I’ll be honest: I never paid much attention to car rental loyalty programs. Airline miles and hotel points always seemed like the better game.
Then I walked into the National Executive aisle for the first time, picked an SUV off the lot, and drove away paying the midsize rate. No counter, no upsell pitch, no waiting. It completely changed how I think about rental cars.
The only problem is that earning that status the traditional way takes 12–25+ rentals a year, which is quite a high barrier for most people.
Luckily, with one or two credit cards and a few status match requests, you can unlock elite status across all four major car rental programs without a single qualifying rental. I’ve tested the full chain myself.
The Four Major Programs
Three parent companies control the car rental market, each with their own loyalty program:
- Hertz Gold Plus Rewards: Five Star and President’s Circle tiers. Benefits include upgrades, skip-the-counter service, and the Ultimate Choice lot.
- National Emerald Club: Executive and Executive Elite tiers. Benefits include the Emerald Aisle (choose any midsize or above and pay the midsize rate), guaranteed upgrades, and no second-driver fees.
- Avis Preferred: Preferred Plus and President’s Club tiers. Benefits include upgrades, accelerated point earning, and priority service.
- Enterprise Plus: Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers. Benefits include bonus points and confirmed upgrades.
National and Enterprise are sister brands under Enterprise Holdings, while Avis and Budget sit under Avis Budget Group. Hertz operates independently.
Step 1: Get Your Starting Status
Every chain starts with one piece of elite status from a credit card. For Canadians, there are two strong entry points.
American Express Platinum Card – Hertz Five Star
The American Express Platinum Card comes with complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status. This is mid-tier status that includes a one-class upgrade (subject to availability), savings on standard rates, and skip-the-counter service.
It also provides complimentary enrollment with Avis, though that’s a coupon code rather than true elite status. It can’t be stacked with other discount codes.
Beyond status, the Amex Platinum unlocks exclusive Hertz rates that can be significantly cheaper than public pricing. I pulled a one-day midsize rental at Calgary International Airport to compare:
With the Amex rate, a midsize came in at $39.59 (CAD), compared to $94.68 at the standard rate. That’s a savings of over 58%.
The card also includes a complimentary four-hour grace period. A 24-hour rental at the Amex rate stays at $39.59, but once you cross that four-hour buffer, the price jumps:
So a 28-hour rental gets billed as one day, but go much beyond that and you’re paying for two. It’s a useful perk for overnight trips where you don’t want to rush back at dawn to avoid a second-day charge.
RBC® Avion Visa Infinite† – National Executive
This one flies under the radar. National still has a dedicated enrollment page for RBC® Avion Visa Infinite† cardholders that grants Emerald Club Executive status directly, no status match required.
I tested this myself and was upgraded to Executive status valid through February 28, 2028. All I had to do was enroll through the RBC partnership page and add my card as a payment method.
A word of caution: RBC no longer advertises this perk on its own website, and it’s unclear how long National will continue to honour it. Treat it as a nice bonus rather than something to count on long-term.
Step 2: Match to National Emerald Club
If you started with Hertz Five Star from the Amex Platinum (or have airline/hotel elite status from any program), the next move is to match into National Emerald Club Executive status.
National’s status match program is one of the most generous in the car rental space. They accept matches from over 40 programs, including airline frequent flyer programs (American Airlines AAdvantage, United MileagePlus), hotel loyalty programs (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy), and competing car rental programs.
To apply, head to status.emeraldclub.com and submit your Emerald Club number along with proof of your current elite status (screenshot of your profile, membership card, or monthly statement).
Matched status is valid through February 28 of the second calendar year following approval. A match approved in 2026 would last through February 2028.
Even mid-tier hotel status like Hilton Gold (which comes free with the Amex Platinum) or Marriott Gold Elite has been enough for a successful match in many cases.
Step 3: Chain Match Outward
Once you have National Executive (or Executive Elite) status, you can use it as the anchor to match outward to the other programs.
National to Hertz
If you don’t already have Hertz status from the Amex Platinum, Hertz accepts status matches from National at their dedicated status match page.
National Executive matches to Hertz Five Star, and National Executive Elite matches to Hertz President’s Circle. Upload proof of your National status and your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards number. The process is handled entirely online.
