Rental Car Rez Canceled Due to Wrong Credit Card Presented

[jlmarr]

Is this normal? My son made a Rez with Hertz in Burlington Vermont, and when he got there they canceled his reservation because he presented a different CC and didn't have the card he made the Rez with him. I imagine this is by-the-book, but won't a rental agency cut you a little bit of slack?

Cars were in very short supply cause it's leaf peeping season, he went up and down the rental car row at BVT, and eventually was sent back to Hertz because rental car company XYZ knew Hertz had some cars and he just needed to go through the app to enter another reservation. So back to the original question: is this normal?

 

[BellaBaby]

Yes and I find it ridiculous. Maybe there is a good explanation for it, but idk what it is.
This past summer, we flew into MCO, and had a reservation at Dollar, which we haven't used in years. It was under my husband's name. We both have the credit card I booked it under but he didn't have it in his wallet. I did, but they wouldn't accept mine or a different one of his. So they lost our business. I had another reservation with Alamo (who we usually use), and it's weird because I never have a back up . Thank God I did, because we said ADIOS to Dollar and walked over Alamo and rented with them. It was a bit more, but worth it in my opinion.
Now, if he didn't have his license I could see there being a problem, but what do they care which credit card you use?

 

[fla4fun]

What if your card is lost, stolen, or compromised after you book, and a new card with a new number is issued? Do you contact the car rental company before you go? What if it happens on the way to your destination? Just curious . . .

 

[keishashadow]

Are we talking prepaid reservations? If so, I could see that might be an issue

I keep one card on file with the rental
Companies I use. At MCO, hertz &
Avis; tied into my reward accounts with them

I Rent multiple times per year out of MCO Often, hand them a different card with my license on the way out. Never has been an issue for us

 

[SkyGuy]

Are we talking prepaid reservations? If so, I could see that might be an issue

I keep one card on file with the rental
Companies I use. At MCO, hertz &
Avis; tied into my reward accounts with them

I Rent multiple times per year out of MCO Often, hand them a different card with my license on the way out. Never has been an issue for us

I‘ve never had to show my CC that I used to book the reservation (I do have a Hertz acct) as I’m leaving Hertz at MCO, which I do very frequently for WDW as well as business (or any other airport for that matter) only my DL.

 

[keishashadow]

I‘ve never had to show my CC that I used to book the reservation (I do have a Hertz acct) as I’m leaving Hertz at MCO

You will if you want to use a different CC than is linked to your account

my Amex platinum is linked, I usually use another CC to earn rewards

 

[BellaBaby]

Ours was not a prepaid reservation with Dollar.

 

[SkyGuy]

You will if you want to use a different CC than is linked to your account

my Amex platinum is linked, I usually use another CC to earn rewards

Obviously. (Same card I use as well since it tends to give me benefits.)

 

[sam_gordon]

I rented from National a couple weeks ago. When I picked up the car, they asked if I was keeping it on the card ending xxxx. I said no, that's my personal card, I need to put it on my business card. No problem. Same thing happened the following week (at a different location).

 

[Maliki2]

Is this normal? My son made a Rez with Hertz in Burlington Vermont, and when he got there they canceled his reservation because he presented a different CC and didn't have the card he made the Rez with him. I imagine this is by-the-book, but won't a rental agency cut you a little bit of slack?

Cars were in very short supply cause it's leaf peeping season, he went up and down the rental car row at BVT, and eventually was sent back to Hertz because rental car company XYZ knew Hertz had some cars and he just needed to go through the app to enter another reservation. So back to the original question: is this normal?

I live in the area. It is crazy up here during leaf peeping. So I understand the issues. But I have never had an issue using a different CC.

 

[Rich M]

I normally book with Costco Travel all of my rentals so I never put a credit card on my reservation but I have found that Hertz (and Hertz Family of Cars which Dollar is one of) is very anal about things and I tend to not rent from them as much as I like to rent from Alamo. My 2nd choice is Budget/Avis with Budget doing the new scan to exit thing at the exit gate and knowing exactly what spot you have and everything ahead of time I will use them more frequently now but I like how I get to select the car I want at Alamo. I honestly have never even thought about the credit card I hand them as I have one card I use solo for rental cars only.

