A rewards credit card can benefit those who regularly rent vehicles in the following ways:
Read on to learn more about how each of these benefits work and how you can compare the cards which offer them.
Some credit card providers offer big discounts if you rent a car from one of their partner car hire companies. Many credit card providers will offer discounts of around 25%, which can save you a substantial amount of money on your rental.
| Rewards program | Car hire partner & discount amount |
|---|---|
| BMO Rewards | Discounts at Alamo, usually up to 25% off. |
| CIBC Rewards | Discounts at Budget & Avis, usually up to 25% off. |
| RBC Rewards | Discount at Alamo, usually up to 25% off. |
| Scene+ (Previously Scotia Rewards) | Discount at Avis, usually up to 20% off. |
| TD Rewards | Discount at Budget, typically between 5-25%. |
Most of the rewards programs in the market today allow you to use your rewards points to pay for car rental services. Unlike using points to claim with hotels and some flights, most programs have only one car hire partner.
| Rewards program | Car hire partners |
|---|---|
| BMO Rewards | Alamo |
| CIBC Rewards | Budget & Avis |
| RBC Rewards | Alamo |
| Scene+ (Previously Scotia Rewards) | Avis |
| TD Rewards | Budget |
Information about earning bonus points and redeeming points with car hire partners can be found easily on the providers credit card page. You will need to delve into the terms and conditions of the card to learn about any restrictions.
Some credit card providers offer up to 25% more rewards points when you rent a car with one of their car hire partners. This means you can typically redeem your rewards points to rent a car or pay for your rental with your card, while also earning up to 25% more bonus points on the total cost of the rental.
In addition, some providers will offer higher rates of cash back when you charge your rental car to your credit card.
As part of the benefits of many gold and platinum credit cards, card providers will give cardholders free car rental insurance policies.
These policies can include complimentary travel insurance and car rental insurance, in the event you have an accident in your rental vehicle and it suffers damage.
If you want to compare car rental insurance, you can read about the limits and exclusions in the terms and conditions on the card provider’s website. If you already have a credit card, check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to learn about any existing car rental coverage you may have.
Some card providers will offer complimentary roadside assistance.
For Visa Classic, Visa Infinite and Visa Infinite Privilege cards, you’ll typically get the following roadside services:
You’ll pay a flat fee of $69.95 per service call — and there are no usage limits.
With some Standard, World and World Elite Mastercards, you will get access to the following:
Services include:
You’ll pay any fees directly to the roadside assistance service.
There are quite a few credit cards out there which offer car rental benefits and complimentary insurance coverage, so you’ll want to compare a range of rewards cards to find the right one for your spending habits and financial needs.
Aside from comparing car rental insurance coverage and available car hire partners, you’ll also want to consider the following factors between credit cards:
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