During the first “Jackass” movie, Johnny Knoxville turned renting a car into a rather dangerous and funny adventure, but National Car Rental makes the whole process rather painless.
National Car Rental: Quite International
In addition to locations in the continental United States, National operates rental counters in several foreign countries including Germany; by clicking on the “Locations” tab at the top of the company’s website, I found cars available at several Berlin airports, two locations in Guam and 7 National Car Rentals in Ireland.
With National, you also can rent a car up North in Juneau, Alaska or, if you prefer a warmer climate, at the Honolulu Airport in Hawaii. With so many locations across the world, National almost should change their name to International Car Rentals.
National Car Rental: Vehicle Availability
Even during the busy holiday season, National has a pretty diverse fleet available for last-minute rentals. For demonstration purposes, I tried to see if I could rent a vehicle on New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles and was quickly offered a wide selection of vehicles, including a Chevrolet TrailBlazer ($102.89 per day) and a Cadillac DTS ($109.89 per day).
National also offers the option to accessorize your car, adding car seats, optional damage and liability coverage or a GPS system for an additional charge. You can also select “Upfront Fuel,” which locks in how much per gallon you’ll pay to refill the tank upon returning the car to National. At LAX, the current estimated upfront price-per-gallon is $3.20, but this is subject to change due to fluctuating fuel costs.
Though reservations can be made through your travel agent or by calling 1-800-227-7368 (1-800-328-6323 to use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)), the National Car Rental website is easy to navigate and, in just a few minutes, you can have a car ready and waiting for you when you arrive at your destination.
National Car Rental: Emerald Club
Best described as a frequent renter’s club, National Car Rental’s Emerald Club rewards their customers for every car rental. At certain locations, National offers an “Emerald Aisle,” a special area that lets you bypass the counter and choose from a selection of mid-sized cars. The Emerald Club also lets you choose your own reward, either free rental days or airline miles.
Before you start booking your trip, take a few moments to create an Emerald Club profile. With all your rental information on file, reserving a car is quick and painless.
National Car Rental: Travel Partners
The National website contains a long list of travel partners, including American Airlines, Delta, Hilton Hotels as well as the AARP. Depending on the travel partner, you can earn miles or points for every rental day.
National Car Rental: Specials
The National website also has a “Specials to Go” section that contains some great weekly specials and online “E-Coupons.” Current Internet deals include an offer for $30 off a weekly rental that’s picked up in January and a discounted rate on a GPS accessory rental.
National accepts prepaid Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards for final payment upon return of the rental vehicle. Debit cards can be used at time of rental, but you must present a valid round-trip ticket at the rental counter.
