Check current details: This guide does not yet have a recorded manual publisher-value review for its current text. A recorded research date is not a guarantee of present accuracy. Confirm product terms and availability with the provider before deciding.
## The short answer
If you rent cars more than occasionally, joining the free loyalty program before you book is usually worth the few minutes it takes. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, Enterprise Plus and National Emerald Club all have a no-membership-fee entry tier, but they solve different problems. Hertz and Avis emphasize a faster pickup experience at participating locations. Enterprise Plus is straightforward for earning points from qualifying paid rentals. National Emerald Club combines rental credits with its well-known aisle-choice model at participating U.S. and Canadian locations.
The important word is *membership*. None of these programs makes an ordinary car rental free. Taxes, airport charges, surcharges, fuel, insurance/protection products, young-driver fees and other optional extras can still apply. A “free rental day” also usually covers only the eligible base rate. DealVorio checks the official program rules so travelers can compare the benefit that is actually free without confusing it with the cost of renting the car.
## Quick comparison
**Hertz Gold Plus Rewards:** free enrollment, points toward free rental days, and faster pickup features such as counter bypass or vehicle choice at selected locations. It is a good fit for travelers who value airport speed and often find competitive Hertz rates.
**Avis Preferred:** free enrollment, faster counter/exit workflows at participating locations and access to Avis Preferred rewards where eligible. The current QuickPass experience can also let members choose, exchange or upgrade vehicles in the app at supported facilities.
**Enterprise Plus:** free membership with points on qualifying rental dollars. Points can be redeemed for free rental days with no blackout dates on available cars at thousands of participating locations, although taxes, fees, surcharges and optional products are excluded from the free-day value.
**National Emerald Club:** free membership with rental credits, free-day redemptions and Emerald Aisle access at participating U.S. and Canadian locations. The standard tier currently earns one rental credit per qualifying rental and generally needs seven credits for a free day up to Midsize under the published program rules.
## Which program is best for occasional renters?
An occasional renter should start with the company that actually has the best total price and convenient location for the trip, then join its free program before booking. Loyalty is useful, but it should not push you into a materially higher rental rate.
Enterprise Plus is easy to understand for someone who rents sporadically: qualifying rental spend creates points, and Enterprise publishes the rules for redeeming them. The main catch is inactivity. Enterprise says points expire 36 months after the last qualifying rental or points-earning event, so a traveler who goes years between rentals should not treat the balance like permanent cash.
Hertz and Avis can offer value even before a large points balance builds because expedited pickup may save time at supported airports. That convenience is location-dependent, however. Check the exact airport page and your reservation rather than assuming “skip the counter” works everywhere.
## Which program is strongest for frequent airport renters?
National Emerald Club is distinctive when a trip uses a participating Emerald Aisle location. Standard members can choose an eligible Midsize-or-higher vehicle from the aisle and pay the Midsize rate in the U.S. and Canada. That can be more useful than a small points difference if vehicle choice and a quick exit matter.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards also targets the airport workflow. Its current enrollment material promotes skip-the-line and vehicle-choice benefits, but the official footnotes make clear that counter bypass and Ultimate Choice are limited to participating locations. The practical move is to check whether your most-used airports support the feature before deciding that Hertz is your default.
Avis Preferred follows a similar logic. Avis says Preferred members can skip the counter at most airport locations, while QuickPass/Express Exit and app-based vehicle selection depend on supported facilities. Travelers who already use Avis frequently may gain more from that workflow than from chasing a theoretically better reward program at a company they rarely rent from.
## Free rental days are not completely free trips
This is the most common misunderstanding with rental loyalty programs. Enterprise explicitly says a free rental day covers the base rate—time and mileage—but not taxes, fees, surcharges or optional products. National’s free-day language also focuses on the base rental component. Hertz likewise says points are earned and redeemed on the base rental rate, with taxes, fees and options excluded.
That means the right comparison is not “free day versus paid day.” At checkout, inspect the remaining charges. Airport concession fees, local taxes, one-way fees, fuel, child seats, toll products, protection packages and other extras can make a reward booking cost more than expected.
## Do not ignore rate shopping
A loyalty program should sit on top of a good rental price, not replace price comparison. Compare the same pickup location, dates, vehicle class, mileage terms, cancellation conditions and tax-inclusive total across providers. Then factor in the loyalty benefit.
A free membership can still be useful even if you are not loyal to one company. Keeping accounts with several major providers lets you use member pickup features or collect rewards whenever that provider happens to offer the best trip-specific rate. There is no need to force every rental into one brand just to protect a small points balance.
## A practical booking checklist
1. Search the same dates and vehicle class with multiple rental providers.
2. Compare the **total** price, not only the base daily rate.
3. Check airport versus neighborhood locations; fees and hours can differ.
4. Join the relevant free loyalty program before completing a qualifying booking.
5. Add the membership number to the reservation.
6. Confirm whether counter bypass, aisle access or app vehicle choice is supported at that exact location.
7. Read the fuel, mileage, deposit/payment, young-driver and additional-driver rules.
8. If redeeming a reward day, check which taxes, fees and extras remain payable.
9. Save the confirmation and verify the reservation in the provider’s app before travel.
## Where each program has an edge
Choose **Hertz Gold Plus Rewards** if the Hertz rate is competitive and your regular airport supports its expedited pickup features.
