Do Rental Cars Earn a Travel Rewards Bonus?
This guide explains how rentals code and why the card you use does double duty.
How rentals code
Car rental companies are coded as travel, or specifically as auto rental, so a travel card earns its elevated rate when you pay for a rental. It is a straightforward travel purchase for rewards purposes, unlike some blurry categories, so you can count on the bonus with a travel card.
The insurance bonus
Rentals come with a second, often more valuable benefit: many cards provide complimentary rental-car insurance when you pay with the card and decline the rental company’s coverage. That can save the daily fee the counter tries to sell you, sometimes worth more than the rewards, which makes choosing the right card for a rental a two-part win. Coverage terms and whether it is primary or secondary vary by card.
How to earn and protect the most
Pay for the rental with a travel card that both earns a bonus and offers strong rental-car coverage, then decline the counter’s insurance if your card’s protection fits your situation. That captures the travel rewards and the free coverage together. Just read your card’s insurance terms first, since exclusions and vehicle types apply, and it stacks with earning across the rest of your trip.
- Car rental agencies code as travel.
- A travel-bonus card earns its elevated rate on rentals.
- The right card can provide rental-car insurance.
- Insurance is a separate benefit from the rewards.
- Use one card for both earning and coverage.
Frequently asked questions
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