Castle.

  34. I would use these for my upcoming trip to San Diego..and rent something nice.

  39. Rent cars in Palm Springs, Miami and Cincinnati for travel in the next year

  40. I’m trying to work out a trip to DC this year. Would be nice to get it for free (ish)!

  44. I would use the rental to forgo driving my son and I to Chicago for a Lego convention (father/son bonding time :), but take the train instead with their kids ride free program (would make for a GREAT experience) and then drive around Chicago using the rental car.

  45. I would use it to drive around the Engkish countryside on an upcoming vacation to England with my sweetie.

  49. It’s all about the one-way rentals – these would be perfect for a couple of those!

  51. My plan is to kill 2 birds with one stone. 1, take time off and drive the cape in a great car. 2, hopefully the drive is in either a luxury or sport model so I can convince the wife to get a new one!

  52. We’re planning a visit to our navy son in Monterey. This would be awesome!

  55. No trip planned right now but this would be a great base to start planning 🙂

  58. Would love to visit our daughter for Christmas. She lives across the country, has only a small car and is 3 or more hours from any airport so it gets expensive when you have flights and rental car costs. It would be great to have a free or partially free car ready at the airport to drive to her town.

  59. I’d give it to my daughter so that she can drive (instead of taking a long dreaded bus ride) to attend her sister’s college graduation in upstate NY.

  60. We would use the days in Hawaii. The National rental staff at the Maui airport (OGG) was the friendliest rent a car location we have ever seen for any brand.

  62. With that free rental days from National, I would explore LA area from dawn to dusk 🙂
    RV

  64. I’d use it to cover part of a two-week rental to get from Louisville, KY to Burning Man later this year 🙂

  71. This would be the second win for me on this site as I already won the Hyatt 44,000
    points.

  74. I would go on a random road trip… if the price of gas doesn’t kill the joy

  83. Fly out to the West Coast and use the car for a five-day national park sightseeing blitz.

  85. Thanks for the prize. I’ll use them to tour the National Parks of Southern Utah.

  89. I’ll need a car for the next vacation, hopefully this applies abroad too.

  92. Rental rates are really high at ORD when I’m going to be there in June, so this would save some dough.

  93. I would love to win, going to Denver with my wife for our Summer vacation in June, would love to use the car there.

  96. I would attempt to gate check it for a trip to Oahu. It’s a small car, right?

  97. I would take some time off from work and drive to a couple of different cities and visit friends.

  100. Pick me! Pick me! I’d use the rental for my upcoming trip to Yellowstone.

  103. I would use it for my trip to either San Diego or Orange County this month.

  118. Would be great for an upcoming NYC trip where things are always WICKED expensive. Need to go visit my sick aunt.

  120. I need a rental car for exactly 5 days for my trip to the Grand Canyon!

  121. I am a resident physician with interviews for fellowships coming up that requires a lot of travel. A few days of a free rental car would really help cut down on travel costs!

  122. I would try to find the best bang for buck (lower taxes, etc.) at a vacation destination, and go there!

  127. I would use the rental day to help me continue my mission of seeing the world.

  128. What would I do with my free rental days from National Car Rental? I would… rent a car. :-p

  131. get away from DC for a while and head white water rafting in west virginia!

  132. I’d love to surprise my mom and dad and take them to Hilton Head Island on a road trip, they don’t go anywhere alone, so it would be a great way to celebrate time with them.

  133. I’ll be using them for my honeymoon in Kauai and Maui next Feb… every little bit helps!

  134. I’ve booked a surprise anniversary trip for my wife and I on Cape Cod and we definitely need a car for that!

  136. I would use mine this summer to visit Sequoia National Park after some business meetings in LA.

  140. We’re selling our car and moving to London, so these days will help us get to the airport in the US, and take day trips later.

  141. I’d use the days for a rental from SEA to visit my father in the hospital…

  147. I would actually use the free days for a local getaway, which I need to do more often.

  148. I’d love to have these 5 free days for my upcoming week in Maui, which is getting pricey compared to previous years. Plus I need the extra savings for the $4.50/gal gas I’ll be paying to see the Isle of Beauty!

  151. My wife and I don’t currently own a car, and rent cars from the airport all the time to make up for it, so this would help us immensely with doing local errands we need to get done!

  153. 5 free rental days? Use ’em for an upcoming family get together in Jackson Hole.

  157. If I win then I’d like to ‘transfer’ my win to number “76. David” because he wants to win this prize for his family.

    No, I don’t know #76. David. But someone I didn’t know once did something wonderful for me, so I like to pass it on.

  159. I would use the rental days for my Florida trip for Thanksgiving visiting family

  174. I’d use them here in the New York area, where car rentals are incredibly expensive.

  178. Going to Hawaii in December for work and plan to say a few extra days to play. This would be perfect!!!

  183. I don’t know where I’d use it yet, but I’m sure I would come up with a great location to go along with it!

  187. I would use the rental during a stopover on a US-Asia-Europe-Australia award booking using the tips I learned from the Frequent Traveler University on Saturday in NYC!

