Thrifty, Budget Pair With Airlines for Promos

Thrifty Car Rental and Budget Rent A Car System, Inc. have individually partnered with airline companies to reward frequent flyer members with additional miles for renting the companies’ vehicles.

For its part, Parsippany, NJ-based Budget Rent A Car System, Inc. has entered into a partnership with U.S. Airways whereby U.S. Airways Dividend Miles members can earn frequent flyer miles when they rent from Budget.

Members who rent at participating Budget locations worldwide can earn one mile per rental dollar on rentals booked with a corporate or government rate, and two miles per rental dollar on all other rental rates.

Members visit Budget.com and provide their membership number at the time of rental to earn the extra miles.

In addition, consumers can receive special savings and discounts on Budget rentals. To be eligible for the discount, the company requires an advance reservation and customers must mention a Budget Customer Discount number (Y145000) at the time of reservation.

Meanwhile, Thrifty has teamed up with six airline partners to double frequent flyer miles for advance reservations made at participating Thrifty locations in Florida.

American Airlines (AA) AAdvantage members, for instance, would double their miles from the 150 miles per day they typically earn with Thrifty to 300 miles per day if they booked through the company’s Web site before Aug. 14.

“It’s just an added value for customers trying to make a decision who to book with,” said Chris Payne, a spokesperson for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. “The summer months are booked very heavily, but a lot of times people are trying to chose who they’re going to rent with and sometimes [the incentive] is a difference maker. Then there are other customers who are airline mile junkies.”

For frequent-flyer members wishing to participate, a minimum two-day rental of a compact car or larger vehicle from Thrifty is required. Apart from AA’s frequent flyer program, other participating airlines include Continental, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and U.S. Airways frequent flyer programs.

Consumers can visit the partner specials page of Thrifty.com where a promotion code will be provided. Double miles will only be awarded for a maximum of seven days per rental.

“[The promotion] is just another aspect of our marketing,” Payne said. “We’ve had a real push to drive people to Thrifty.com because it’s one of our strongest channels and is cost effective.”

Web site banners, email blasts to customers and p.r. efforts support.

Tulsa-based Thrifty is a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. The company serves travelers from more than 1,100 locations in 64 countries.