With Thanksgiving Automobile Travel at its Highest Since 2005, Hertz Offers Tips to Navigate the Busy Holiday Season

ESTERO, Fla., Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With Thanksgiving just around the corner, AAA's 2017 Thanksgiving Travel Forecast predicts that roughly 1.4 million more travelers will be on the road this year than last. In preparation, Hertz (NYSE: HTZ) is offering valuable tips to alleviate stress and navigate this busy holiday travel period with ease.

According to Hertz, the busiest airport pick-up locations for those planning to rent a car this Thanksgiving are expected to be Orlando, Fla. (MCO); Los Angeles, Calif. (LAX); Miami, Fla. (MIA); Las Vegas, Nev. (LAS) and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (FLL). During the Thanksgiving travel period—defined as Wed., Nov. 22 to Sun., Nov. 26—the top day for rental pick-ups is expected to be Wed., Nov. 22, with an average rental length of approximately five days as people look to take advantage of the long holiday weekend.

"AAA's research shows that over the past nine years, automobile travel has risen by 40 percent during Thanksgiving and once again, it will be the No.1 mode of transportation at 89.3 percent – the second highest rate since 2005," said Paul Sheldon, senior vice president operations planning and support, Hertz. "With thousands of locations nationwide, and a dedicated customer service team, we look forward to helping travelers hit the road for the holidays."  

To steer clear of roadblocks and avoid hassle this Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, the experts at Hertz offer the following tips to help ensure travelers' holiday rental needs are as smooth and affordable as possible:

Don't wait until the last minute. Reserve your rental car when making other travel arrangements. Rates are often more expensive the closer one gets to time of renting. Ideally, the rental car should be booked at the same time other travel services are booked (i.e. air and hotel). For airport rentals, be sure to include your flight number, airline carrier and scheduled arrival time. This can protect your reservation if the flight is delayed.

Book outside of high-volume locations. If travelers need to book last minute and have flexibility, they may find car rental availability outside of high-volume areas (e.g. airports may not have available cars while neighborhood locations may). Hertz has thousands of conveniently located neighborhood branches across the U.S.  

Pre-pay and save. Often pre-paying for a car rental can provide nice savings. At Hertz, customers who prepay can save up to 25 percent.

Choose the car that best suits your travel needs. It's key to consider the type of vehicle most appropriate for your trip, depending on distance, the destination and number of people traveling. Hertz Ultimate Choice® lets customers choose the car that's right for them by selecting any vehicle within the car class they reserve or based on their loyalty status, including a diverse range of premium and luxury vehicles equipped with the latest technology features. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® members have access to exclusive Hertz Ultimate Choice® areas that comprise an even wider selection of vehicles and car classes to choose from when they make a reservation for a midsize car or above.

Join loyalty rewards programs. Rental car loyalty reward programs help renters save money and time, while gaining access to exclusive benefits such as free upgrades and expedited service. Now through Dec. 31, members of the free-to-join Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® program can participate in the Great Gold Giveaway* for a chance to win 1 million Gold Plus Rewards® points, which can be redeemed for up to four years' worth of free rental days**! Plus, there are more than 1,000 runner-up prizes including free standard weekly and weekend rentals.

Look for discounts. Don't forget to look for car rental deals on the company's website for major national organizations, frequent-flier programs and credit card programs you may belong to. Discounts may also be available for government employees, members of the military and employees of certain corporations. On Cyber Monday (Nov. 27), check Hertz.com for a special Flash Sale for more savings on future car rentals.

To learn more about Hertz and its ongoing promotions, visit Hertz.com. For more information on the 2017 Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Forecast by AAA, visit here.

About Hertz
The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands in approximately 9,700 corporate and franchisee locations throughout North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The Hertz Corporation is one of the largest worldwide airport general use vehicle rental companies, and the Hertz brand is one of the most recognized in the world. Product and service initiatives such as Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, Carfirmations, Mobile Wi-Fi and unique vehicles offered through the Adrenaline, Dream, Green and Prestige Collections set Hertz apart from the competition. Additionally, The Hertz Corporation owns the vehicle leasing and fleet management leader Donlen Corporation, operates the Firefly and Hertz 24/7 car sharing rental business in international markets and sells vehicles through Hertz Car Sales. For more information about The Hertz Corporation, visit: www.hertz.com.

*About the Great Gold Giveaway Sweepstakes
The Great Gold Giveaway sweepstakes is open to all legal U.S. residents residing in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia who are 21 years and older and are members of the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to enter or win. The Hertz Corporation is the sponsor of the sweepstakes.

**Free Day includes base rate (time and mileage) only. Taxes, fees, and options are excluded.

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SOURCE The Hertz Corporation