  189. I will use the 5 day free rental for a trip which we are undertaking in June to California.

    Thank you,

    naroowal

  196. Family crash derby. It would be the one time I might buy the extra insurance 🙂

  200. I would use it for a summer trip around the northeast… Car rentals from NYC are so expensive!

  203. Florida in November over Thanksgiving !! 8 days with no set itinerary. A car would come in handy.

  205. I’d use the 5 free days for a little freedom when I visit home this summer. No need to have someone pick us up/drop us off/take us places :-).

  206. Many trips planned, so I could definitely use some in Seattle, New Orleans and Phoenix.

  207. I would use them for some non business trip that I haven’t even thought of yet.

  212. This is the best giveaway yet, I hope I won! I would use the free car rental days when I go to Vegas!!

  230. I’d either use them on my next trip to see friends in Austin(where rates have doubled in the past 12 months)–or on my upcoming trip to Israel and Ireland. Or, use the prize as an excuse to plan a trip to hawaii!

  232. I would use these days for a trip I am planning for pick-up at PHX (Phoenix) The taxes at this airport are a killer so this would help defray some of the cost–a huge plus for me. Thanks very much.

  256. I am visiting Asheville in October. It would be cool to have free use of a rental car!

  257. I would use the 5 free rental days to drive up to Canada from metro-NY area to visit my friends that I haven’t seen in over 10 years.

  261. Would use it while in Europe, where rental car pricing can sometimes be a bit skewed compared to the rates we get in US. or maybe just take a leisurely drive across country with my wife then fly back.

  264. I’d either use the car rental days while getting my own car fixed or wait and use them to visit my parents this summer.

  268. I would take my two girls, 7 and 2 and my wife that works so hard at home to Disney World. Thank you in advance.

  286. I’d use a free day to see why I should switch to National. Frankly I’ve never had much trouble or delay with Avis, Budget or even Enterprise despite their high-pressure CDW sales pitch.

  287. 5 days -‘nough said! Sounds like something I could use on my frequent trips to Europe. 🙂

  300. Id use it to live in the car for a week (just kidding)…id use to drive down to California…

  312. I’d use the free rental for my trip in September to Ireland. I’d buy the insurance too, since I’ll be driving on the other side of the road for the first time.

  313. Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway! Camping out (in 5 star hotels) the whole way.

  324. Would use the free rentals on an upcoming trip to LAX and other points on the Left coast.

  331. I would drive all over Costa Rica on my next vacation, or all around Ireland(on my next next vacation) with a free 5 day rental car from National Car Rental.

  333. I am relocating in July and it would be great to have a car for the first week I am there.

  334. I would use them when visiting my inlaws to avoid the ’15 years of cigarettes’ smell of their ’95 Saturn.

  336. I’d drive to Big Bend and see if there’s any water in the Rio Grande.

  349. Have a trip coming up for midsommar in Sweden, so would love to use it then!

  351. I would use the car to drive up the California coast Rt 101 from San Francisco to the redwood groves in northern Cal.

  353. We’d drive up the coast on the scenic PCH (HWY-1) from Orange County to stay at Santa Barbara and other locations at the Central California Coast area.

  357. I’m looking to take a trip to Cape Cod over the July 4 long weekend. I was able to get free hotel nights over the long weekend using my Starwood points. Really impressed with Starwood. But how to get there? I live in NYC and rental cars in NYC are expensive as it is, and over the long weekend? fuggedaboutit! Crossing my fingers!

  358. Might be time to mosey over to HNL, where the fish are jumpin’, and the car rental rates are high.

  360. “If you needed a ride, you’d have one” John Mellencamp’s “My Aeroplane”

  371. I would love to drive to Indiana to visit relatives whom I haven’t seen in 30 years!

  374. Road trip! I’d drive from Chicago to the West Coast and take plenty of stops at all the sights I’ve only ever flown over.

  379. Brother is getting married in San Diego, will get there early and use the time for a vacation also!

  388. I’d use them for a snowboarding trip. My car doesn’t have AWD or 4WD, and putting on chains wastes time when I’m trying to get on the mountain!

  389. I would drive PDX to Astoria, down to Tillamook, across to Salem, and back to PDX.

  390. I’ll use this car on an upcoming business trip. Thanks for the chance to win.

  391. I’m going to the Indy500 for five days. Five free days would be wonderful-amundo!!!

  392. I’ll use them to star in my own road movie. Route 66 might be a possibility.

  395. A drive from Spokane to Seattle and back in a sweet car would be nice. 🙂

  396. We’re planning to visit family in CA over Thanksgiving, so this would sure come in handy for that trip as the length is perfect!

  397. I’d use them for a road trip thru the Canadian Maritime provinces this summer.

  399. I received my new Emerald Club xecutive card in teh mail today (hat tip VFTW) and could use some free nights to give it a work-out!

