Ready to turn your road trip rewards into luxurious hotel stays? Transferring Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy can unlock incredible value, especially if you're looking to boost your hotel points balance for an upcoming vacation or simply maximize the value of your accumulated points. While the process isn't as straightforward as a direct "transfer" button, it's definitely achievable. Let's dive in!
Converting Your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy: A Comprehensive Guide
Many loyalty programs offer opportunities to convert points between partners, and Hertz and Marriott are no exception. The key here is understanding the indirect path to get your Hertz points into your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Step 1: Discovering the Connection - Are You Ready to Unlock More Travel?
Before we begin, ask yourself: Are you currently a member of both Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy? If not, take a moment to join both programs! It's free and essential for this process. This guide assumes you have active memberships in both.
Why is this important? Both programs offer their own unique benefits, but by linking them (or at least being a member of both), you open up possibilities for maximizing your travel rewards. Think of it as building a bridge between your car rentals and your hotel stays.
Step 2: Understanding the Transfer Mechanism – It's Not a Direct Button!
You might be looking for a simple "transfer Hertz points to Marriott" button on the Hertz website, but you won't find one. The transfer isn't a direct point-to-point conversion through an online portal. Instead, it typically involves earning Marriott Bonvoy points through your Hertz rentals by designating Marriott Bonvoy as your earning preference.
Sub-heading: The Earning Relationship
Hertz and Marriott Bonvoy have a partnership where you can choose to earn Marriott Bonvoy points instead of Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points on your car rentals. This is the primary way to "transfer" your value from Hertz to Marriott.
Standard Earning Rate: As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can typically earn 500 Marriott Bonvoy points per qualifying Hertz rental worldwide.
Elite Member Bonus: If you hold a higher Marriott Bonvoy elite status, you might earn even more. For instance, elite members can sometimes earn an additional 200 points, totaling 700 Marriott points per rental.
Step 3: Setting Your Earning Preference – Paving the Way for Marriott Points
This is where you tell Hertz that you'd prefer to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for your rentals.
Sub-heading: How to Set Your Preference (During or Before Booking)
When Making a New Reservation:
When booking your Hertz car rental (either on the Hertz website, app, or potentially through the Marriott car rental portal), look for the option to select your "Frequent Traveler" or "Loyalty Program" preference.
Crucially, you'll need to input your Marriott Bonvoy membership number in the designated field. This tells Hertz to credit your rental earnings to your Marriott Bonvoy account instead of your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards account.
Tip: Double-check that your Marriott Bonvoy number is correctly entered to avoid any delays or missing points.
Updating Your Existing Hertz Profile (Proactive Approach):
If you're a frequent Hertz renter, it's often more convenient to permanently set your earning preference within your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards profile.
Log in to your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards account on the Hertz website.
Navigate to your "Profile" or "Preferences" section.
Look for an option related to "Partners," "Frequent Traveler Programs," or "Earning Preferences."
Select Marriott Bonvoy as your preferred earning partner and enter your Marriott Bonvoy membership number.
Important Note: While this should apply to future rentals, it's always a good idea to confirm your earning preference during the booking process, especially for significant rentals.
Step 4: Confirming Your Earnings – Patience is a Virtue!
After your rental is complete, it's time to ensure your Marriott Bonvoy points have been credited.
Sub-heading: Monitoring Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
Allow Processing Time: Points transfers aren't always instantaneous. It can take several days to a few weeks for the Marriott Bonvoy points to appear in your account after your Hertz rental has concluded and been paid for.
Check Your Marriott Bonvoy Activity: Regularly log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account online or via the Marriott Bonvoy app. Look for your "Activity" or "Transaction History" to see if the points from your Hertz rental have posted.
What to Do if Points Are Missing:
If a reasonable amount of time has passed (e.g., 2-4 weeks) and your points haven't appeared, don't panic!
Gather your Hertz rental agreement and receipts (proof of rental).
Contact Hertz customer service or visit the Hertz Frequent Traveler Credit Website (as mentioned in some support articles) to request credit for your past car rental. Be prepared to provide all necessary details, including your Hertz rental information and your Marriott Bonvoy membership number.
