Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
PROGRAMME PROFILE
National Emerald Club: rental credits and free days
National Emerald Club, which National Car Rental markets as the Emerald Club, is the car rental company's loyalty program for frequent renters. [1] Members earn one rental credit for every qualified car rental, and seven credits make a free rental day at the entry tier. [1] [7] Membership also unlocks Emerald Aisle access, where a member chooses any Midsize-or-above car and pays only the reserved Midsize rate in the United States and Canada. [1] [7]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Emerald Club is National Car Rental's loyalty program. It is the entry tier, with Executive and Executive Elite above it. [7]
- Every tier earns one rental credit per qualified car rental; a free rental day costs 7 credits at entry level, 6 for Executive and 5 for Executive Elite. [7]
- Emerald Aisle access means any Midsize-or-above car at the reserved Midsize rate in the US and Canada; Executive Area access raises the floor to Fullsize. [1] [7]
- Rewards can be taken as free rental days, frequent flyer miles or hotel rewards. [7]
What is National Emerald Club and how do you join?
National Car Rental describes the Emerald Club as a program designed to make renting faster and more convenient, with privileges reserved for frequent renters. [1] Emerald Club status is the first tier of the loyalty membership program, and the company positions Executive and Executive Elite above it. [7]
Joining happens online: the National Car Rental site carries an enrolment link for new members, and existing members sign in to the same area to manage their Emerald Club profile. [1] A National Car Rental app is also offered for rental facility lookup and Emerald Club profile management. [1]
The program is not limited to one country. National Car Rental lists locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Australia. [1] Members can also rent at participating Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations to earn free rental days and climb to a higher Emerald Club tier. [7] The tier-to-tier comparison with Enterprise's own program is covered in Enterprise Plus vs National Emerald Club.
How do Emerald Aisle and Executive Area selection work?
The Emerald Aisle is the program's signature vehicle-selection benefit. At Emerald Aisle locations, an Emerald Club member picks any car of Midsize class or above from the aisle and pays only the reserved Midsize rate, within the United States and Canada. [1] [7] Emerald Checkout is offered at Emerald Aisle locations. [1]
Executive and Executive Elite members move up to the Executive Area, where they choose any Fullsize-or-above car and still pay the reserved Midsize rate, again in the US and Canada. [7] Those two tiers also receive a guaranteed free upgrade when reserving anything from a full-size through a luxury vehicle in the US and Canada. [7] Executive Elite adds a guaranteed car of up to Fullsize with 24 hours' notice in the US and Canada. [7]
Because each of these privileges is tied to specific countries and to the member's tier, what is available depends on where the rental takes place rather than applying across the network. [1] [7]
How do you earn rental credits and free rental days?
Every Emerald Club tier earns one rental credit for each qualified car rental, and the credits are exchanged for free rental days. [7] The number of credits a free day costs falls as tier rises, as of 18 October 2026. [7]
| Tier | How the tier is reached | Credits per free rental day |
|---|---|---|
| Emerald Club | Entry tier of the membership program [7] | 7, for a day up to a Midsize car [1] |
| Emerald Club Executive | 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days in a calendar year [7] | 6 [7] |
| Emerald Club Executive Elite | 25 paid rentals or 85 paid rental days in a calendar year [7] | 5 [7] |
The two upper tiers are therefore measured on paid rentals or paid rental days within a single calendar year, with either route sufficient to reach the tier. [7] Tier levels and their qualifying activity are compared across rental programs in car rental loyalty tier qualification.
How do you redeem Emerald Club rewards?
Emerald Club credits are not locked into a single reward. The program's Choose Rewards benefit lets a member take free rental days, frequent flyer miles or hotel rewards, and free days can be redeemed around the globe. [7] Executive Elite members may redeem free days on any available car class with no blackout dates. [7]
Reward choice is worth planning before a rental, because the same credits can be directed to a free day or to a partner currency, and free-day value depends on the car class a member can book. [7] Broader context on how rental programs structure earning and redemption sits in car rental loyalty programs.
Exceptions and limits
- Aisle and area access are location-bound. Emerald Aisle pricing applies in the US and Canada at Emerald Aisle locations, and Executive Area selection applies in the US and Canada, so the benefit depends on the pickup location. [1] [7]
- European upgrades are conditional. A free one-class upgrade is offered at participating locations in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany, subject to availability at the time of rental. [7]
- Priority Service is regional. Expedited service is listed for rentals in Europe and in Latin America and the Caribbean, not as a worldwide entitlement. [7]
- Premier Selection pricing is decided at the lot. Special pricing on an upgrade to Premier Selection applies at the rental lot in the US and Canada, and is listed for Executive and Executive Elite. [7]
- Some listed benefits are not member-only. Private airport delivery at most private airports in the US and Canada carries geographic restrictions and is not a member-exclusive benefit. [7]
- Second-driver fees. The program states that members do not pay extra when family members and business associates do the driving. [7]
Frequently asked questions
How many rental credits do you need for a free rental day?
Seven credits at Emerald Club level, six for Executive members and five for Executive Elite members. [7] One credit is earned for each qualified car rental. [7]
How do you qualify for Emerald Club Executive?
Executive status is reached with 12 paid rentals or 40 paid rental days in a calendar year; Executive Elite requires 25 paid rentals or 85 paid rental days in a calendar year. [7]
What is the difference between the Emerald Aisle and the Executive Area?
On the Emerald Aisle a member chooses any Midsize-or-above car and pays the reserved Midsize rate; in the Executive Area the choice starts at Fullsize and the reserved Midsize rate still applies, in the US and Canada. [1] [7]
Can you earn Emerald Club credits when renting from Enterprise?
Yes, at participating Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations, where rentals earn free rental days and count toward a higher Emerald Club tier. [7]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Other car rental programs, including Enterprise Plus, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and Avis Preferred, are not covered here; see the car rental loyalty programs overview.
- Emerald Club loyalty program overview, National Car Rental, checked 18 October 2026
- Emerald Club benefits by tier, National Car Rental, checked 18 October 2026