Does Thrifty Car Rental Have a Rewards Program? Exploring Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards

Thrifty Car Rental, alongside its sister company Dollar, operates under the umbrella of the Hertz Corporation, primarily catering to travelers seeking budget-friendly car rental options. While Thrifty is known for its cost-effectiveness, many potential customers are keen to understand if they can also benefit from a loyalty program. Like many major car rental companies, Thrifty does offer a rewards program known as Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards. However, it’s important to note that this program has evolved over time, especially following Hertz’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2020 and subsequent emergence in 2021.

The Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards program stands out for its simplicity and straightforward approach compared to some of the more complex loyalty schemes in the car rental industry. If you’re wondering, “Does Thrifty Car Rental Have A Rewards Program that actually benefits me?”, this article will delve into the details of the Thrifty Blue Chip program, outlining its benefits, how to join, and what you need to know to make the most of it. Forget complicated points systems; Thrifty has opted for a more direct route to reward its loyal customers.

Thrifty Car Rental Steers Clear of Points-Based Rewards

It’s crucial to address a common misconception right away: Thrifty Car Rental no longer operates a points-based rewards system. Historically, Thrifty Blue Chip did allow members to accumulate points for every dollar spent on rentals, which could then be redeemed for free rental days. This system, where members earned 1 point per dollar and could redeem free days starting at 500 points, was discontinued in late 2020 as part of program restructuring.

Today, the Thrifty Blue Chip program offers a refreshingly simple model. Upon joining, members gain access to a consistent set of benefits, regardless of their rental frequency or spending amount. Whether you rent a car once a year or multiple times, the advantages remain the same for every Blue Chip member. This flat-benefit structure simplifies the program and provides immediate, tangible value to its members, moving away from the accumulation and redemption complexities of a points system.

Unpacking the Benefits of Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards

The Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards program prides itself on its user-friendliness and ease of understanding. It’s designed to be uncomplicated, offering a select range of core benefits without the tiered status levels or intricate point calculations found in many other car rental loyalty programs. Every member of Thrifty Blue Chip enjoys the following key advantages from the moment they enroll:

Complimentary Additional Driver: When renting with Thrifty Blue Chip, you can add an additional driver to your rental agreement at no extra cost. This is a significant perk, especially for trips where driving duties can be shared, offering convenience and potential cost savings compared to rentals where an additional driver fee would apply.
Exclusive 15% Base Rate Discount: Blue Chip members automatically receive a 15% discount on the base rental rate for every booking. This discount provides immediate savings and is applicable to all rentals, making it a valuable and consistent benefit for program members.
Expedited Reservations: As a Blue Chip member, you benefit from a faster booking process. Your pre-saved details streamline the reservation process, saving you time and effort each time you book a rental car with Thrifty.
Hassle-Free E-Returns: The E-Returns service allows for a quicker and more convenient vehicle return experience. Simply drop off your keys and go, bypassing lengthy counter queues and paperwork, making the end of your rental as efficient as possible.

These core benefits of the Thrifty Blue Chip program are designed to provide practical value and convenience to renters, focusing on simplicity and immediate rewards rather than a complex, tiered system.

Related Reading: For those interested in exploring elite status benefits across various car rental companies, check out this helpful guide: How To Get Rental Car Elite Status for Free

Joining Thrifty Blue Chip: A Simple Sign-Up Process

Enrolling in the Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards program is designed to be a quick and easy process. You can become a member in just a few minutes by visiting the Thrifty Car Rental website. Here’s a step-by-step guide to signing up:

Navigate to the Thrifty Website: Go to Thrifty.com.
Find the “Join” or “Rewards” Link: Look for the “Join” button, typically located in the top navigation menu or within a “Rewards” or “Blue Chip Rewards” section of the website.
Complete the Enrollment Form: You will be directed to an online form where you’ll need to enter your personal information. This typically includes:
- Your name and contact details (email address, phone number).
- Your driver’s license information (number, issuing state, expiration date).
- Your credit card details for payment and faster transactions in the future.

The registration process is straightforward, and providing your driver’s license and credit card information in advance streamlines future rental pickups and returns, aligning with the program’s focus on convenience.

Maximize Your Rewards: Earn Airline Miles and Hotel Points with Thrifty

Beyond the core Blue Chip benefits, Thrifty also provides members with the opportunity to earn rewards with partner airline and hotel loyalty programs. When renting with Thrifty, you can choose to credit your rentals to a variety of popular programs, enhancing the value proposition for travelers who are already collecting miles and points. During the sign-up process, or when managing your Blue Chip profile, you can input your membership details for up to six different loyalty programs. Currently, Thrifty partners with the following programs, allowing you to earn rewards on qualifying rentals:

