Is Avis Presidents Club Worth It?

I spend a fair amount of time renting cars, mainly for family vacations but also for work purposes. Over the years, I’ve sampled loyalty programmes from several big rental firms. Some are little more than marketing gloss; others, like Avis President’s Club, promise more tangible perks. But does it really deliver enough value to justify chasing status?

The appeal of elite perks

On paper, the President’s Club status looks attractive. Guaranteed upgrades, priority counters, and a free additional driver are the sort of benefits that can quickly make a trip smoother. One of the most consistent wins for me has been the upgrade. Walk into an airport desk and instead of the compact you booked, you often drive away in something more comfortable, sometimes two categories higher at weekends. For long motorway journeys or client visits, that’s not a trivial gain.

Priority service is another understated benefit. Anyone who has landed after a delayed flight and found themselves at the back of a snaking rental queue knows how frustrating it can be. Being waved through to a shorter line genuinely saves time and stress. And if you travel with family or colleagues, having a free additional driver is useful, especially in the UK, where adding one can otherwise cost £15 a day.

There are also softer advantages. Bookings made 48 hours in advance are guaranteed a vehicle, which can be reassuring when travelling to smaller cities. You also earn 50% more loyalty points, so the free days and upgrades accumulate faster. After three rentals, a complimentary weekend voucher is thrown in.

What it takes to qualify

Here’s the catch: the bar for entry is high. To qualify, you must either have 10 rentals or spend €2,000 during a calendar year. That’s significant unless you are a weekly business traveller. There are shortcuts, holding certain cards, such as the American Express Platinum, or having elite status with an airline partner, but for most people, qualifying takes real volume.

The membership runs until the end of the following year, so you could qualify late in one year and enjoy nearly two full years of benefits. But to keep it, you’ll need to hit those thresholds again.

Where the value shows

For me, the value becomes clear when trips are frequent and relatively short. The guaranteed upgrade makes long drives more tolerable, and the weekend voucher can cover a leisure trip that I might otherwise have paid for. More than once, when rental desks were overbooked, I was pulled to the front of the waitlist, something that would otherwise have meant hours of delay or even being left without a car.

The extra points matter too. Over a year, if you rent often, those accelerated earnings convert into meaningful savings. Think of it as interest accumulating quietly in the background.

The drawbacks

The flip side is that upgrades exclude luxury cars, vans, and speciality models. If you tend to book larger vehicles already, you may not notice much benefit. Car availability guarantees also don’t cover every location, and rentals longer than two weeks can be excluded. In practice, I’ve had occasional hiccups where the “guarantee” turned out to mean “we’ll do our best.”

Another consideration is whether you really want to channel all your rentals through Avis. Prices vary widely, and locking yourself into one provider can mean missing better deals elsewhere. In Europe, I’ve sometimes found local firms to be cheaper, even after factoring in the perks.

Then there’s the cost of qualification. 10 rentals or €2,000 is not trivial. Unless your employer foots the bill, that spend could outweigh the actual value of the benefits. The shortcut via Amex Platinum is easier, but the card itself carries a steep annual fee, so you’re still paying indirectly.

Who really benefits

In my experience, President’s Club status is most worthwhile for three groups. First, road warriors who rent almost weekly, salespeople, consultants, and frequent flyers. The convenience alone justifies it. Second, leisure travellers who value comfort on holiday and can qualify through a credit card or airline status without chasing rentals. And third, anyone who prizes certainty, knowing you’ll get a car and likely a nicer one.

For casual renters who only hire a car a few times a year, the perks won’t come close to outweighing the effort. You’ll be better served by shopping around for the best deal on each trip and perhaps relying on a more accessible loyalty tier.

My verdict

Having tried it, I would say Avis President’s Club is a genuine step up from the usual rental loyalty programmes. The upgrades and priority treatment are not just symbolic; they make travel tangibly smoother. But it’s not for everyone. The qualification threshold is steep and the perks, while valuable, don’t always match the hype of “guarantees.”

If you already rent heavily for work, it’s worth aiming for. If you qualify by virtue of a partner programme, it’s a nice extra. However, if you’re considering switching all your rentals to Avis solely to chase status, you may find that the cost outweighs the benefits.

For me, having a year with heavy travel, the club paid for itself in convenience and comfort. In lighter years, I wouldn’t stretch to keep it. The real lesson is that status only makes sense when it fits your travel pattern. Loyalty has its rewards—but only if you’re already earning them.