How to get AARP and senior car rental discounts – and which ones are best

Discounted car rental rates for seniors are available from most major rental companies, either via in-house discount programs or offered through AARP. We’ve compiled, compared, and evaluated the various car rental offers for seniors here. We’ll tell you where to get them, which ones are best, and which ones you should skip in favor of a larger discount. Keep in mind, however, that senior rates may not be the best discount you can find on car rentals – there are often better deals available.

AARP

With an AARP membership, you can get up to 30% off car rentals from Avis and Budget, and up to 5% off from Payless. The AARP Travel Center, a partnership between AARP and Expedia, offers savings on other car rental brands like Hertz, Enterprise, and Alamo.

While this may surprise you, there is no minimum age for adults to join AARP. Anyone 18 or older can join AARP for $12 per year and get instant access to hundreds of discounts from AARP’s travel, dining, shopping, and retail partners.

Alamo

Alamo offers senior discounts through its Senior Circle program but doesn’t specify the amount of the discount. During the reservation process it’s difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate the discount or tell if you’re even receiving one or not.

Alamo doesn’t have a specific AARP discount either. However, AARP members can get discounts on Alamo’s regular rates by using the AARP Travel Center to make the reservation. And remember, you can join AARP if you’re 18 or older.

Avis

A senior discount on Avis car rentals is only available with an AARP membership – but it’s a great deal and comes with more than a few perks. The amount of the discount can range up to 30%, and you also get a free upgrade on compact through full-size rentals. Other benefits include a 3% credit to apply to your next rental, discounted GPS, limited damage liability, free liability insurance, and free additional driver.

Membership in AARP is available to adults 18 and older. If you’re already an AARP member, you can rent directly from the Avis website. Include Avis’ AWD number for AARP rentals A359866 with your reservation.

Budget

Budget’s senior rates are available to AARP members. Rentals are discounted up to 30% and include free liability insurance, free additional driver, discounted GPS, and a 3% credit good toward your next rental.

AARP members renting from the Budget website should include BCD number Y508501 with their reservation. Adults 18 and older are eligible to become AARP members.

Dollar

The Dollar car rental senior discount is 5% off any car type for customers 50 years of age and older. Dollar doesn’t have a special AARP deal but members can find discounts on Dollar’s regular rates by using the AARP Travel Center to make the reservation.

Enterprise

Enterprise doesn’t have a senior discount or a specific AARP discount. However, AARP members can get discounts on Enterprise’s regular rates by reserving through the AARP Travel Center.

Hertz

Hertz’s 50 Plus Program extends discounts of up to 20% to customers who are, as the name suggests, 50 years of age and older. The size of the discount depends on when and where you rent, as well as other factors like the car class and the length of the rental.

To get the discount, include CDP number 2007815 in the “Discount/CDP/Club Code” field when making the reservation.

AARP doesn’t have a specific discount for Hertz but members can still save on Hertz rentals via the AARP Travel Center.

National

National Car Rental doesn’t offer a senior or AARP discount. However, AARP members can get discounts on National’s regular rates by using the AARP Travel Center to make the reservation.

Sixt

The Sixt senior discount will get you up to 5% off any car type at participating locations in the USA.

Sixt doesn’t offer a specific AARP discount but members can save on Sixt car rentals by using the AARP Travel Center.

Thrifty

Thrifty offers customers 50 years of age and older a 5% discount on any car rental through its Silver Club program, but doesn’t have a specific AARP discount other than through the AARP Travel Center.

The best senior car rental discounts (and the worst)

With savings of up to 20% for renters 50 or over, the title for the best overall discount on car rental for seniors goes to Hertz. However, it’s still a good idea to check out the other deals available from Hertz, because chances are there’s an offer that will provide greater savings. In most cases, this involves searching for the vehicle a few times as you compare the savings from the senior discount against the other offers.

Avis and Budget offer the best savings on car rental for AARP members. This can be a good deal, depending on the amount of the discount you receive: 30% off a multi-day car rental is usually substantial enough to offset the $12 AARP membership fee.

The worst senior car rental discounts are arguably those from Enterprise and National. The only way to get a “senior” discount on rentals from either company is to join AARP and use the AARP Travel Center to make the reservation.

Not far behind are the rather puny 5% senior discounts offered by Dollar, Sixt, and Thrifty, as well as Alamo with its Senior Circle discount of indeterminate amount.

Key takeaways

Car rental discounts for seniors are available to renters 50 and older and AARP members 18 and over. These discounts may not offer the greatest savings, as better deals are often available.

The best senior discounts available to the general public are offered by Hertz. The best AARP car rental discounts are offered by Avis and Budget. For other car rental companies, we recommend looking for other promotions or offers as the discounts for seniors are likely to be rather small. If no other promotions will work for your rental, then senior discounts are a good way to save a little money.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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