Giveaway: National Car Rental Executive Elite Status

by Gary Leff

As promised last week, I’m giving one lucky blog reader National Car Rental Emerald Executive Elite status.

As I mentioned, I have Executive status with National myself (but not ‘Executive Elite’).

National’s unique selling proposition is its ‘Emerald Aisle’ where Emerald Club members pick their own car. Just cruise the aisle and pick the one you want from that area of the rental lot, it’s not just about picking the car with the lowest miles or the most prestige on offer but sometimes you want a bigger car for more people or a smaller car for easier parking.

It’s much nicer than getting assigned a car you don’t want, and then queueing for a rental counter agent to beg to be switched to something else. Much faster, too.

Emerald Club <I?Executive members get to pick from the ‘Executive Aisle’ which tends to have a greater, broader selection of better cars.

Here’s a comparison of National’s elite levels.

  • Executive status is earned after 12 rentals or 40 rental days. Regular Emerald Club members earn free rental days every 7 rental credits, Executive members earn free rental days after 6 credits and their free days are valid on a full size car not just a midsize.

  • Executive Elite is earned after 25 rentals or 85 rental days. Every 5 rental credits earns a free rental day, valid for any car that’s available. Executive Elite members also get guaranteed reservations with 24 hours notice. And in practice the treatment received is better than the published benefits, or so Executive Elite members tell me.

Want Executive Elite status for a year?

  • All you need to do to enter is leave a comment to this post, either how you would make use of rental car elite status or what one thing would make the car rental experience better for you?

  • 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, April 29 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 a 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 Executive Elite status, 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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Comments

  1. Rental car experience with National is very good anyway. Easy pick from the emerald isle and very, very quick returns. It would only be better if they had more ‘in town’ offices, instead of mostly airport locations.

  2. Getting out is usually a breeze. Checking back in, especially when running late for a flight can be a hassle. In the era of GPS, RFID, smart phones, and myriad other tech, no one should have to wait in a line of cars…

  4. I would love the status because I am tall, and it would be helpful to be able to pick a car with headroom.

  6. Another great gift, Gary. I like my cars, so the ability to pick my own would be a treat.

  7. I am already an Emerald Aisle member and love National and would live to try executive privileges. I always go for the nest looking car…which usually is in the executive aisle! So, please pick me!

  10. National Haiku for Executive Elite:

    Executive Aisle
    Any car awaits your choice
    Take that, red Avis!

  11. Would love to have this status to pick out some fancy top-flight cars I would otherwise never rent normally.

  13. Elite status is most beneficial for people like me who travel week in and week out and don’t want to spend anymore time waiting in line for a car rental. I would save about 30-45 min every week of waiting in line.
    My biggest pet peeve with rental car companies is why do they still buy cars with manual windows. That in my opinion should not be allowed.

  21. Executive Elite status would be great so I could pick any car. Beach destination? Convertible! Family Trip? SUV!

  29. One thing that would make the rental car experience better for me would be for all fees and taxes to be disclosed in the price I’m quoted when I reserve.

  30. I’m on the road week in and week out. I’ve tried National before and it’s awesome. I’d love to see what benefits I would get from Executive Elite. Thanks!

  31. I enjoy using national, I have exec status already via Amex Plat and it comes in handy in certian places. Makes my spouse happy to pick the car out.

  32. I’d like them to start with this, once they reach the insurance section: Instead of, “Are you SURE you want to take insurance from your own insurance company instead of us?? I mean, I’ve heard things…”

    Start with giving me the least expensive option pal, then move to ask me if I’ve got an Amex Plat (next cheapest insurance option), THEN sell me your snake oil high priced insurance policy (PER DAY).

    My $0.02.

  33. This is the furthest I’ve lived from an airport ever (1.5hrs) and would love to use this for trips to the city and airport instead of racking up thousands of miles on my own car.

  37. I’m a grad student traveling to several internships around the world this year, and this would make the worst part of the trips really enjoyable!

  41. I would use my rapidly accumlating free rental days on a roadtrip from my hometown. With Exec Elite, National claims they’ll bring the rental car to you. I want them to drop the car off at my house.

  44. I’d really like the guaranteed reservation with 24 hours notice. There are some cities/times where it’s very hard to get a car.

  46. I want my Executive status back! And I want minivans on the Executive aisle everywhere all the time!

  49. GPS and Bluetooth in all executive selection vehicles would make the experience much nicer.

Comments are closed.