Have you used Emerald Club?

[Fantasmic303]

We are planning for our July trip to Disneyland and are flying into LAX. I have some questions regarding our car rental, and I'm hoping someone can help me re: Emerald Club at National.

At the website, I am able to book for a Standard car rental without using Emerald Club. If I want to use Emerald Club, the price is cheaper, but I MUST book an Intermediate (smaller than Standard). The message I get when I try to reserve a Standard through Emerald Club is that the choice is not available at this location, for this car type, or for this selected date. (I did try other, less busy dates, and they still weren't available.)

We have used National's Emerald Club at MCO and have been very happy with how quick and easy things went, but I'm concerned about what's available at LAX. One of the things we REALLY liked was that we could choose our own vehicle, some of which have been larger than what we originally reserved. (Some just had more trunk space, which we really need.)

Have you used Emerald Club at an airport other than MCO? What has been your experience with Emerald Aisle (especially at LAX, if you've used it there)?

 

[DebbieB]

If you want a standard, you book it as Emerald Reserve rather than Emerald Aisle. Sign on through Emerald Club, where the choice is for Emerald Aisle, click on it and you should get a choice on the left for Emerald Reserve. Emerald Reseve works just like Emerald Aisle except you only pick from the size row you reserved (standard/full size), not Emerald Aisle.

 

[Fantasmic303]

*doht*

Thanks, Debbie. That makes a lot of sense and *lo and behold* actually worked when I booked!

Just out of curiosity, though - are surprise upgrades available at Emerald Reserve? We're not counting on it and have picked a car that will be fine for us, but I'm just curious. I've read here about people reserving Intermediates and getting upgraded through Emerald Aisle (some to mini-vans, for example), and am just wondering what kinds of choices to expect through Emerald Reserve.

Thanks again for the tip!!

 

[DebbieB]

There are usually no upgrades through Emerald Reserve, you get what you booked. If by chance there is a larger vehicle on the Emerald Aisle (van, SUV), you can ask if you can have it. That happened to me and some friends in March, the only vehicle on the Full Size Emerald Reserve was a Chrysler convertible, which would not work for 4 of us. We asked an attendent and he asked if we were Emerald Club members, we said yes and he let us take an Aztec off the Emerald Aisle.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thanks for the info, Debbie! I really appreciate it!