  405. I would drive from Florida up to Ohio with stops along the way to see family I haven’t seen in years. Bring on those free rental days!

  406. I’d take a very nice camping trip with my family, to Washington’s Olympic mountains because since we don’t own a car, we need to rent one. Thanks for the contest!

  411. I would have a new place to live for 5 days. I mean, I would go on a road trip.

  412. I’d use it in Florida. And, yeah, thanks for the giveaway opportunity, National and Gary!

  419. I would take a roadtrip in a car with better gas mileage than my current car.

  426. two family vacation this summer. Already booked with National but I Prefer FREE!

  430. I would drive over to the Hertz local edition office by my house and show them what National gave me for free. Then I would use on a trip to Monterey for a wedding.

  436. I’d use the free rental days to travel from Boston or Providence to my in laws’ beach house this summer. Would make the trek a lot easier.

  439. I’m planning a reunion trip with my college roommates. 5 days of rental car would be a boost.

  441. Five consecutive days? I’d use them for a one-way rental rental when I wanted to take a road trip. Perhaps to retrieve some heirlooms from a family member.

  444. Once more into the breach! I figure I gotta win one of these days, right?

  450. I would use the cars for costly 1-way rentals to position for air travel … or just drive them to Renovo, PA, USA

  452. Let the random drawing be number 450. I would love to use it while in L.A. this Spring.

  463. I’d love to go on a mini vacation with a drive in the country. Thanks.

  469. If I could use it before the end of the month, I would put it towards my currently planned trip to Vermont/New Hampshire/Maine..

  472. We have used National as our only RAC source for a decade. A free week would make a Larry family reunion this summer perfect.

  473. I have extended family member getting married in Galena, Il the end of June. I would use the 5 day free rental to fly into Chicago and then drive to the wedding! The couple lives in Portland, OR!! Other people’s wedding are expensive!!

  476. I’d grab my partner and we’d take a road trip up the West Coast from Northern California to Washington.

  482. We are headed to Disney soon. I’d cancel my current car rental, and spend the savings on my kids at WDW!

  490. I’m flying to PHX for a summer school course without any car, and would love to take a weekend to drive to the grand canyon.

  491. So many options…possibly to meander with the moose in Alaska or drive in the boonies from Bozeman!

  492. I have a National Parks pass that’s about to expire. I’d do as many national parks as possible in 5 days.

  508. I would use it to visit Mt Charleston in Nevada. Of course the taxes and additional fees in Las Vegas usually exceed the cost of the rental.

  510. Going to New Orleans in June with my wife & son. Would love to use them then.

  513. 5 days of rental towards our month of rental cars to be used for a round-the-country roadtrip!

  519. I would use it to do errands, because we’re now living in city without a car, to pick up things like groceries, Costco stock, Ikea, stuff like that. Then on the weekend go drive and stay somewhere where we’ve never been before.

  520. I would use the rental to get back and for to work until I got another car because my car was stolen.

  521. I would simply enjoy it! Why you may ask?
    I am a federal government employee and travel quite frequently. To ensure the taxpayer gets the best bang for their buck the government allows companies to compete for travel and other contracts, the winner usually being the lowest bidder. I recently traveled to Philadelphia on business and was booked with a local lesser known car rental company. To make a long story short after waiting for approximately an hour curbside I was picked up at the airport by a rather disheveled man driving his personal car…..I thought. He brought me to a small building in an industrial area in South Philly where I assumed we would conduct our rental transaction. Upon entering the building I viewed a large waiting room with two windows……one for the rental car business and one for a Bail Bondsman. I took a seat and proceeded to wait for my driver to now transition to his role as company president/customer service agent. All the while being carefully observed by my rental car/aspiring felon waiting room mates. Needless to say my wait was interminable, the car I was picked up in was my rental….please excuse the full ashtray and 1/8 of a tank of gas, and oh yeah, here’s my home phone number. Since my departure was on Saturday I would have to contact the president/customer service/car owner at home to be billed and driven back to the airport….but don’t phone before 9 A.M.
    I simply want to enjoy the fruits of renting from a reputable rental car company. Maybe an extended spin in a a rental car van! Is that to much to ask?

  523. I am an Emerald club Executive Elite Member and have been renting from then every week since summer because I don’t have a vehicle. Would love to have a free week of not paying. I love Natioanl Car Rental, they have a great and friendly staff. No problems, that’s why I’m a frequent renter.

  524. I would first bragg to people like I always do about how the emerald club membership works and try to get them to sign up.Then I would pick out a car in the emerald club isle that people would say you need your head comb to ride in this and have all eyes on me lol!I would love to have free days when I am out of town so I can do a one way trip and bring back a popular car to my area since where I am from the emerald club isle is small. we dont have many cars to choose from.We have to get whats available and I am an excecutive elite member.I still try to make the best chose that I can.

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