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Earn 50 miles per qualifying rental day at participating locations, for rentals up to 30 days.
American Airlines AAdvantage®: Accrue 50 AAdvantage miles per qualifying rental day at participating locations, for rentals up to 28 days.
Avianca LifeMiles: Receive 50 LifeMiles per rental day on all qualifying rentals.
COPA ConnectMiles: Earn 200 ConnectMiles per qualifying rental day at participating locations.
Delta SkyMiles: Collect 500 SkyMiles per qualifying rental at participating locations.
Emirates Skywards: Earn 500 Skywards Miles per qualifying rental at worldwide locations (excluding rentals in the UAE).
Frontier Miles: Earn 50 miles per day on rentals of 1 to 4 days, or a flat 500 miles per rental for rentals of 5 days or more.
Gulf Air FalconMiles: Accumulate 200 FalconMiles per qualifying rental day at participating locations.
IHG One Rewards: Earn 125 IHG One Rewards points per rental day for qualifying rentals globally.
Kuwait Oasis Club: Receive 500 Oasis Club miles per rental day for qualifying rentals worldwide.
Marriott Bonvoy: Earn 250 Marriott Bonvoy points per rental day for qualifying rentals worldwide.
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit: Earn 50 Free Spirit points per day on rentals of 1 to 4 days, or 500 points per rental for rentals of 5 days or longer.
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards: Collect 600 Rapid Rewards points per qualifying rental transaction at participating locations.

It’s important to note that certain discounted rates, such as industry discounts, tour rates, and complimentary rentals, may not be eligible for earning partner rewards. Always confirm the terms and conditions at the time of booking to ensure your rental qualifies for mileage or point accrual.

After completing the sign-up form and agreeing to the terms, you’ll finalize your registration by creating a password. A confirmation email will be sent to verify your membership, and once verified, you’ll officially be a Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards member, ready to enjoy the program’s benefits and start earning partner rewards.

Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards: Frequently Asked Questions

To further clarify the nuances of the Thrifty Blue Chip program, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Do Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards Expire?

Given that the Thrifty Blue Chip program no longer utilizes a points system, the concept of points expiration is not applicable. While older online resources might mention points expiration policies, these are outdated and pertain to the program structure prior to 2020 when the points system was discontinued. Currently, the core benefits of the Blue Chip program, such as discounts and expedited services, do not expire as long as your membership remains active.

Who is the Parent Company of Thrifty Car Rental?

Thrifty Car Rental is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings. This explains why you’ll often find Thrifty rental counters situated in close proximity to Hertz counters, particularly at airport rental car facilities. Hertz Corporation acquired Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., the parent company of both Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty, in November 2012. Despite the acquisition, Hertz has maintained both the Dollar and Thrifty brands as separate entities, each catering to distinct market segments.

Leveraging Credit Card Benefits for Thrifty Rentals: Insurance Coverage

A common concern when renting a car is the often significant cost of supplemental insurance offered at the rental counter. These add-on insurance products can substantially increase the overall rental expense, potentially adding anywhere from $10 to $50 per day. Fortunately, a strategic way to mitigate these costs is to utilize a credit card that offers car rental insurance as a built-in benefit when you use it to pay for your rental.

Using a credit card with car rental insurance can provide primary coverage, meaning it kicks in before your personal auto insurance policy, potentially saving you from deductibles and premium increases in case of damage or theft. However, it’s crucial to understand the scope of coverage. Credit card rental car insurance typically covers damage to the rental vehicle itself due to collision or theft, but often excludes liability coverage. Liability insurance protects you if you are at fault in an accident and cause damage or injury to others or their property. Therefore, while your credit card might cover damage to the rental car, you may still need to ensure you have adequate liability coverage, either through your personal auto insurance or a separate liability policy.

For renters looking to leverage credit card rental insurance, several personal credit cards offer primary car rental insurance, including:

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee: $395
Welcome Bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Why We Like It: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel card packed with valuable benefits. Cardholders enjoy access to Capital One Lounges and over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide, an annual $300 travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, and up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. It also offers an anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles. Earning rates are strong, including 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X on flights and vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases.

10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Several business credit cards also extend primary car rental insurance benefits when renting for business purposes, such as:

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Annual Fee: $95
Welcome Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Why We Like It: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers a substantial Ultimate Rewards signup bonus and is a top choice for small business rewards. New cardholders can earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to 450,000 points annually in 3X bonus categories.

Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months, redeemable for $900 cash back or $1,125 towards travel through Chase Travel℠.
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent annually on travel and select business categories.
24/7 monitoring for unusual credit card purchases and Zero Liability protection.
Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Travel℠.
Purchase Protection covers new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft.
3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping, internet, cable and phone services, and advertising on social media and search engines.
1X point per $1 on all other purchases.

It’s worth noting that American Express generally does not provide primary car rental insurance as a standard benefit on its cards. However, American Express does offer the option to purchase primary car rental coverage for a per-rental flat fee, which can still be more cost-effective than purchasing insurance directly from the rental company.

Related Reading: For a comprehensive overview of credit cards offering car rental insurance, refer to this guide: Best Credit Cards for Car Rental Insurance

Final Verdict: Is Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards Worth It?

For travelers prioritizing simplicity and straightforward savings, the Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards program presents a compelling option. If you are looking for a car rental rewards program that is easy to understand and utilize without the complexities of tiered statuses, points tracking, and complicated redemption charts, Thrifty Blue Chip is definitely worth considering. The program’s key strengths lie in its user-friendliness, immediate discount on base rates, and the added perk of earning miles or points with a wide array of airline and hotel partners. While it may not offer the high-end elite benefits of some programs, the Thrifty Blue Chip program delivers consistent, accessible value for the budget-conscious traveler seeking a hassle-free car rental experience with added rewards.