It’s a common question for frequent travelers: Are National Car and Alamo part of the same family, and does that mean their loyalty programs are linked? You’re not alone if you’ve wondered whether your rentals with one brand contribute to rewards with the other. The short answer is yes, and no – they are related under the umbrella of Enterprise Holdings, but their loyalty programs operate somewhat distinctly, albeit with recent unifying changes. Let’s delve into the details, especially in light of recent loyalty program extensions.
Enterprise Holdings, a giant in the car rental industry, oversees not just National and Alamo, but also Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Being part of the same parent company does bring certain advantages and connections, particularly when it comes to customer service infrastructure and, as recently announced, loyalty program benefits during exceptional times like the global pandemic.
The image shows a sign featuring Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental brands at Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport, illustrating the shared branding under Enterprise Holdings.
While National Car Rental and Alamo are siblings within Enterprise Holdings, they have traditionally maintained separate loyalty programs. National is known for its Emerald Club, catering more towards business travelers with benefits like bypassing the counter and vehicle choice. Alamo, often favored by leisure travelers and families, also has its own loyalty program, Alamo Insiders, offering discounts and faster booking.
However, in a significant move to recognize customer loyalty during the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Enterprise Holdings extended the elite status for all three of its brands’ loyalty programs – National Emerald Club, Enterprise Plus, and Alamo Insiders – by a full year. This means if you earned elite status with National Emerald Club in 2019, expecting it to expire in 2021, you now have that status extended into 2022. This unified extension across National, Alamo, and Enterprise loyalty programs signals a degree of interconnectedness in how Enterprise values its customers across brands.
Randal Narike, Executive Vice President, Global Mobility and Customer Experience at Enterprise Holdings, emphasized this point in a statement, saying they appreciate customer loyalty even when travel is reduced, ensuring benefits remain when customers are ready to travel again. This move mirrors similar extensions in the broader travel industry, including airlines and hotels, acknowledging the unprecedented circumstances affecting travel patterns and loyalty qualifications.
Furthermore, Enterprise Holdings went a step beyond simple extensions. For National Emerald Club members, and likely mirroring benefits for Alamo and Enterprise programs, qualifying rentals from 2020 are being rolled over to 2021. For example, if achieving National Emerald Club Executive status typically requires 12 rentals a year, and a member completed 3 rentals in 2020, those 3 rentals will count towards their 2021 qualification. This is a generous move making it easier for loyal customers to maintain or achieve elite status despite reduced travel.
In conclusion, while National Car and Alamo do not have the same loyalty program in name, they are both part of Enterprise Holdings, and their loyalty programs are being managed with a unified approach, especially in times of travel disruption. The recent extensions and rollover of qualifying rentals demonstrate that Enterprise Holdings values loyalty across its brands. So, while you won’t directly combine points between National Emerald Club and Alamo Insiders in the traditional sense, the overarching benefits and recognition are increasingly aligned under the Enterprise umbrella, offering reassurance and value to customers of both brands.
