Hertz have rolled out of changes to their Gold Plus Rewards. The changes started on January 1. They are a bit of a mixed bag – some are genuine improvements to the program, while others are negative.
If you collect points in a Frequent Flyer program, then many of the points related changes will not affect you. The changes affect those the collect points in the Hertz Gold Plus program.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Changes
Elite Tier Status Changes
One of the bigger changes is the qualification requirement for Five Star level. This has increased from 7 rentals or $1,500 spend (excluding taxes and fees) to 12 rentals or $2,400 spend (excluding taxes and fees). This is a sizable jump.
Fortunately, the requirements to reach Presidents Circle have not changed. These remain at 20 Rentals or $4,000 spend in a calendar year.
Status Bonus
Now for some good news. The points bonus for those at Five Star or Presidents Circle has been increased:
- Five Star: From a bonus of 10 percent to a bonus of 25 percent
- President’s Circle: From a bonus of 25 percent to a bonus of 50 percent
Point Expiration
Hertz have narrowed the time frame in which they will begin expiring points in your account. Points in your account will now expire after 18 months of inactivity. This is a reduction from the previous 24 months that was set.
This might not seem big, but it does mean you will need to be more vigilant in monitoring your account if you are a more infrequent user.
A status taster
This is an interesting new feature – giving you a one of taste of the next status level.
- Gold members will be able to experience Five Star elite level status for a day when you have rented 8 times in a calendar year
- Five Star members will get to experience President’s Circle elite level status for a day when you have rented 16 times in a calendar year.
Presidents Circle members are not forgotten here either. As a Presidents Circle member, you will be offered the chance to upgrade to any available car on the lot after your 30th and 40th rentals
Thoughts
A bit of a mixed bag, and whether you think it is positive or negative will depend on which changes affect you. For me, it seems a slight positive overall.
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