Last Updated on March 19, 2024 by CreditFred
I was recently looking at rental car bookings for my upcoming Hawaii trip, and came across a neat little trick that will upgrade me to the highest status level of National Car Rental’s loyalty program: Emerald Club Executive Elite – for free!
Overview
As an Amex Platinum cardmember, I already have Emerald Club Executive status (also a Chase Sapphire Reserve benefit). For this trip, I wanted to redeem my free rental day, since daily rates in Hawaii are higher than most places on the mainland.
Note that except California, National actually charges extra for additional drivers (something Silvercar doesn’t, huge savings if you have multiple drivers!). Being an Executive or Executive Elite waives those fees!
Benefits
Here are the benefits you get as an Executive Elite member:
For more details, check out the official site.
How It Works
In short, this is how the process works:
- Amex Platinum –> Hilton Gold (enrollment required)
- Hilton Gold –> National Emerald Club Executive Elite (status match)
As long as you have Hilton Gold status or above, you will be able to do this. For me, this status came with my Platinum card, but you may already have it from regular travels.
The Details
Below is a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process. Expect 7-10 business days for the status to reflect in your account.
1. Create your National Emerald account (if you don’t already have one).
2. Head over to the status match site: status.emeraldclub.com, you will be asked to upload proof of status (I took a screenshot of my Hilton Gold, details redacted in this post).
3. Wait for email confirmation that your match request has been approved.
That’s it, enjoy your Executive Elite status! The status match will be good until February 2 years from the status match (so matching in 2021 means it will be good until February 2023).
Finally, be sure to put your car rental charge on a premium credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, or Amex Platinum to get complimentary car rental insurance! Check out the “Car Rental Benefits” section of this earlier post for more details.