National to Avis
Avis accepts status matches via email at profile.update@avisbudget.com. Send your Avis Preferred number along with a screenshot of your National Executive status.
Matches are typically granted at the Avis Preferred Plus level, which includes complimentary upgrades and accelerated point earning.
National to Enterprise
Enterprise matches from both Hertz and Avis status. With Hertz Five Star or Avis Preferred Plus, you can match to Enterprise Plus Gold, which includes bonus points and two confirmed upgrades per year.
Upgrade vouchers are delivered electronically and can be redeemed online, which is useful for locking in a better car class before you arrive.
The Recommended Chain
If you hold the American Express Platinum Card, the most efficient path looks like this:
- Amex Platinum gives you Hertz Five Star (automatic)
- Hertz Five Star matches to National Executive (status match)
- National Executive matches to Avis Preferred Plus (email match)
- Hertz or Avis status matches to Enterprise Plus Gold (status match)
If you hold the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†, you can skip the first step entirely. Enroll directly into National Executive, then chain outward from there.
Either way, within a few days of submitting match requests, you can have elite status across all four major programs.
Best Credit Cards for Car Rentals
Status is only part of the equation. Choosing the right credit card also saves you money on insurance and foreign transaction fees.
American Express Platinum Card
The American Express Platinum Card is the strongest overall card for car rentals in Canada. It provides Hertz Five Star status, Avis enrollment, exclusive Hertz rates (often 20–50% below public pricing), and a four-hour grace period on returns.
It also includes CDW/LDW coverage for vehicles up to $85,000 (CAD) MSRP, the highest threshold of any Canadian card. At $799 per year, it’s a premium card, but between the car rental perks, lounge access, travel credits, and transfer partners, it pays for itself quickly if you travel regularly.
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card
If you’re renting abroad, the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card is worth a look. It charges no foreign transaction fees, which saves you 2.5% on every rental outside Canada. On a week-long international rental, that adds up fast.
It also includes comprehensive CDW/LDW coverage for rentals up to $65,000 (CAD) and up to 48 consecutive days. For a $150 annual fee, it’s a strong companion card for anyone who rents outside Canada even occasionally.
For a deeper dive into card-specific rental perks, check out our guide to the best credit cards for car rentals in Canada.
Saving Money on Car Rentals
Beyond status and credit card perks, a few booking strategies can shave even more off your rental costs.
Costco Travel
If you have a Costco membership, Costco Travel consistently offers competitive car rental rates across multiple agencies. Their rates typically include a free additional driver, and the comparison view makes it easy to shop across brands in one search.
You can stack Costco Travel rates with your status match benefits. Book through Costco for the price, then enjoy your Executive aisle upgrade when you arrive.
AutoSlash
AutoSlash is a free service that monitors car rental prices on your behalf. Submit your trip details and they’ll email you the lowest available rate. You can also enter an existing reservation’s confirmation number, and AutoSlash will alert you if the price drops. Since most car rental bookings are fully cancellable, there’s no downside to letting it run in the background.
Amex Platinum CDP Code
As covered earlier, the American Express Platinum Card unlocks exclusive Hertz pricing (often 20–50% below public rates) plus a four-hour return grace period. If you missed that section, scroll up to the Amex Platinum breakdown under Step 1 for the full comparison.
RBC Avion CDP Code
RBC® Avion Visa Infinite† cardholders get their own Hertz CDP partnership as well. Enter the first six digits of your eligible RBC Avion Visa credit card as your CDP ID to unlock up to 20% off the base rate, a free additional driver, and 10% off prepaid fuel.
If you already hold this card for National Executive status, it’s worth plugging in your CDP on Hertz bookings too.
Conclusion
You don’t need to rent 25 cars a year to walk into the Executive aisle and pick your own ride. With one credit card and a few status match requests, you can have elite status across Hertz, National, Avis, and Enterprise within a few days.
If I had to pick one starting point, the American Express Platinum Card gives you the most to work with: Hertz Five Star status, exclusive rates, and the insurance coverage to back it up. From there, matching to National, Avis, and Enterprise is just paperwork.
Already holding the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†? Don’t sleep on the direct National Executive enrollment. It’s the fastest shortcut available right now.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