Choose **Avis Preferred** if you value Avis’s counter-skip, QuickPass and app workflow and the locations you use support those features.
Choose **Enterprise Plus** if you prefer a simple points-based program and frequently rent from Enterprise’s broad airport and neighborhood network.
Choose **National Emerald Club** if Emerald Aisle choice is valuable on your routes or you can realistically accumulate rental credits toward free days.
## What DealVorio verifies
DealVorio separates the free membership from the paid rental. We link the official provider pages, record the current membership and reward restrictions, and avoid turning phrases such as “free rental day” into a claim that every charge disappears. We also avoid publishing a fixed discount percentage when the loyalty program itself does not guarantee one.
For the latest source-checked program pages, see DealVorio’s guides for [Hertz Gold Plus Rewards](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/hertz-gold-plus-rewards-free-membership-2026), [Avis Preferred](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/avis-preferred-free-membership-2026), [Enterprise Plus](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/enterprise-plus-free-loyalty-membership-2026), and [National Emerald Club](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/national-emerald-club-free-membership-2026). Always confirm the final rate and program terms on the provider site before booking.
## Frequently asked questions
### Are these four car-rental loyalty programs free to join?
The standard entry membership covered here is free for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, Enterprise Plus and National Emerald Club. A vehicle rental is still a paid transaction unless you separately redeem a qualifying reward.
### Which program gives the easiest free rental day?
There is no universal winner because the programs earn rewards differently and rental prices vary. National’s standard Emerald Club structure uses rental credits, while Enterprise Plus uses points tied to qualifying rental spend. Hertz and Avis have their own points/reward rules. Compare how often you rent with each provider instead of converting headline rewards into a fake universal cash value.
### Can I join all four?
Generally, yes, if you meet each program’s eligibility requirements. For many travelers that is sensible because the memberships themselves do not carry a fee. The booking decision can then be based on trip price, location and benefit availability.
### Do free rental days include taxes and extras?
Do not assume so. Official program documentation commonly excludes taxes, fees, surcharges and optional products from the reward value. Read the redemption summary before confirming a reward booking.
### Is a credit card required just to join?
The provider pages used for this comparison do not support one universal answer across every market and enrollment path. DealVorio therefore does not label all four as no-card memberships. Normal car-rental payment and deposit requirements are separate from loyalty enrollment and vary by provider, market and renter.
If you rent cars more than occasionally, joining the free loyalty program before you book is usually worth the few minutes it takes. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, Enterprise Plus and National Emerald Club all have a no-membership-fee entry tier, but they solve different problems. Hertz and Avis emphasize a faster pickup experience at participating locations. Enterprise Plus is straightforward for earning points from qualifying paid rentals. National Emerald Club combines rental credits with its well-known aisle-choice model at participating U.S. and Canadian locations.
The important word is *membership*. None of these programs makes an ordinary car rental free. Taxes, airport charges, surcharges, fuel, insurance/protection products, young-driver fees and other optional extras can still apply. A “free rental day” also usually covers only the eligible base rate. DealVorio checks the official program rules so travelers can compare the benefit that is actually free without confusing it with the cost of renting the car.
## Quick comparison
**Hertz Gold Plus Rewards:** free enrollment, points toward free rental days, and faster pickup features such as counter bypass or vehicle choice at selected locations. It is a good fit for travelers who value airport speed and often find competitive Hertz rates.
**Avis Preferred:** free enrollment, faster counter/exit workflows at participating locations and access to Avis Preferred rewards where eligible. The current QuickPass experience can also let members choose, exchange or upgrade vehicles in the app at supported facilities.
**Enterprise Plus:** free membership with points on qualifying rental dollars. Points can be redeemed for free rental days with no blackout dates on available cars at thousands of participating locations, although taxes, fees, surcharges and optional products are excluded from the free-day value.
**National Emerald Club:** free membership with rental credits, free-day redemptions and Emerald Aisle access at participating U.S. and Canadian locations. The standard tier currently earns one rental credit per qualifying rental and generally needs seven credits for a free day up to Midsize under the published program rules.
## Which program is best for occasional renters?
An occasional renter should start with the company that actually has the best total price and convenient location for the trip, then join its free program before booking. Loyalty is useful, but it should not push you into a materially higher rental rate.
Enterprise Plus is easy to understand for someone who rents sporadically: qualifying rental spend creates points, and Enterprise publishes the rules for redeeming them. The main catch is inactivity. Enterprise says points expire 36 months after the last qualifying rental or points-earning event, so a traveler who goes years between rentals should not treat the balance like permanent cash.
Hertz and Avis can offer value even before a large points balance builds because expedited pickup may save time at supported airports. That convenience is location-dependent, however. Check the exact airport page and your reservation rather than assuming “skip the counter” works everywhere.
