The ultimate guide to Dollar Express Rewards

While most major car rental companies provide some form of loyalty program, the rewards vary significantly between them.

Today, we'll focus on Dollar Rent A Car's Dollar Express Rewards program. We’ll explore everything you need to know about earning and redeeming points, plus how to maximize savings on your rentals. Although Dollar is part of the Hertz family, its rewards program unfortunately does not extend any reciprocal benefits to the Hertz brand.

Program Summary

Dollar Rent A Car is a worldwide car rental service that caters to budget-conscious travelers. It boasts over 600 locations in around 65 countries globally. Although Dollar and its sibling company, Thrifty Car Rental, were bought by Hertz in 2012, each program continues to operate independently.

The Dollar Express Rewards program lets you accumulate points towards free rentals. Additionally, members can bypass the counter or enjoy priority service at select locations. You can also add a spouse or domestic partner as an additional driver at no extra cost. Like many other car rental loyalty programs, joining is completely free.

However, unlike most rental car rewards programs, Dollar Express Rewards does not provide any elite status levels. This means there are no options for complimentary upgrades through the program, except for U.S. military and government personnel, who are eligible for upgrades when renting for business or leisure purposes.

Dollar Express Partnerships

If you don’t frequently rent from Dollar, you can opt to earn airline or hotel points instead of Dollar Rewards points. Here’s a list of Dollar's partner programs:

• Alaska Airlines: Accumulate 50 miles for each qualifying rental day.
• All Nippon Airways: Gain 300 miles for each qualifying rental.
• American Airlines: Earn 50 miles for every qualifying rental day.
• Avianca Airlines: Accumulate 50 miles for each qualifying rental day.
• Delta Air Lines: Earn 500 miles per qualifying rental.
• Emirates: Earn 500 miles for rentals of 29 days or less, and 1,000 miles for rentals exceeding 30 days.
• Frontier Airlines: Collect 50 miles per day for rentals up to four days, and 500 miles for rentals of five days or more.
• IHG Rewards: Earn 125 points for every qualifying rental day.
• Japan Airlines: Accumulate 300 miles for each qualifying rental.
• Southwest Airlines: Gain 600 miles for each qualifying rental.
• Spirit Airlines: Collect 50 miles per day for rentals up to four days, and 500 miles for rentals of five days or more.
• United Airlines: Earn 50 miles per day for rentals up to four days, and 500 miles for rentals of five days or more.

If you opt to earn frequent flyer miles with a U.S. airline rather than points, you'll incur an additional charge of $0.75 to $1.50 per day, based on the specific program. However, you'll still benefit from Dollar Express features like skipping the counter when you choose to earn airline or hotel points instead of Dollar Rewards points.

How to Earn Rewards with Dollar Express

Earning rewards with Dollar Express is quite simple. Additionally, since there is no elite status involved, you won’t need to keep track of any bonus offers.

You will earn a straightforward 1 point for every dollar spent on qualifying rentals at Dollar. According to Dollar's frequently asked questions page, a qualifying rental is defined as any "Dollar rental in the U.S. or Canada that is not prepaid." To accumulate points, make sure to provide your Dollar Express Rewards member ID when booking your reservation.

While Dollar, Thrifty, and Hertz are technically part of the same company, points cannot be earned or redeemed across these brands.

How to Redeem Dollar Express Points

Points can be redeemed for complimentary daily, weekly, or weekend rentals on compact, midsize, standard, or full-size vehicles.

Redemptions begin at 500 points, but the best value for your points is achieved with weekly rentals. Here are the rates for redemption:

However, there are blackout periods, and points can only be redeemed within the United States and Canada.

Points remain valid indefinitely as long as there is activity in your account—either earning or redeeming points—at least once every 24 months.

Which Credit Card to Use for Dollar Rentals

To get the most out of your Dollar rental, choose a card that offers primary car rental insurance and earns bonus points on travel expenditures. Top choices for car rentals include the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

Both cards offer primary rental coverage, allowing you to waive collision insurance and still be protected in case of issues. Since car rentals code as travel, you will also accrue bonus points—3 points per dollar spent with the Chase Sapphire Reserve (equating to a 6% return based on TPG valuations) and 2 points per dollar spent with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (resulting in a 4% return).

When refueling, opt for a card that rewards you with additional points on gas purchases. Excellent choices include the Citi Premier® Card (check rates and fees) and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

How to Cut Costs on Dollar Rentals

Here are three strategies to help you save money on Dollar rentals.

Promotions and discount codes

Dollar Express showcases a variety of promotions and discount codes on its specials page. You'll find a search bar on the left side to help you locate deals specific to your area. Additionally, there are numerous association discounts available for groups like AAA and BJ's Wholesale Club members at the page's bottom.

However, not every discount code is listed on this page. Therefore, it may be beneficial to conduct a quick online search before making a reservation.

AutoSlash

AutoSlash is a fantastic resource for discovering the best rental car rates. It will automatically identify the most advantageous discounts based on your search and even monitor if your quoted rate decreases. Plus, it features a coupons page with discount codes you can apply when booking directly through Dollar.

Dollar 4Business

For small-business owners who rent vehicles for work purposes, joining the complimentary Dollar 4Business program is a must. Members receive a 7% discount on the base rate for all business rentals, elimination of young renter fees, free additional drivers, unlimited mileage, and waived change fees. Additionally, business clients can still accumulate points through the rewards program.

In conclusion

As implied by its name, Dollar Rent A Car caters to budget-conscious travelers. The Dollar Express Rewards program enhances the rental experience for occasional travelers, offering more rewards and some valuable time-saving perks. However, if you frequently rent cars and expect your loyalty to be acknowledged, you may want to consider other options, as there are no elite status perks available.