Emerald aisle and coupons?

[ncbyrne]

I will be using National rental car for the first time on our next trip. I have joined the Emerald Club. I got a great rate combining BJs discount code and a National internet coupon. I've read a lot of threads about the Emerald Aisle and how easy it is. I've also read that you can't use it with coupons. I'm confused. Can someone please help me understand what I'm to do when I get there?

 

[Shannon G]

Ys, you can use coupons on an Emerald Aisle rental. If you make your reservation online, there will be a space to fill in the coupon number when pricing the reservation. I have always just handed the coupon to the attendant in the booth when we pick up the car, and have not had any problems with this.

What you will do is this:

After you pick up your luggage, head out to the garage, and up to the second level, where National is located. If you have an Emerald Aisle reservation, just walk over to the Emerald Aisle and pick whatever vehicle you want from the aisle. Even if it is a higher class car than and intermediate, you can take it if it's on the Emerald Aisle. If you had an Emerald Reserve reservation for a particular class of vehicle, then go to the aisle for that vehicle class and select a car. The keys are in the cars. Just load up your stuff, get in, and drive to the booth at the exit (there are signs pointing the way). Hand the attendant your Emerald Club card, your license, and any coupons you are using, and the vehicle tag thing which is generally either hanging on the rearview mirror or sitting on the dashboard (a paper thing that has the vehicle info on it). The attendant will do their thing, hand you back your card & license, & off you go.

When you return the car, pull up to the return area, and an attendant will check the car back in with a little handheld computer, and give you your receipt.

 

[CarolA]

Here is what I do. I go to the website and reserve the car using the EA. If it does not kick me out to the counter then I assume I can use the EA. I then go to the EA and pick up my car. I drive to the exit and give the coupon to the person sitting in the exit.

This has worked every time in Orlando, I have never gone to the counter there and I rent cars there a lot.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I think the OP is confusing EA with Quick rent.
The only coupon that seems to bump you back to counter is upgrade coupons, not discount. Carol is totally correct, if it takes it when you make the reservation and does not bump you to counter, then they will accept it when you check out your car.

 

[PhotobearSam]

When do you pay?


At pick up or drop off?


I'm confused.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by PhotobearSam
When do you pay?


At pick up or drop off?


I'm confused.

With National, at drop off, but, you still have to check the car out and show them your cc, id and whatever coupons you have.

With Alamo, you pay at pickup.

 

[DebbieB]

I used the Entertainment coupon with EA 3 weeks ago, no problem. Handed it to the attendent in the booth on the way out. He confirmed my total was correct.

 

[Starz723]

I just rented a car today for this coming saturday from national using quick rent. After mulling over whether I should use Disney transportation or rent, I chose to rent, like I always do. Im one of those people that hates to wait. I never used National before, but I liked the quick rent feature.

I paid upfront with my credit card using a discount code from AARP. AARP throws in extra insurance coverage, so I thought that was a good deal.

Am I at WDW yet!

 

[ncbyrne]

What do you mean by, a coupon that bumps you back to the counter? The "$15 off a Weekly Rental" coupon that I printed from the computer, says "Print this Coupon and Present at Counter". Should I assume I cannot use EA?

 

[threeboysmom]

The coupon you have "$15 off a weekly rental" is fine to use with Emerald Aisle. You just give them your coupon at the booth when you're driving your car out. I've used that type of coupon several times now with Emerald Aisle. It is the "upgrade" coupons that cannot be used with Emerald Aisle, not the "dollar off" coupons. Hope this helps!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ncbyrne
What do you mean by, a coupon that bumps you back to the counter? The "$15 off a Weekly Rental" coupon that I printed from the computer, says "Print this Coupon and Present at Counter". Should I assume I cannot use EA?

The coupons that bump you back to the counter are the upgrade ones, not the money off ones.
Go with what your reservation from National says, not what the coupon says. They are generic in their form and do not allow for EC members using EA.

 

[cigar95]

Originally posted by Shannon G
After you pick up your luggage, head out to the garage, and up to the second level, where National is located.

Shannon, don't forget that there are *two* National garages at MCO, on different sides of the airport. I remember about a year ago Gail and I went back and forth about how many levels up and down one had to go to get to National, until we figured out we were talking about different sides of the airport!

I always come in on the Delta / United side, which I believe is side B. On this side, National is on the ground floor, just across the street from Level 1, where the rental car desks are located. (Baggage claim is on level 2.) Based on our confusion of a year ago, I think National may be on the second level on side A.

Of course, I haven't picked up a car at MCO in about two years now, and at my age, the memory may have begun to go.

(Edited to correct my error re: side A & side B)

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by cigar95
Shannon, don't forget that there are *two* National garages at MCO, on different sides of the airport. I remember about a year ago Gail and I went back and forth about how many levels up and down one had to go to get to National, until we figured out we were talking about different sides of the airport!

I always come in on the Delta / United side, which I believe is side B. On this side, National is on the ground floor, just across the street from Level 1, where the rental car desks are located. (Baggage claim is on level 2.) Based on our confusion of a year ago, I think National may be on the second level on side A.

Of course, I haven't picked up a car at MCO in about two years now, and at my age, the memory may have begun to go.

(Edited to correct my error re: side A & side B)

Cigar is totally correct. I usually come in on the SWA side, which is: luggage second level, down one level to exit to the garage, once you hit the garage up one level to National/Alamo.

There is a map on the airports website. It is pretty easy to follow, even for me.

 

[ncbyrne]

What side of the airport is Song Airlines? In the past, I have always arrived on Delta and used Dollar, which was extremely easy. I'm concerned I'll be lost (and confused) trying to use EA for the first time!

 

[ncbyrne]

What side of the airport is Song Airlines? In the past, I have always arrived on Delta and used Dollar, which was extremely easy. I'm concerned I'll be lost (and confused) trying to use EA for the first time! How far apart are the two National lots? Is it feasible to check both EA lots to see what cars are available?

 

[cigar95]

Song is part of Delta, so you should be arriving in the same terminal you're used to.

The two different lots are really designed to serve the two "hemispheres" of the airport - trying to check both lots would really be complicated, as you'd have to reenter the terminal, go up two levels, cross the whole airport, go back down again, . . . . well, you get the picture. And if you have luggage with you, . .

Unless the cars in the lot on the "B" side are just horrible, I wouldn't suggest crossing to the other side. If the selection on the EA is bad, talk to an attendant and see about getting a car from the intermediate aisle.

If you've rented from Dollar in the past, you know where the rental car counters are. Just go out the door from this area, cross the street, and the cars will be in the garage right in front of you, with the different companies well marked.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by ncbyrne
What side of the airport is Song Airlines? In the past, I have always arrived on Delta and used Dollar, which was extremely easy. I'm concerned I'll be lost (and confused) trying to use EA for the first time! How far apart are the two National lots? Is it feasible to check both EA lots to see what cars are available?

Since Song is a Delta run airline, my guess would be there are on the same side as Delta, which is side B. You won't be lost, just follow the same procedure you did for Dollar and go to National. Plenty of signs.
It is feasible to check both lots, but, that would require you to walkback upstairs from collecting your baggage then ALLLLLLLLLLLL the way across the main floor to the A side baggage pickup area and then down one floor across the street into the garage and up one floor to National/Alamo. Its a big airport and I am not sure I would want to do this, but, that call is yours.

 

[msdis]

My experience with EA and coupons has always been the same if I "get bumped" to counter or not. We have never gone to the counter when they have not told us we didn't need to, even though the reservation says we do. It's just because of the upgrade coupon it does it, but the employees say you do not. Last couple times we did not go to counter and were fine.