"Both programs are free and worth holding. What separates them is simpler than most comparisons suggest: Hertz changes what happens at the airport from day one, Avis is more forgiving about what happens to points you don't use. This covers both, and when a credit card makes the decision for you."
Both Hertz Gold Plus and Avis Preferred are free to join, and joining both takes ten minutes total. The question isn't whether to sign up — it's which one to actually focus on, and whether the choice has already been made by a card in your wallet. The two programs are built on different logic. Hertz changes the physical experience of renting from your very first trip: at a Hertz-owned airport, Gold members bypass the counter entirely, choose their car in the lot, and leave. Avis Preferred gets you through the desk faster. That gap exists at base tier, before you've earned anything.
Below the counter experience, the programs diverge on mechanics that matter depending on how often you rent. Hertz points expire after 12 months of inactivity. Avis points are valid for 60 months. Hertz has blackout dates on standard awards — Avis doesn't. Those aren't details. For someone who rents twice a year, they determine whether the points they earn ever become anything. This covers what each program actually delivers, tier by tier, and which one fits how you rent. The brand choice — Hertz versus Avis on price and location scores — is a different question, covered in the Hertz vs Avis comparison.
Quick comparison
| Category | Hertz Gold Plus | Avis Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Counter experience at base tier | Skip the counter entirely at Hertz-owned airports — go straight to the lot | Expedited counter lane — faster desk, not a bypass |
| Spouse/domestic partner driver | Free at base tier | Free at base tier |
| First elite tier threshold | Five Star — 3 rentals or $1,000/year | Preferred Plus — 10 rentals or $4,000/year |
| Top tier threshold | President's Circle — 15 rentals or $3,000/year | President's Club — 20 rentals or $6,000/year |
| Point earning (base tier) | 1 point per dollar (base rate only) | 1 point per dollar (rentals), 2 points per dollar (accessories) |
| Point expiration | 12 months of inactivity | 60 months from when points were earned |
| Redemption flexibility | Standard awards have blackout dates — peak costs 2x points | No blackout dates — 700 points minimum |
| Best credit card shortcut | Amex Platinum or Capital One Venture X — instant President's Circle | Chase Sapphire Reserve — instant Preferred Plus |
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What each program gets you
Hertz Gold Plus
The counter bypass is the headline. At Hertz-owned US airports, Gold members skip the desk, walk to the Gold Choice lot, pick any car in the designated row, and drive out. The add-on and insurance decisions are handled in the member profile before travel — not live at the desk under pressure. That's available at base membership, before you've earned a single point. The bypass applies at corporate-owned locations — most major US airports qualify; Cancun and parts of Southern Europe are franchise-operated and may not honour it.
The tier structure above that is unusually accessible. Five Star status requires just 3 rentals or $1,000 in a calendar year — the lowest first-tier threshold of any major rental program. It adds a 25% points bonus and space-available upgrades. President's Circle at 15 rentals or $3,000 adds guaranteed upgrades and the widest car selection on the Ultimate Choice lot. Spouse and domestic partner additional drivers are free from base tier.
| Tier | Threshold | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Gold (base) | Free | Counter bypass at Hertz-owned airports. Gold Choice lot. Free spouse/domestic partner driver. 1 point per dollar. |
| Five Star | 3 rentals or $1,000/year | 1.25 points per dollar. Space-available upgrades. Wider Ultimate Choice selection. |
| President's Circle | 15 rentals or $3,000/year | 1.5 points per dollar. Guaranteed one-class upgrade. Widest Ultimate Choice selection. Dedicated phone line. |
Avis Preferred
Base Preferred gives you an expedited lane at the counter — not a bypass. You still interact with an agent, the contract is still signed, the add-on questions still come up. At busy airports that's a meaningful time save. It's not the same as skipping the desk entirely. Spouse and domestic partner drivers are also free at base tier.
