Enterprise Plus Program: Earning and Redeeming Points, Achieving Elite Status, and More
Car rental loyalty programs are often underestimated, yet they can be a significant advantage in the points and miles arena, especially for regular renters. As the largest car rental company globally, it's no surprise that Enterprise Rent-A-Car has a loyalty program. The Enterprise Plus program allows members to earn rewards on their car rentals and gain access to exclusive benefits through elite status.
Read on to discover all the details about the Enterprise Plus program.
Overview of the Enterprise Plus Program
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With nearly 10,000 locations across almost 100 countries, you've likely encountered this car rental powerhouse during your travels. The Enterprise Plus loyalty program was launched in 2012, but unfortunately, it hasn't seen much evolution since its inception.
Joining Enterprise Plus is free and straightforward. However, its perks are available only when you book directly through Enterprise; you can't use an online travel agency like Priceline. There is one exception: since Enterprise owns National Car Rental, you can accumulate Enterprise Plus credits for free rental days and elite status when renting from National. Do keep in mind that some Enterprise and National locations, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, do not participate in the Enterprise Plus program.
Ways to Earn Enterprise Plus Points
STEWART SUTTON/GETTY IMAGESWhen you rent a car from Enterprise, you have the option to earn Enterprise Plus points or accumulate hotel points or airline miles through one of Enterprise's partners. If you opt for Plus points, you'll receive 1 point for every qualifying dollar spent (not including taxes, surcharges, and fuel) as a basic member. Elite members can earn an additional 10% to 20% in bonus points.
To earn points, ensure you attach your Enterprise Plus member number to your reservations. If you forget, you have six months from your return date to request missing points.
Importantly, your Enterprise Plus points will not expire as long as you maintain active membership by completing at least one qualifying rental or points-earning activity every 36 months.
What qualifies as an Enterprise rental?
Not all Enterprise rentals are eligible for rewards. According to the Enterprise Plus terms and conditions, here’s how to determine if your booking qualifies for rewards.
To qualify, "qualifying rentals" must fulfill at least one of the following criteria:
- A paid rental from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location participating in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, the European Union, Latin America, the Caribbean, or the Asia Pacific.
- A paid rental at a National Car Rental location in the U.S. or Canada, using an Emerald Club number that lists the member's Enterprise Plus number as the preferred frequent travel program in their Emerald Club profile.
"Qualifying rental days" refer to the paid days associated with a qualifying rental. Even if a rental includes one or more free days, it will still count as a qualifying rental if there is at least one paid rental day.
It's important to note that qualifying rentals and qualifying rental days do not include these types of rentals:
- Rentals billed under insurance, dealer, body shop, or fleet replacement rates, no matter who pays for them.
- Rentals that are part of a tour or travel package.
- Prepaid rentals arranged through third parties, including but not limited to third-party online travel agents.
- Rentals from Enterprise Truck Rental locations using commercial or government account numbers or contracted rates.
- Rentals from Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise locations or Enterprise CarShare.
- Discounted rentals offered to Enterprise Holdings, Inc. employees and their eligible family members or friends.
Maximize your earnings
There are multiple ways to potentially stack your rewards when renting from Enterprise. First, you can access Enterprise's site through an online shopping portal to earn extra cash back or points. I suggest using a shopping portal aggregator like TopCashback to find the best offers. Booking through the portal still allows you to earn Enterprise Plus points since you'll be reserving directly with Enterprise.
Another method to save is by using a credit card that provides primary car rental insurance and offers bonus points on travel purchases. Cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are excellent choices.
These credit cards come with primary car rental coverage, enabling you to decline Enterprise's collision insurance (and the added cost) while still being protected if anything occurs. Additionally, you’ll earn bonus points on your Enterprise rental, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve offering 3 points per dollar spent and Chase Sapphire Preferred providing 2 points per dollar on travel purchases.
The Venture X rewards you with 10 miles per dollar for car rentals, but only if booked through the Capital One Travel portal (which doesn't earn Enterprise Plus credit). However, if you book directly with Enterprise, you’ll get 2 miles per dollar spent.
When it's time to refuel, opt for a card that offers bonus rewards at gas stations, like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
Like most car rental companies, you'll enjoy significantly better rates with a discount code. These codes are often accessible to employees of major corporations and members of large organizations; you can find some listed on Enterprise's deals page. Additionally, it’s beneficial to check AutoSlash for possible discounts. Keep in mind that if you select the "Pay now" option through AutoSlash, you typically won't earn Enterprise Plus rewards, but choosing to pay later and entering your Enterprise Plus details during booking usually grants you loyalty benefits.
Using Your Enterprise Plus Points
NATALIA LEBEDINSKAIA/GETTY IMAGESEnterprise Plus points can be redeemed for complimentary rentals on any available vehicle at any time, with no blackout periods. Free rental days apply to the base rate (time and mileage) only, so you'll still need to cover any relevant taxes, fees, and surcharges.
How many Enterprise points are required for a complimentary rental?
To redeem for a free rental, you'll need a minimum of 400 Plus points. Enterprise operates on dynamic pricing, so the points needed will fluctuate depending on your rental specifics. You must log into your Enterprise Plus account to see the exact point requirements for a reward, but points are generally valued at around 5 cents each.
Although there are no blackout dates, certain restrictions apply. Many of these align with the conditions for "qualifying rentals." A key limitation is that points cannot be redeemed for one-way rentals outside the U.S. and Canada.
Enterprise Plus elite status
MATEUSZ SLODKOWSKI/SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET/GETTY IMAGESAll members of Enterprise Plus begin with Plus status, and can progress to Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels.
Below are the specifics of each status level:
ENTERPRISE.COMWhile the perks of Enterprise Plus elite status are somewhat limited, they can still be beneficial if you frequently rent from Enterprise, particularly the bonus points and upgrade vouchers.
Enterprise also features a status match program. If you hold equivalent status with any of over 40 travel loyalty programs, including car rental companies, hotels, and airlines, you can receive automatic Enterprise Plus elite status. Additionally, some credit cards provide automatic elite status for car rentals as well.
In summary
The Enterprise Plus program enhances the value of your rentals with Enterprise. However, if you frequently rent cars and achieve elite status, you might find better perks with another company. Alternatively, for short-term rentals, it may be wiser to join the National Emerald Club and apply your Enterprise rentals to that program instead.
For Capital One products mentioned on this page, certain benefits may be offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and can differ by product. Please refer to the respective Guide to Benefits for specifics, as terms and exclusions apply.
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