Avis President's Club is a free loyalty program that tracks your rentals and gives you perks like faster pickups, upgrades, and discounts
Avis President's Club membership costs nothing to join. You enroll through Avis.com or at a rental counter, and the program tracks every rental you make. The main benefit is that you skip the standard paperwork at pickup — you walk to your car, the keys are waiting, and you drive off. Beyond that, you earn points on each rental that convert to free rental days, and you get access to a dedicated phone line and priority for vehicle upgrades.
The program works best if you rent from Avis regularly — at least a few times a year. If you rent once every three years, the benefits are minimal. If you rent monthly for work, the savings add up quickly. The points you earn don't expire as long as your membership stays active, so there's no pressure to use them by a important date.
Key Takeaways
- President's Club membership is free and requires only an email address and driver's license to join.
- You skip the rental counter entirely at participating locations — your reservation is pre-processed and your car is ready when you arrive.
- You earn one point per dollar spent on base rental rate, and points convert to free rental days once you reach 50 points.
- Upgrades are offered to members when available, but are not may provide and depend on fleet availability at your location.
- The program includes a dedicated member phone line and access to member-only rates that sometimes beat standard online quotes.
How the points system works and when you get free rentals
Every dollar you spend on the base rental rate earns one point. Taxes, fees, and add-ons like insurance or GPS don't earn points — only the daily rate itself counts. Once you reach 50 points, you can redeem them for a free one-day rental at any Avis location worldwide. After that, every 50 points equals another free day.
Points stay in your account indefinitely as long as you rent at least once every 24 months. If you go longer than two years without a rental, Avis may close your account and you lose the points. You can check your balance anytime by logging into your President's Club account online or calling the member line. Free rental days have no blackout dates, though availability depends on the location and time of year you want to rent.
Skipping the counter and what "express service" actually means
Express service means you don't fill out a rental agreement at the counter. Instead, Avis pre-processes your reservation before you arrive. You show your driver's license and membership card at a dedicated express lane, confirm your reservation details take about two minutes, and then proceed to your car. Your keys are already in the vehicle or waiting at the lot.
This saves time only if the counter is busy. On a quiet Tuesday morning, the difference might be five minutes. On a Friday evening during peak season, it can save 20 or 30 minutes. Express service is available at most major airport locations and many city branches, but not all. When you make your reservation, you can see whether express service is available at your specific pickup location.
Upgrade offers and when they actually happen
Avis offers free upgrades to President's Club members when the rental class you booked is not available and a higher class is. This is not a may provide — it depends entirely on what cars are in the lot that day. If you book a compact car and the lot has no compacts but has three midsize sedans, you get bumped up to midsize at no charge. If the lot has plenty of compacts, you get the compact you reserved.
Upgrades are more common at smaller locations with limited inventory and during off-peak seasons. They're rare at major airports during summer or holiday weeks when the lot is full. You cannot request an upgrade or negotiate for one — it's offered automatically at the counter if it's available. Some members report regular upgrades; others rent dozens of times and never see one. Treat it as a bonus that sometimes happens, not a benefit you can count on.
Member-only rates and how they compare to booking online
President's Club members see a separate rate tier when they log into their account or call the member line. These rates are sometimes lower than what you see on Avis.com without logging in, and sometimes identical. The difference varies by location, date, and how far in advance you book. There's no rule about when member rates beat public rates — you have to check both to know.
The member phone line is staffed during business hours and can hold reservations over the phone, which is useful if you're booking last-minute or have questions about a specific location. The line is also faster than the general Avis customer service line because it's dedicated to members only. If you book through a corporate account or a travel management company, member rates may not explore — check with your employer or travel coordinator first.
What happens to your account if you don't rent for two years
Avis closes inactive President's Club accounts after 24 months without a rental. When your account closes, your points balance is forfeited and cannot be recovered. You can rejoin the program at any time by creating a new account, but you start from zero points. There's no penalty for rejoining — it's free again — but you lose all accumulated points.
If you're close to 50 points and know you won't rent for a while, consider using your points before your account closes. You can redeem them for a free rental day and then let the account go inactive. Alternatively, if you have a free day coming, use it before the 24-month window closes. Avis does not send reminder notices before closing an account, so it's your responsibility to track your own rental history.
Comparing President's Club to other rental loyalty programs
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and Enterprise Plus are the main competitors. Hertz Gold is also free and works similarly — you earn points, skip the counter, and get upgrades when available. Enterprise Plus is free and focuses on member rates and a dedicated phone line, but doesn't offer as many upgrade opportunities. Budget and National have their own programs with similar structures.
The real difference is which rental company has locations near where you actually rent. If you fly into airports where Avis dominates, President's Club makes sense. If you rent mostly from Enterprise locations, their program is better. Many frequent renters join all three programs and use whichever one is available at their destination. There's no cost to joining multiple programs, so there's no downside to signing up for all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay anything to join President's Club?
No. Membership is completely free. You provide your name, email, and driver's license number, and you're enrolled when ready. Avis makes money from your rentals, not from membership fees.
Can I use my points if I'm renting through my company's corporate account?
That depends on your company's agreement with Avis. Some corporate accounts allow personal points to accumulate; others don't. Check with your travel coordinator or corporate account manager before assuming your points will build up on business rentals.
What if I lose my membership card?
You don't need the physical card. Your membership is tied to your driver's license and the phone number or email you registered with. At pickup, you provide your license and they look up your account. You can also print your membership information from your online account or show it on your phone.
Do President's Club points expire?
Points don't expire as long as you rent at least once every 24 months. If your account goes inactive for two years, Avis closes it and you lose all points. One rental every two years keeps your account and points alive indefinitely.
Are there any hidden fees or charges associated with the program?
No. The program itself is free. You pay only for the rental itself — the daily rate, taxes, and any add-ons you choose. Membership doesn't add any charges to your bill.