The tier structure is harder to reach than Hertz's, but the top delivers a genuine guarantee. Preferred Plus at 10 rentals or $4,000 adds 1.25x points and space-available upgrades. President's Club at 20 rentals or $6,000 guarantees a vehicle up to full-size with 24 hours' notice and upgrades of up to two classes. The broader airline and hotel partner network is Avis's other differentiator: over 50 airline partners, versus a smaller set at Hertz, with the option to earn partner miles instead of Avis points on any rental.
| Tier | Threshold | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred (base) | Free | Expedited counter lane. Free spouse/domestic partner driver. 1 point per dollar (rentals), 2 points per dollar (accessories). |
| Preferred Plus | 10 rentals or $4,000/year | 1.25 points per dollar. One-class upgrade when available. Dedicated customer service line. |
| President's Club | 20 rentals or $6,000/year | 1.5 points per dollar. Two-class upgrade when available. Guaranteed vehicle up to full-size with 24-hour notice. |
The expiration gap
This is the most consequential mechanical difference between the two programs, and the one most comparisons don't surface clearly. Hertz points expire after 12 months of inactivity — meaning 12 months without any qualifying rental or redemption in your account. Avis points are valid for 60 months from when they were earned, regardless of account activity. On a calendar that's the difference between a program that requires maintenance and one that doesn't.
For someone who rents four or five times a year, the Hertz expiration isn't a problem — the account stays active naturally. For someone who rents twice a year or less, or who goes through a period of not traveling, the Hertz balance can disappear before it's large enough to redeem. Avis points earned on a trip in 2026 are still valid in 2031. The redemption math is different too: Avis has no blackout dates and starts at 700 points. Hertz has two pricing tiers — standard (lower cost, blackout dates apply) and peak (no blackouts, but double the points). At busy airports during summer or holidays, standard availability is often gone and peak pricing is what's left.
Credit card shortcuts
Several cards hand you status at one or both programs without requiring any rental history. These aren't discounts — they're the full tier, available immediately on enrollment through the card's benefits portal.
For Hertz: The Amex Platinum Card and the Capital One Venture X both come with complimentary President's Circle status — the top tier. The Amex Gold Card comes with Five Star. If you hold any of these, you're at a meaningful Hertz tier before your first rental. Enrollment goes through the card's benefits page, not through hertz.com directly.
For Avis: The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with Preferred Plus status — the middle tier, which normally requires 10 rentals or $4,000 to reach. That's the tier with space-available upgrades and 1.25x point earning, handed over at enrollment.
The practical implication: if you hold the Amex Platinum, you're already at President's Circle at Hertz without earning anything. In that case, using rental activity to build Avis Preferred Plus — or simply applying the Chase Sapphire Reserve shortcut — gives you meaningful status at both brands without overlap. The broader picture of what each program delivers alongside other rental brands is in the rental car loyalty programs guide.
The verdict
If you haven't joined either program yet: Join both today — free, ten minutes total. Then check whether any card in your wallet already gives you status at one of them before you rent next. Amex Platinum or Capital One Venture X means Hertz President's Circle is already yours. Chase Sapphire Reserve means Avis Preferred Plus. If neither applies, use your Hertz Gold Plus number by default at Hertz-owned airports where the counter bypass is the thing you actually feel — and your Avis number everywhere else.
If you rent infrequently — once or twice a year: Avis Preferred is the safer program to build toward. The 60-month expiration means points accumulate without risk. The no-blackout-date redemption means when you finally have enough, you can use them. Hertz Gold still gives you the counter bypass at base tier, which is worth having for free — but don't count on accumulating a meaningful Hertz points balance at that rental frequency unless you're actively managing the expiration.
If you rent regularly at US airports — six or more times a year: Hertz Five Star is within reach at 3 rentals, and the counter bypass compounds in value every trip. President's Circle at 15 rentals is realistic for a business traveller and delivers the guaranteed upgrade. Avis Preferred Plus is reachable at 10 rentals and worth holding alongside it. At this frequency, both programs deliver something real and the expiration risk at Hertz disappears naturally.
