EA questions and how to get free addt'l drivers

[TammyC]

I have been working on getting a good car rental rate and have a couple of questions. Can I figure out the price of an EA rental without having an EA membership yet? Do you just get a rate qutoe for intermediate (using EA contract ID or whatever one is the best discount) and then add your EA # later? Or do you have to reserve an EA intermediate? Does this make sense?

Anyone know of other ways to have free additional drivers with any agency? So far I have only found EA, which we don't have yet and AAA with Hertz, which is only if both drivers are AAA members (and of course we are not).

Thanks for any info..

Tammy

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by TammyC
I have been working on getting a good car rental rate and have a couple of questions. Can I figure out the price of an EA rental without having an EA membership yet? Do you just get a rate qutoe for intermediate (using EA contract ID or whatever one is the best discount) and then add your EA # later? Or do you have to reserve an EA intermediate? Does this make sense?

Anyone know of other ways to have free additional drivers with any agency? So far I have only found EA, which we don't have yet and AAA with Hertz, which is only if both drivers are AAA members (and of course we are not).

Thanks for any info..

Tammy

You cannot access National's EA rates without a membership. Sign up for free via the link at mousesavers.com You cannot use an EC contract code without signing in.

[PatMcDuck]

Budget used to give free additional driver for people traveling together, but that was 4-5 years ago. National gives it to Emerald members and their spouses, as you already noted.

[DebbieB]

Spouses or domestic partners are free with EA, as well as business associates. Others are not, which I found out when I rented with friends about 3 weeks ago, we had to pay $7 a day to add me as an additional driver.

[BobH]

Avis does not charge for an additional driver if it is a spouse. Check Avis website for details. If your price is comparable use Avis for the free driver. National chares about $25 for the extra driver unless you are an Emerald Club Member and I understand from comments here that you can get a free membership in the Emerald Aisle through links at http://www.mousesavers.com
Always establish the best price then pick the car rental company you intend to go with. Always re-check rates and cancel and re-book at a lower price if it comes up. good luck.

[TammyC]

Thanks all.

Has anyone that signed up for the free Emerald membership had it for more than a year? I think I read that it is a $50 annual fee, and I wondered if the link for free membership is only for the first year (or forever). I hate to sound skeptical, but I was always taught "If it sounds too good to be true, then it is".....

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by TammyC
Thanks all.

Has anyone that signed up for the free Emerald membership had it for more than a year? I think I read that it is a $50 annual fee, and I wondered if the link for free membership is only for the first year (or forever). I hate to sound skeptical, but I was always taught "If it sounds too good to be true, then it is".....

It is seemingly forever. I have never been charged.

[DebbieB]

I've had my free EC card since 1998. If they started to charge $50, I would get rid of it. It's nice to have but not worth $50. The Orlando rental market is very competitive, they would be stupid to start charging and lose customers. They are the only company to have a "what have you seen" thread.

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DebbieB
I've had my free EC card since 1998. If they started to charge $50, I would get rid of it. It's nice to have but not worth $50. The Orlando rental market is very competitive, they would be stupid to start charging and lose customers. They are the only company to have a "what have you seen" thread.

Yes, Orlando is busy, but, the EC is world wide, if they wanted to start charging, I doubt the loss of rentals at MCO would make a lot of difference in the grand scheme of things.