## Which program is strongest for frequent airport renters?
National Emerald Club is distinctive when a trip uses a participating Emerald Aisle location. Standard members can choose an eligible Midsize-or-higher vehicle from the aisle and pay the Midsize rate in the U.S. and Canada. That can be more useful than a small points difference if vehicle choice and a quick exit matter.
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards also targets the airport workflow. Its current enrollment material promotes skip-the-line and vehicle-choice benefits, but the official footnotes make clear that counter bypass and Ultimate Choice are limited to participating locations. The practical move is to check whether your most-used airports support the feature before deciding that Hertz is your default.
Avis Preferred follows a similar logic. Avis says Preferred members can skip the counter at most airport locations, while QuickPass/Express Exit and app-based vehicle selection depend on supported facilities. Travelers who already use Avis frequently may gain more from that workflow than from chasing a theoretically better reward program at a company they rarely rent from.
## Free rental days are not completely free trips
This is the most common misunderstanding with rental loyalty programs. Enterprise explicitly says a free rental day covers the base rate—time and mileage—but not taxes, fees, surcharges or optional products. National’s free-day language also focuses on the base rental component. Hertz likewise says points are earned and redeemed on the base rental rate, with taxes, fees and options excluded.
That means the right comparison is not “free day versus paid day.” At checkout, inspect the remaining charges. Airport concession fees, local taxes, one-way fees, fuel, child seats, toll products, protection packages and other extras can make a reward booking cost more than expected.
## Do not ignore rate shopping
A loyalty program should sit on top of a good rental price, not replace price comparison. Compare the same pickup location, dates, vehicle class, mileage terms, cancellation conditions and tax-inclusive total across providers. Then factor in the loyalty benefit.
A free membership can still be useful even if you are not loyal to one company. Keeping accounts with several major providers lets you use member pickup features or collect rewards whenever that provider happens to offer the best trip-specific rate. There is no need to force every rental into one brand just to protect a small points balance.
## A practical booking checklist
1. Search the same dates and vehicle class with multiple rental providers.
2. Compare the **total** price, not only the base daily rate.
3. Check airport versus neighborhood locations; fees and hours can differ.
4. Join the relevant free loyalty program before completing a qualifying booking.
5. Add the membership number to the reservation.
6. Confirm whether counter bypass, aisle access or app vehicle choice is supported at that exact location.
7. Read the fuel, mileage, deposit/payment, young-driver and additional-driver rules.
8. If redeeming a reward day, check which taxes, fees and extras remain payable.
9. Save the confirmation and verify the reservation in the provider’s app before travel.
## Where each program has an edge
Choose **Hertz Gold Plus Rewards** if the Hertz rate is competitive and your regular airport supports its expedited pickup features.
Choose **Avis Preferred** if you value Avis’s counter-skip, QuickPass and app workflow and the locations you use support those features.
Choose **Enterprise Plus** if you prefer a simple points-based program and frequently rent from Enterprise’s broad airport and neighborhood network.
Choose **National Emerald Club** if Emerald Aisle choice is valuable on your routes or you can realistically accumulate rental credits toward free days.
## What DealVorio verifies
DealVorio separates the free membership from the paid rental. We link the official provider pages, record the current membership and reward restrictions, and avoid turning phrases such as “free rental day” into a claim that every charge disappears. We also avoid publishing a fixed discount percentage when the loyalty program itself does not guarantee one.
For the latest source-checked program pages, see DealVorio’s guides for [Hertz Gold Plus Rewards](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/hertz-gold-plus-rewards-free-membership-2026), [Avis Preferred](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/avis-preferred-free-membership-2026), [Enterprise Plus](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/enterprise-plus-free-loyalty-membership-2026), and [National Emerald Club](https://www.dealvorio.com/deal/national-emerald-club-free-membership-2026). Always confirm the final rate and program terms on the provider site before booking.
## Frequently asked questions
### Are these four car-rental loyalty programs free to join?
The standard entry membership covered here is free for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred, Enterprise Plus and National Emerald Club. A vehicle rental is still a paid transaction unless you separately redeem a qualifying reward.
### Which program gives the easiest free rental day?
There is no universal winner because the programs earn rewards differently and rental prices vary. National’s standard Emerald Club structure uses rental credits, while Enterprise Plus uses points tied to qualifying rental spend. Hertz and Avis have their own points/reward rules. Compare how often you rent with each provider instead of converting headline rewards into a fake universal cash value.
### Can I join all four?
Generally, yes, if you meet each program’s eligibility requirements. For many travelers that is sensible because the memberships themselves do not carry a fee. The booking decision can then be based on trip price, location and benefit availability.
### Do free rental days include taxes and extras?
Do not assume so. Official program documentation commonly excludes taxes, fees, surcharges and optional products from the reward value. Read the redemption summary before confirming a reward booking.
### Is a credit card required just to join?
The provider pages used for this comparison do not support one universal answer across every market and enrollment path. DealVorio therefore does not label all four as no-card memberships. Normal car-rental payment and deposit requirements are separate from loyalty enrollment and vary by provider, market and renter.
Verification
Check the original sources for the latest terms and availability.