If a charge appeared after you returned the car: Loyalty program status doesn't affect the dispute path. Contact the brand in writing with your rental agreement and photos. If you booked through a third-party platform, start there. Give it one week before escalating to a credit card chargeback. Full detail in the Hertz review and Avis review.
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- Hertz points expire after 12 months of inactivity — not 12 months from earning. A single qualifying rental or redemption resets the clock, but if you rent infrequently and let the account sit, you lose the balance.
- The Hertz counter bypass applies at Hertz-owned airports only. Franchise locations (Cancun, parts of Southern Europe) may not honour Gold Plus benefits.
- Avis Preferred expedited service is not a counter bypass — it is a faster desk experience. The distinction matters at busy airports where the queue itself is the problem.
- Credit card status shortcuts (Amex Platinum → Hertz President's Circle; Chase Sapphire Reserve → Avis Preferred Plus) require enrollment — holding the card does not automatically activate the status.
- Opting into airline miles instead of Avis Preferred points means earning no Avis points on those rentals. The two can't be combined on the same booking.
- Hertz Five Star status requires just 3 rentals or $1,000 in a calendar year. Worth checking your account — many people qualify without realising it.
- If your Hertz points have already expired, contact Gold Plus member services directly — reinstatement isn't guaranteed, but some members have had balances restored for a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hertz Gold Plus better than Avis Preferred?
At base tier, Hertz Gold Plus delivers more at the airport — the counter bypass is real and immediate at Hertz-owned locations. Avis Preferred gives you a faster desk experience, not a bypass. But Avis wins on program mechanics: 60-month point expiration versus 12 months, no blackout dates on redemptions, and a lower points minimum to redeem. If you rent once or twice a year and don't hold a card that gives you status, Avis Preferred carries less risk of losing your balance before you use it.
Do I need to choose one program or can I join both?
Join both — they're each free and take a few minutes. Hold both numbers. Then decide which to use on a given rental based on which reward you're closer to. You can't stack both programs on the same booking, but there's no penalty for holding both.
Which credit cards give you status at Hertz or Avis automatically?
For Hertz: the Amex Platinum Card and Capital One Venture X both come with complimentary President's Circle status — the top tier — on enrollment. The Amex Gold Card comes with Five Star status. For Avis: the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with Preferred Plus status. These require enrollment through the card's benefits page, not through the rental brand's website directly.
What does Hertz Five Star actually get me over base Gold?
Three things: 25% bonus points per dollar (1.25x instead of 1x), space-available upgrades when the location has cars in stock, and access to a wider selection on the Ultimate Choice lot. The threshold is low — just 3 rentals or $1,000 in a calendar year. Many frequent travellers qualify without having registered.
What does Avis Preferred Plus get me over base Preferred?
1.25 points per dollar instead of 1x, upgrades of up to one class when available, and access to a dedicated customer service line. The threshold is 10 rentals or $4,000 in a calendar year — meaningfully higher than Hertz Five Star. The Chase Sapphire Reserve shortcut bypasses that threshold entirely.
How do Hertz points expire and how do I keep them?
Hertz points expire after 12 months without any earning or redemption activity in your account. The clock resets with any qualifying rental or redemption — including partial redemptions. If you rent infrequently and let the account go quiet, you risk losing your balance. Any qualifying rental or redemption — including a partial redemption at the minimum threshold — resets the clock. Avis points are more forgiving: they're valid for 60 months from when they were earned, regardless of account activity.
I'm already booked with Hertz — is it worth joining Gold Plus before pickup?
Yes, if you're picking up at a Hertz-owned airport. Joining Gold Plus is free, takes a few minutes, and the counter bypass is active immediately. Add your Gold Plus number to the reservation through your Hertz account or by calling the booking number. The spouse or domestic partner additional driver waiver also applies from day one of membership.
