What are free car rental days?

Two published models

Avis Preferred is a points programme: members accumulate points for every qualifying dollar spent, and the programme says earnings accelerate at higher membership levels. [6] The page lists three levels: Avis Preferred, Avis Preferred Plus and Avis President's Club. [6] On rental spend, the published rates are 1 point per US$1 for Avis Preferred, 1.25 for Avis Preferred Plus and 1.5 for Avis President's Club; accessory spend earns 2, 2.5 and 3 points per US$1 respectively. [6] Avis Preferred members also earn a minimum of 100 points every rental. [6] New members earn 100 bonus points when they rent within the first three months of joining. [6]

National Emerald Club uses rental credits for its Free Rental Day benefit. [7] Members earn one rental credit for every qualified car rental. [7] Seven credits equal one Free Rental Day, up to a Midsize. [7] The page does not publish an expiry period for those credits. [7]

Earning the currency

Avis ties point earning to qualifying dollars spent on a rental. [6] The page shows Avis Preferred Plus alongside a threshold of 10 rentals or US$4,000 spent, and President's Club alongside 20 rentals or US$6,000 spent. [6] The page does not state that a particular membership level is required to redeem a rental day reward. [6]

National's published earning rule is one rental credit per qualified car rental. [7] The page does not define which rentals count as qualified, and it does not state a minimum membership tier for the free-day benefit. [7]

Redeeming a free day

Avis says reward days start at 700 points with no blackout dates. [6] Reward days are grouped into four levels based on the standard base rate, car class and location of the rental. [6] The published table prices a day at 700 points when the standard base rate is up to US$50, 1,400 points at US$50.01 to US$85, 2,100 points at US$85.01 to US$125, and 3,500 points at US$125.01 to US$225. [6] The standard base rate excludes any Avis Worldwide Discount, special rates or other offers, and all dollar values on the page are in US Dollars. [6] Accessories are 250 points each per day. [6] The table stops at US$225; no higher reward-day band is published. [6]

National's published free day costs seven credits and is limited to a Midsize in the wording. [7] The National page does not state whether blackout dates apply, whether taxes or fees are waived, or how a booking above Midsize is priced. [7]

Exceptions and limits

• Avis's no-blackout statement is specific to its page; National's page does not repeat it. [6] [7]
• National's published wording caps the Free Rental Day at a Midsize, and the page does not state a rule for larger vehicles. [7]
• Avis reward-day pricing varies with standard base rate, car class and location, so the point price is not a single flat rate. [6]
• Neither page states that taxes or fees are waived, or that they are included in a free day. [6] [7]
• Neither page states when Avis points or National rental credits expire. [6] [7]
• Avis publishes no reward-day level above a standard base rate of US$225. [6]

Related pages

For the wider picture, see car rental loyalty programmes. Browse all glossary terms.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Avis Preferred and National Emerald Club are covered. Other car-rental loyalty programmes, including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and Enterprise Plus, are not covered here.

1. Avis Preferred programme page, checked 18 October 2026
2. National Emerald Club programme page, checked 18 October 2026