Capital One's car rental savings come in three pieces. Eligible cardholders get free Hertz elite status and extra miles or cash back on rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and anyone can use Capital One Shopping for promo codes and Shopping Rewards at rental sites. Used together, those are the Capital One car rental discount.
Here's which card gets which Hertz tier, how to switch it on, what booking through Capital One Travel earns, and where Capital One Shopping fits. Everything below comes from Capital One's own pages, read on September 30, 2026.
Free Hertz Status by Card
Capital One gives eligible cardholders a complimentary upgrade in Hertz Gold+ Rewards, Hertz's loyalty program. Which tier you get depends on the card:
- President's Circle, Hertz's top tier, for Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders.
- Five Star, the second tier, for Venture, VentureOne, Savor, Quicksilver, Venture Business and VentureOne Business cardholders.
Capital One says President's Circle members get the widest selection of available vehicles in the Gold+ program, one complimentary car-class upgrade (up to a full-size vehicle), a dedicated President's Circle phone line, and 1.5 Hertz points per dollar on Hertz rentals. Five Star members get a wider selection of vehicles, upgrades to the next car class when available at participating locations, and 1.25 Hertz points per dollar.
Every Gold+ member, at any tier, can skip the counter at select locations, earn Hertz points toward free rental days, and add a spouse or domestic partner as a driver at no extra cost, according to Capital One's page.
How to Turn On Your Hertz Status
You have to enroll through Capital One. Capital One's page is direct about why: Hertz.com won't automatically recognize you as eligible, so the upgrade only comes through Capital One's website or app.
- Sign in to your Capital One account online or in the Capital One Mobile app.
- Select the Explore rewards and benefits tile.
- Choose your card account and follow the prompts.
- Submit the request. Capital One says the upgraded status arrives in 24 to 72 hours.
Membership is open to eligible cardholders 21 and over, including authorized users and account managers.
What Booking Through Capital One Travel Earns
Rentals booked through Capital One Travel or Capital One Business Travel earn more than the card's everyday rate. Capital One lists 10X miles on rental cars for Venture X and Venture X Business, 5X miles for Venture, VentureOne, Venture Business and VentureOne Business, and 5% cash back for other eligible cardholders. Capital One says you can add your Hertz loyalty number when you book there.
Capital One Travel also has a price match guarantee. If you find a better price on a rental car on another website within 24 hours of booking, Capital One says it will give you a travel credit for the difference. Capital One notes the availability of its booking services varies by account and they may not be available on every booking, so check the details on your own reservation.
Where Capital One Shopping Fits
Capital One Shopping is a separate, free browser extension and website, and Capital One says you don't need a Capital One account to use it. Once you create an account, the extension can search for promo codes on the site you're booking with, and eligible rental car bookings can earn Shopping Rewards.
Two things are worth knowing before you count on it. Capital One Shopping says rewards from travel sites, including rental cars, should pay out 60 to 90 days after the trip is completed. And Shopping Rewards have no cash value: you redeem them for eGift cards from select retailers, and they're separate from the rewards your credit card earns. Capital One also warns that other shopping extensions or promo codes found elsewhere may interfere with earning Shopping Rewards.
Which One to Use
If you have a Capital One card, turn on the Hertz status first, since it costs nothing and applies whenever you rent from Hertz. Then compare the Capital One Travel price, which earns the card's higher rate, with the price at the rental company's own site. When the rental company's site wins, Capital One Shopping may find a code there or pay Shopping Rewards on the booking. Capital One also says cardholders might have rental car insurance through eligible cards, so read your card's benefit guide before you decline the rental company's coverage.
Our Capital One Venture X Business review covers the business version of the card with the top Hertz tier.
Sources
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