How does National EA work?

[sramille]

Next week will be my first time renting from National EA at MCO. I've read the descriptions of EA, but I'm not sure that I really understand. I know that I'm not supposed to have to stop at a counter, but I'm assuming that I don't just walk out and grab a car. Can anyone walk me through how it really works?

 

[lawgs]

actually, that is exactly what you do....

once you get your luggage from the baggage claim area

you proceed across the road to the car rental area for national....Terminal B it is on the ground level, Terminal A it is on the second level

you go to the emerald aisle and any car on that aisle is available to you ......

if you cannot find something there that you like....you can even go to the intermediate or full size aisles and "claim" a car....depending what you booked eg...if you booked a full size ....anything on the full size is available to you also....

once you pick your car, you proceed to the check out booth where you will have to give them....reservation # along with your licence, emerald club card and coupon if you have applied it to your reservation....it usually takes only a couple of minutes to complete this ......

we have on previous trips.....flown into terminal A and not finding a good selection .....gone to terminal B and choose a car....

on the return we just went to terminal A car rental return

once you return the car .....their little magic hand held computer prints you out a receipt and you are on your way again.....fairly fast depending of course on the number of other "returnees" on that particular day...

we usually also, drop off the luggage at curb side ( either checking it in with sky cap or unloading it there ) so we do not have to lug it all the way from the car rental return area ....one person can stay with the luggage while the other returns the car

hope this helps

any other questions ......do not be afraid to ask

 

[Wes]

Is there a way to handle the addition of extra drivers in advance, so that you do not have to stop at the counter?

 

[sramille]

lawgs: Thank you!!! That's exactly what I was looking for. I was missing the bit about the checkout booth and it just didn't make sense that you could grab a car and run!

 

[LISALISA36]

i read somewhere that if you are a ea member,, you can have 1 driver free with no extre charge...

 

[Shannon G]

Whether there is an additonal charge for an extra driver depends upon who the extra driver is. Just double checked my copy of the Emerald Club rules that I received when I enrolled, and regarding authorized drivers it says that additonal authorized drivers include: (1) a member of your immediate family who permanently lives with you, and (2) a business partner, employer, or regular employee who drives the vehicle for business purposes.

If the additional driver falls into those categories, no need to stop at the counter to add an additional driver.

Also, to clarify the lawgs' comment about any car on the Emerald Aisle being available to you, I believe this is only true if you book an internediate or above (please correct me if I'm wrong about this). My understanding is that is you reserve and pay for a compact, you get a compact. However, if you reserve and pay for at least an intermediate, you can take any vehicle available on the Emerald Aisle, and you will still only pay the intermediate rate, even if you take something bigger.

One tip I found to be true is that full-size and intermediate often cost the same with National. Since you are only guaranteed to receive at least the category you reserved, you may as well reserve the full size rather than the intermediate.

 

[Wes]

One tip I found to be true is that full-size and intermediate often cost the same with National. Since you are only guaranteed to receive at least the category you reserved, you may as well reserve the full size rather than the intermediate.

Great tip!!

I had booked an intermediate, but I just went in and booked a full-size at the exact same rate.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[lawgs]

shannon ...thanks for adding that info

it must be intermediate or full size to use the aisle

and as posted here also, since full size rate and intermediate rate is the same it is just as easy to book full size.....although if you ever get a contract given to you ( we did last time since we took the first car we got back for exchange ) it will read car taken
and then car rate charged .....this usually says "ICAR" even if you booked "full size" to begin with

 

[Wes]

I called the Emerald Club. There is no way to avoid stopping at the counter if you want to have additional drivers.

The reason is that they must sign the contract. National provides no way for them to do this in advance (e.g. downloading the contract and signing it and faxing it back in). So there is no way to avoid the counter stop, even if you are using Emerald Club.

 

[Shannon G]

Good to know - my reading of the Master Rental Agreement seems to imply that certain people are allowed to drive whenever I rent - it says "the vehicle shall not be operated by anyone except me, and the following additional authorized drivers..." then proceeds to describe those drivers - it never says anything about having to add them to the reservation. Based on that, I've let my DH drive when I've rented a vehicle with my Emerald Club membership, without actually adding him to the rental. I guess next time I'll be sure to add him on specifically.

 

[Wes]

Shannon G,

You could be all right with your DH. My extra drivers are relatives but do not live with me -- my daughter and her husband. So they definitely have to pay extra and to sign the contract. You should probably call the Emerald Club and ask to be sure in your situation.