How to Enjoy Renting a Car - National Car Rental

The core takeaway is really just one thing: National's consistency and the car-selection experience in the Executive Area are what set it clearly a notch above the likes of Budget and Thrifty. It's also true that not having to queue at the counter is a plus for introverts—with many rental companies, just standing in line can eat up half an hour. As for the code determining the price, that's indeed far more reliable than blindly hunting around on comparison sites, but the codes that actually work often come with eligibility restrictions, and few are usable long term.

If the code is shared publicly and overused, it may simply stop working.

If you're going through a corporate code or credit card benefits, it's best to confirm the eligibility requirements and insurance coverage in advance—you don't want to find out at the counter that they don't apply. Also, the Executive Area isn't available at every airport; smaller city locations may not offer it at all, so it's best to consider location and vehicle type separately in the discussion.

I don't quite agree with calling Hertz a coin flip. The vehicle condition and service experience depend heavily on the specific location, time period, and vehicle inventory, and the same brand can vary a lot from one airport to another. National's Executive Area is convenient, but during peak times the good cars can get picked clean, and entry-level BBA models aren't guaranteed every time. Also, whether the flat fee to enter the Executive Area is worth it depends on the rental length and local prices, and it's not necessarily cheaper than just booking a midsize car directly.

Is this also the case for stores in Europe or smaller cities?

One thing I'd like to confirm: the flat fee entry to the Executive Area that you mentioned—is that a benefit that comes with the CSR itself, or does it require a specific code or registration process? If it's the latter, it would be best to clarify which card types and store types it applies to, otherwise readers might try it and find that it doesn't work.

Codes like this are very time-sensitive—what works today may not work next month, and acceptance varies from one pickup location to another. Rather than fixating on a single code, it's better to nail down your comparison-shopping approach: first decide on the car type and insurance needs, then cross-check prices across multiple channels, and finally see whether your membership tier gets you out of the counter line. That way, even if a code stops working, your whole plan doesn't fall apart.