It is often not lucrative to earn miles or points in a different loyalty currency than the one from which you are booking a service (e.g. crediting a Hyatt stay to AA miles). But sometimes it is. And this is definitely one of the times where it is.
United has partnerships with multiple car rental companies, and of these, I find Hertz to be the most lucrative. You can typically earn over 2,000 miles per rental, which I consider amazing. I’d much rather have 2,000+ miles than 50-60 Hertz points for a one day rental!
Current United/Hertz promotion
I received an email from United detailing a promotion where I can earn 3,000 United miles per rental on top of the 2,250 miles I would normally earn. This comes to 5,250 miles per rental. The promotion can be used twice, so you can earn up to 10,500 United miles. To get the miles, you have to book with the following codes:
- (CDP) 62455
- (PC) 305023
You have to book a mid-size or larger car to get all the miles. I always book at least this size, since the price difference is usually minimal (like <$5). Plus, no one wants to drive a Ford Fiesta. Dan has his own opinion on what size car to rent (SEE: Why you’re foolish to rent a “standard” car).
This promotion is valid through April 15, 2017, and the email clearly states it is “only for recipients of this email.” The same promotion ran last Fall, and I was able to take advantage of it then.
Booking a rental through United
To book a rental car and qualify for award miles, it’s best to book through the Hertz portal at United.com. Usually the price is the same as booking directly with Hertz. But sometimes it has been different in my experience, both for the better and for the worse.
I may be in the unique situation where one-way rentals are needed a few times per year, and Hertz has always come through for me. They are often the cheapest. I’m not sure it is just a SFO to Arcata thing, but I’ve rented a standard SUV once for $70 one-way all said and done.
I’d love to use this promo, but I don’t have any upcoming travel plans that involve renting a car. How about you? Are you targeted with this promotion?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
Be sure that the promo code is in the reservation. I forgot to enter the code on the united airlines site and afterwards they wouldn’t give me the bonus miles.