Navigating the world of travel rewards can be complex, but Delta Air Lines offers a straightforward way to boost your SkyMiles balance through its car rental partners. By booking your rental car through delta.com, you can earn valuable miles and even use your existing miles to cover the cost of your rental. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Delta Car Rental Partners, ensuring you make the most of every booking.
Earning SkyMiles with Delta Car Rental Partners
Delta Air Lines partners with a variety of well-known car rental companies to provide SkyMiles members with earning opportunities. The number of miles you earn depends on the rental company you choose and your Delta Medallion status. It’s a simple way to accumulate miles on everyday travel needs, bringing you closer to your next flight reward.
Hertz: Earn the Most Miles
For SkyMiles members looking to maximize their earnings, Hertz stands out as the premier partner. The earning structure is tiered based on your Medallion status, rewarding loyal Delta customers even further:
- General SkyMiles Members: Earn 4 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
- Silver Medallions: Earn 5 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
- Gold Medallions: Earn 6 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
- Platinum Medallions: Earn 7 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
- Diamond Medallions: Earn 8 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
Alt text: Hertz car rental storefront showcasing a variety of vehicles available for rent, emphasizing convenience and choice for travelers.
Choosing Hertz through delta.com can significantly accelerate your SkyMiles accumulation, especially if you hold Medallion status.
Dollar and Thrifty: Solid Mileage Earnings
Dollar and Thrifty, also partners with Delta, offer a consistent earning rate for all SkyMiles members:
- All SkyMiles Members: Earn 4 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
Alt text: Dollar Rent A Car sign at a car rental facility, indicating a budget-friendly car rental option for Delta SkyMiles members.
While the earning rate is not tiered by Medallion status like Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty provide a straightforward and reliable way to earn miles on your car rentals.
Alamo, Enterprise, National, Avis, Budget, and Payless: Standard Mileage Offer
A wide range of car rental companies, including Alamo, Enterprise, National, Avis, Budget, and Payless, also participate in the Delta SkyMiles partner program. These partners offer a standard mileage earning rate:
- All SkyMiles Members: Earn 2 miles per qualifying US dollar spent.
Alt text: Collage of logos from various car rental companies including Alamo, Enterprise, National, Avis, Budget, and Payless, representing diverse choices for Delta SkyMiles car rental partners.
While the earning rate is lower compared to Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, choosing these partners through delta.com still allows you to earn SkyMiles on your rental, adding value to your booking.
Key Terms for Earning Miles
To ensure you receive your SkyMiles, it’s important to understand the terms and conditions associated with earning miles on car rentals booked through delta.com:
- Qualifying Dollars: Miles are earned on the base car rental rate, excluding taxes, fees, and other charges. Discounts and redeemed vouchers also reduce the qualifying amount.
- Booking Platform: Rentals must be booked through delta.com/cars or travelextras-delta.com to qualify for SkyMiles.
- SkyMiles Number: Your SkyMiles number must be entered at the time of booking.
- Name Matching: The name on the credit card used for the reservation must match the name on the SkyMiles account.
- Mileage Posting Time: Allow up to 8 weeks for miles to be credited to your SkyMiles account after completing the rental.
- Eligible Rates: Miles are not awarded on travel industry rates, wholesale tour packages, insurance replacement rates, corporate/government rates, or rentals combined with frequent flyer awards.
Redeeming SkyMiles for Car Rentals
Beyond earning miles, Delta SkyMiles members also have the option to redeem their miles to pay for car rentals booked through delta.com. This provides flexibility in using your accumulated miles for different travel needs.
How to Redeem Miles
When booking a car rental on delta.com, you will have the option to use miles towards your booking. You can choose to pay for the entire rental with miles or combine miles with a credit/debit card if you don’t have enough miles to cover the full cost.
- Full Mileage Redemption: If you have sufficient miles, you can pay for the entire rental using your SkyMiles balance.
- Partial Mileage Redemption: If you don’t have enough miles, you can use a portion of your miles and pay the remaining balance with a credit or debit card.
Alt text: Icon depicting SkyMiles being exchanged for car keys, symbolizing the option to redeem miles for car rentals through Delta SkyMiles program.
Important Redemption Terms
When redeeming SkyMiles for car rentals, keep these points in mind:
- SkyMiles Account Login: You must be logged into your SkyMiles account to redeem miles.
- Single Account Redemption: Miles can only be redeemed from one SkyMiles account per transaction.
- Cancellation Policy: Car rental bookings must be cancelled at least 24 hours before pick-up to be eligible for a mileage refund. Cancellations within 24 hours result in forfeiture of the booking and miles.
- Refund Processing: Refunds for mileage redemptions will be credited back to your SkyMiles account. For bookings paid with a combination of miles and credit/debit card, the miles portion will be refunded as miles, and the cash portion will be refunded to the original card.
- No Mileage Earning on Redemption Bookings: You will not earn miles on car rentals booked using miles, regardless of any portion paid with a credit/debit card.
Booking Your Delta Car Rental
Booking your car rental through delta.com to earn or redeem SkyMiles is a straightforward process:
- Visit delta.com/cars: Navigate to the car rental section of the Delta website.
- Enter Search Criteria: Input your pick-up location, dates, and times.
- Browse and Select a Car: Choose from the available car rental options from Delta’s partners.
- Enter SkyMiles Information: Ensure you are logged into your SkyMiles account or enter your SkyMiles number during the booking process.
- Choose Payment Method: Select to pay with cash or redeem SkyMiles for eligible rentals.
- Complete Booking: Review and confirm your car rental reservation.
By understanding the Delta car rental partners program, you can strategically earn and redeem SkyMiles, maximizing the value of your Delta SkyMiles membership. Whether you prioritize earning the most miles with Hertz or prefer to use your miles for rental car costs, Delta provides flexible options to enhance your travel experience.
