If you tend to rent cars for long-distance travel, having a card in your wallet that adds value to the car rental process can make each trip a little easier. Take a look at the best credit cards for car rentals.
You have many options available when you’re looking for the best credit card for business travel. Take a look at some of the top options among the best credit cards for car rentals.
United Explorer Business – best credit card for car rental overall
It’s no surprise that one of the best credit cards for business travel is also an excellent choice for frequent car renters. With the United Explorer Business card, you get credit card car rental insurance, with worldwide primary coverage every time you rent a car (excluding any exotic or ultra expensive vehicles or RVs). And the perks just keep coming.
Because this Chase card is a partnership offered with United Airlines, you earn United Mileage Plus miles every time you swipe the card, with rewards starting as low as 12,500 miles. Pick up a new cardmember bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend 3,000 USD in your first three miles.
You can also earn double miles on many of your most common purchases, so spend away at gas stations, office supply stores and restaurants — as well as on all United purchases. Miles don’t expire, and you can keep earning with no cap.
You also get a few other travel perks: Priority boarding, for one. In addition, you and your flight companion can check your first bag free. In addition, if you’re a business owner and you order United Explorer Business cards for your employees, their mileage rewards accrue to your account.
Chase Sapphire Preferred – best credit card for car rental insurance
If you’ve always said yes to your car rental company’s additional collision coverage, you can save a lot in extra fees by switching to the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. This card offers primary collision damage waiver coverage around the world. If something happens to your rental car, you don’t even have to file a claim with your own insurance company — your credit card car rental coverage will take care of it all.
Here’s the specifics: You’re covered for damage or theft of the car, up to the car’s value, for 31 days. In addition, the rental car company can’t come after you for those “loss of use” charges that can really add up. Plus, your towing charges are also covered.
If you have additional drivers listed on the car rental agreement, don’t worry, they’re covered, too, as are any additional users listed on your credit card.
Other perks? Look for two Chase Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar you spend on travel, including car rentals, and on dining. Your startup bonus is 60,000 points, and the annual fee on the card is only 95 USD.
Amex Blue Cash Preferred – best credit card for long-term car rental
You might assume that because your credit card offers insurance coverage, you’re set for as long as you have your rental car. Actually, that’s not the case. Check the fine print to see if the card you’re considering is one of the many that only offers coverage for 31 days.
If you need better coverage, check out the best credit card for long-term car rental: The American Express Blue Cash Preferred card. With this card, you get a 42-day coverage period, with 100,000 USD in primary coverage, at an additional rate of up to 24.95 USD per rental period. In addition, you get coverage for accidental death, plus secondary coverage for personal property damage and medical expenses.
What about the other benefits? Because you’re dealing with Amex, there are plenty of travel perks. Earn 6 percent cash back on expenditures at the supermarket (up to 6,000 USD per year), 3 percent cash back at U.S. gas stations and some department stores, and 1 percent cash back on everything else you spend.
As a bonus, you get 200 USD cash back once you’ve spent 1,000 USD in your first three months with the card, and your startup rate is 0 percent for purchases and balance transfers during your first year. After that, the annual fee is 95 USD.
Chase Sapphire Reserve – Best credit card for car rental rewards
The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card offers plenty of travel rewards, including some special perks when you rent a car. Use your Sapphire Reserve card to book with Avis, National Car Rental, or Silvercar, and you’ll get special privileges. With this best credit card for car rental rewards, you can expect upgrades and special promotional rates. Other promotional offers are also often available.
In addition, you can count on complementary insurance coverage for theft of or damage to your rental car, with coverage of up to 75,000 USD per incident. Make sure you decline the rental agency’s coverage for this perk to kick in.
But what about the other rewards, we hear you asking? With this card, you earn three points for every dollar spent at restaurants and on travel. Your signup bonus of 50,000 points, earned by spending 4,000 USD in your first three months, reaps you 750 USD in travel rewards through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
In addition, Chase credits 300 USD back to you each year in travel costs, and it covers your application fee of 100 USD every four years for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also saves you money when you’re traveling internationally, as it charges no fees for foreign transactions. The annual fee for this credit card is 450 USD.
When you’re ready to let someone else do the driving, Blacklane offers premium vehicles to help you travel to meetings, as well as your final destination, in comfort and style. Book a reliable Blacklane car service for your next trip so you can travel smoothly.