Step 5: Maximizing Your Strategy – Beyond the Basic Transfer
While the primary method is earning Marriott points from Hertz, there are additional considerations to optimize your rewards strategy.
Sub-heading: Status Matching for Enhanced Benefits
Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status & Hertz: Did you know that your Marriott Bonvoy elite status can actually get you Hertz elite status?
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members can often fast-track to Hertz Five Star status.
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members can often claim Hertz Five Star or even President's Circle status.
Why this matters: Higher Hertz elite status provides benefits like guaranteed upgrades, dedicated customer service, and even more bonus points on your rentals, further enhancing the value you get when earning Marriott Bonvoy points. Check the Hertz website or Marriott Bonvoy partner pages for the most current status match offers.
Sub-heading: Value Proposition – Is It Worth It?
Hertz Points Value: Hertz points are generally valued at around 0.10 - 0.20 cents per point when redeemed for rental days.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Value: Marriott Bonvoy points are typically valued around 0.7 - 0.9 cents per point, but can be redeemed for much higher value depending on the hotel and redemption.
The Conversion Rate: The stated conversion for earning Marriott Bonvoy points from Hertz is often around 600 Hertz points = 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This implies a value proposition, though it's not a direct point-to-point transfer from an existing Hertz balance. Rather, it's about choosing to earn Marriott points instead of Hertz points in the first place.
Consider this: If you primarily value hotel stays over car rentals, directing your Hertz earnings to Marriott Bonvoy can be a highly effective strategy to build up your hotel points balance faster.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to link Hertz and Marriott accounts for earning points?
You don't directly "link" the accounts in the sense of a shared portal. Instead, you designate Marriott Bonvoy as your preferred earning partner within your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards profile or during the booking process, ensuring your Marriott Bonvoy membership number is provided to Hertz.
How to ensure my Hertz rental earns Marriott Bonvoy points?
Always provide your Marriott Bonvoy membership number at the time of booking or at the Hertz counter. It's also a good practice to ensure your Hertz Gold Plus Rewards profile has Marriott Bonvoy selected as your earning preference.
How to find the Hertz Frequent Traveler Credit Website for missing points?
You can typically find this by searching "Hertz Frequent Traveler Credit Website" or "Hertz missing points Marriott" on Google or by navigating through the "Help" or "Customer Support" section of the Hertz website. Marriott's help pages also provide direct links.
How to check the status of a Hertz to Marriott point transfer?
Since it's an earning process rather than a direct transfer of existing points, you'll need to check your Marriott Bonvoy account activity. Points usually post within a few weeks of your rental return.
How to know the conversion ratio of Hertz points to Marriott Bonvoy points?
The stated earning ratio for converting Hertz rental activity to Marriott Bonvoy points is generally 600 Hertz points' equivalent earning for 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, though this is about selecting Marriott as your earning preference at the time of rental, not converting existing Hertz points.
How to get a Marriott Bonvoy elite status match with Hertz?
Visit the Hertz status match page (often found on their partners or elite status sections of their website) and follow the instructions, which typically involve providing proof of your Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
How to maximize Marriott Bonvoy points from Hertz rentals?
Ensure you have Marriott Bonvoy elite status to potentially earn more bonus points per rental, and always book through channels that allow you to credit your rental to Marriott Bonvoy.
How to redeem Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points for Marriott stays?
You cannot directly redeem Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points for Marriott stays. You must convert your Hertz earnings into Marriott Bonvoy points first (by selecting Marriott as your earning preference during rentals), and then use those Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel redemptions.
How to contact Hertz customer service for points inquiries?
You can typically find Hertz customer service contact information (phone numbers, email, or online chat) on their official website under the "Contact Us" or "Support" sections.
How to determine if transferring Hertz points to Marriott is worth it for me?
Consider your travel priorities. If you frequently stay at Marriott properties and want to accumulate points for free nights or higher elite status, then directing your Hertz rental earnings to Marriott Bonvoy is likely a valuable strategy. If you prioritize free car rentals, keeping your earnings as Hertz points might be better.