Credit card perks can be pretty confusing, given that some are determined by the bank, and some are determined by the issuer. Certain types of cards (for example, Visa Signature, World Elite MasterCard, etc.) have a consistent suite of benefits.
World Elite MasterCards come with a ton of perks, encompassing many aspects of the travel experience, like flights, hotels, car rentals, etc.
A few World Elite MasterCards include:
Citi Prestige® Card
Citi ThankYou® Premier Card
Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard®
Virgin Atlantic World Elite MasterCard®
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard
One of the lesser known and most valuable World Elite MasterCard perks is free elite status with three car rental companies — Avis, National, and Sixt. Just for having a World Elite MasterCard you can receive:
Avis First membership
National Emerald Club Executive membership
Sixt Platinum status
As of now these benefits are available through December 31, 2015. To activate the benefit, simply call a World Elite MasterCard travel advisor at 855-802-1387 to upgrade your status.
Here’s a rundown of the advertised benefits:
Avis World Elite MasterCard Benefits
Save up to 20% on each rental
Enjoy complimentary membership to Avis Preferred®, where available
Enjoy complimentary upgraded membership to Avis First®
Save up to 20% on the rental portion of Avis’s chauffeur service, WeDriveU®
Enjoy other special promotions, subject to location and availability
National World Elite MasterCard Benefits
National is pleased to provide World Elite MasterCard cardholders with savings of up to 25%* (Certain terms, conditions and dates may apply)
World Elite MasterCard Cardholders can also take advantage of our fast, frictionless rental process with our complimentary Emerald Club Executive Service® membership** for rentals in the US and Canada and Emerald Aisle Service® in Latin America. Enroll and receive a one-year trial membership of Emerald Club at the Executive Level or Emerald Aisle Service®. If you’re already a member of Emerald Club or Emerald Aisle, you can elevate your status to Executive for a one-year trial membership.
Emerald Club at the Executive Level membership provides the following benefits:
Access to the Executive Selection area – Executive members can choose their car from the Executive Selection area. Here you will have your choice of any full-size or higher class car while always paying the reserved Midsize car rate
Guaranteed upgrades – As an Executive member, you’ll always pay one car class less when you reserve a full-size or luxury car — a guarantee no other rental car company can make
An accelerated earning schedule – With six rental credits, receive One Free Rental Day or opt to receive airline miles or hotel points from one of our many partners
Receive automatic E-receipts – Sign up for E-receipts and we’ll email your receipt. Simply drop off your car and go
Sixt World Elite MasterCard Benefits
Enjoy savings of up to 10% on Sixt rent a car / rent a truck worldwide
Enjoy a complimentary upgrade to the next higher car group at Sixt rent a car worldwide, subject to availability
Receive 92 miles (150 kilometers) additional mileage for Sixt luxury carsReceive additional perks and savings with a complimentary Platinum Sixt Card, normally only available to customers renting 10 or more times per year. With the Platinum Sixt Card, you will enjoy savings of up to 15% on Sixt rent a car / rent a truck worldwide. You will also enjoy preferred reservation priority and the convenience of special Sixt Platinum counters/parking lots at selected airports/stations.
Bottom line
I recently turned a quarter century old, which means I’m no longer stuck paying “underage” fees for rental cars. Of course there were sometimes ways around those fees, though I’ve focused mostly on Uber rather than car rentals.
It’s time I focus more on car rentals now, and if nothing else having recently acquired the Citi Prestige® Card and Citi ThankYou® Premier Card gets me access to World Elite MasterCard perks. Not only do the above programs get you car upgrades, but in many cases they even get you discounts on the cost of rentals.
Have you activated your free World Elite MasterCard car rental status yet?
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