 

[Lewisc]

So back to the original question: is this normal?

Maybe it's normal if the agency is short of cars and is looking for reasons to cancel reservations

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's not an abnormal policy for all sorts of things to require the CC used for the booking to be the one presented.

Whether any entity has where you can switch it upon arrival is up to each one but requiring the same CC used to book or reserve is quite common.

When I look up Hertz FAQs on this they say:

Can I reserve a car online using a different credit card?​

If a credit card is required to book the car online, then you can reserve it using a different credit card. However, the named driver of the car must have a credit card in his or her name and present it at the rental counter when picking up the car.

Exceptions would be U.S. Prepaid rentals.

If you go to prepaid rentals page it states this:
8. The customer will be asked to enter a valid credit card number at the end of a change to a prepaid reservation. This must be the same credit card that was used for the original reservation. If the customer wishes to change the credit card, then the original reservation must be cancelled (see terms and conditions for Cancellations) and a new reservation made. Debit cards and Hertz Credit Cards are not valid forms of payment for prepaid rates.

9. When renting the vehicle at the counter, you must produce the same credit card with which you paid online and a valid driver's license. The credit card used must be in your name and presented at the time of rental. Once proof of this card has been provided, Hertz can accept any other valid credit card in your name at the time of rental for taxes, fees and incidentals.







So to answer your original question it depends on how your son booked the rental and I don't think slack should be given depending on the situation. If you prepay you understand there are heavy restrictions to it but you get a discount based on that. We never prepay rentals (and hotels if we're given the option to not) and we'll pay the higher amount due to that. Go back to your son and discuss how he booked it.

 

[otterlychaotic]

I have to assume that the OP's issue arose out of the booking being a prepaid one, as I've never had an issue myself, nor heard of issues with friends/family, in regards to using a different card than the one that is on my reward accounts with numerous companies if I use the Pay Later/At the Counter option.

As others have said, the best option is almost certainly to utilize "Pay Later/Pay at the Counter" bookings and to join the loyalty programs with the companies.

 

[rwdavis2]

This year I had a friend that had a reservation with Hertz and they showed up about 30 minutes early. They were told they were too early and when they protested (without getting nasty) the manager cancelled their reservation and Hertz later sent them a letter banning them from ever renting from Hertz again. What a great company.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This year I had a friend that had a reservation with Hertz and they showed up about 30 minutes early. They were told they were too early and when they protested (without getting nasty) the manager cancelled their reservation and Hertz later sent them a letter banning them from ever renting from Hertz again. What a great company.

Hmm.. unless you were there I highly suspect words were exchanged. To actually get a ban from a rental car company AND later sent an official notification seems to be much more likely the be far more than you described. I'm guessing your friend wasn't exactly forthcoming with the full details.

 

[rwdavis2]

7

Hmm.. unless you were there I highly suspect words were exchanged. To actually get a ban from a rental car company AND later sent an official notification seems to be much more likely the be far more than you described. I'm guessing your friend wasn't exactly forthcoming with the full details.

You are incorrect. There was no reason for him to get nasty. I would never rent from Hertz based on them sending the police after people returned their cars thinking they were stolen.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

7

You are incorrect. There was no reason for him to get nasty.

I'll stand by my opinion. Plenty of people have negative experiences out and about the world but to get a ban and from a rental car company takes quite a lot either repeated issues or something really bad happening. People usually just come away with saying this company treated me poorly, I wouldn't recommend them, they charged me a different rate than my paperwork says, they added on additional charges, etc. Not disputing something occurred nor saying a Hertz employee was the sweetest person possible but not really believing what you've been told either. There's more to the story than what you've been told, you certainly don't have to think that but in terms of putting it out on a public forum that's a different thing.

 

[gottalovepluto]

This year I had a friend that had a reservation with Hertz and they showed up about 30 minutes early. They were told they were too early and when they protested (without getting nasty) the manager cancelled their reservation and Hertz later sent them a letter banning them from ever renting from Hertz again. What a great company.

So now they never get to play Go To Jail, Go Directly To Jail, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200 real-life game again?! Serious bummer.