10 Best Credit Cards for Car Rental of [date:custom:Y]
The [data-lightrail id="1129" eventcategory="cta-banner callout" eventlabel="Chase"]{name}[/data-lightrail] is the best credit card for car rental because it provides primary rental car coverage and earns unlimited 3x points on all travel purchases. Plus, it covers countries that are often excluded, like Ireland and Jamaica.
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Top car rental credit cards of [date:custom:Y]
[visual-toc-creditcards ids="1129,92,54,1112,990,180" links="#Chase,#Preferred,#Amex,#Ink,#Freedom,#United"]Winner | Rental insurance | Elite status benefits | Business | Cash back | Airline miles [/visual-toc-creditcards]Jump to
If you’re searching for a credit card for renting a car, the ideal card includes rental car protection, the ability to earn rewards on your reservation, and includes additional car rental perks.
Rental car insurance costs can really add up. Those daily charges can be as much as the rental car in some cases. Finding a credit card with rental car protection benefits is so important because it can eliminate those fees, while still protecting your vehicle in case of damage or theft. Here are our top picks based on benefits and insurance policies.
Compare the best car rental credit cards of [date:custom:Y]
[table-creditcard-roundup ids="1129,180,990,2240,92,54,1112,80,1229,626" links="#Chase,#United,#Freedom,#Capital,#Preferred,#Amex,#Ink,#Business,#Club,#building" max_default_rows="30"] Winner | Airline for car rentals | Cash back | Premium travel for car rentals | Rental insurance | Elite status | Business | Honorable mention | Honorable mention | Building credit [/table-creditcard-roundup] *All our top card picks include rental car insuranceBest overall
[affiliate-lightrail id="1129" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Best overall" signupbonus="true"/]Earns transferable points
Car rental benefits
- Primary insurance on theft or collision damage in most countries
- Up to $75,000 coverage
- Valid on rentals up to 31 consecutive days
- Earn {rewardsRateDesc}
- Get 3x points on rental cars, travel and dining purchases
- Enjoy elite status and discounts with National, Avis and Silvercar
- Use the card's points to book rental cars through the Ultimate Rewards portal at a value of 1.5 cents per point
The {name} is our choice as the best overall for car rentals. It provides primary rental car coverage due to theft or collision. Plus, you'll receive 10x points on car rentals when booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal. Cardholders earn an unlimited 3x points on car rentals and all other travel and dining purchases.
You can use these points to book travel, get gift cards, transfer to airline and hotel partners and more. When booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal, points are worth 50% more. There is a {fee.annual.text} annual fee for this card, but you receive a $300 travel credit every year.
- Type of coverage: Primary
- What's covered: Collision or theft damage on most rental vehicles up to $75,000 for rentals.
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: Coverage is good within the U.S. and in most foreign countries.
- Exclusions: Damage to other vehicles or property or injuries caused by an accident. Additionally, certain vehicles are excluded, such as antique automobiles, cargo vans, motorcycles, mopeds, limousines and recreational vehicles.
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and use the card or the card's rewards to initiate and pay for the entire rental. Additional drivers are also covered.
Best for rental car insurance
[affiliate-lightrail id="92" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Rental car insurance" signupbonus="true"/]Earns transferable points
{name} car rental benefits
- Primary insurance on theft or collision damage in most countries.
- Covers rental periods up to 31 consecutive days.
- {rewardsRateDesc}.
- Points are worth 25% more when using points to book through Ultimate Rewards.
- Annual 10% bonus points on total purchases for the year.
While the [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] offers great rental car coverage, the {name} also offers primary insurance coverage for a much lower annual fee.
In other words — either of the Chase Sapphire cards is a winning choice for car rental insurance coverage. In fact, both cards offer a bevy of rewards and travel benefits — you'll have to compare their features to decide which is right for you.
- Type of coverage: Primary
- What's covered: Theft or collision damage up to the actual cash value of the vehicle
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: U.S. and most foreign countries
- Exclusions: Some vehicles are excluded, such as high-value motor vehicles, antique and exotic cars, cargo vans and recreation vehicles.
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and use the card or the card's rewards to initiate and pay for the entire rental. Additional drivers are also covered.
Best for elite status benefits
[affiliate-lightrail id="54" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Elite status" signupbonus="true"/]Earns transferable points
Car rental benefits
- Avis Preferred®, Hertz President's Circle status®, and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive status (enrollment required)
- Secondary rental car insurance (option to purchase primary protection)
[data-lightrail id="54"]{name}[/data-lightrail] is a great card to have if you are craving elite status with multiple rental car companies. Once enrolled, cardmembers automatically receive elite status with Avis, Hertz and National Car Rental. Status in these programs comes with many benefits that make renting a car much easier, including discounts, upgrades and the ability to skip the counter.
- Type of coverage: Secondary
- What's covered: Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. The coverage covers a 30-day rental. The policy also provides up to $5,000 accidental injury coverage for eligible injuries resulting from a car rental accident.
- Countries covered: Coverage is worldwide, except for Australia, Italy, New Zealand and any country on the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") sanctioned country list.
- Exclusions: This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Among many exclusions, certain kinds of vehicle, such as vans and antique cars are not covered.
- Other limitations: This benefit only covers drivers who are authorized under the rental car agreement to drive the vehicle. The cardholder must use the card to reserve and pay for the entire rental.
- Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.
- Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
- Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Best premium travel card for car rentals
[affiliate-lightrail id="2240" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Premium travel card" signupbonus="true"/]Earns transferable points
Car rental benefits
- Rental car protection against theft or collision.
- {rewardsRateDesc}
- Use miles to book rental cars or erase previous purchases
- Annual $300 travel credit can be used to book rental cars through Capital One Travel
- Hertz President’s Circle status*
The {name} is a premium "]travel credit card that offers valuable protection for your rental cars. It offers rental car coverage and earns an unlimited 10x miles on rental cars when booked through Capital One Travel.
Cardholders also have an annual $300 travel credit when booking through Capital One Travel that can be used for your reservations. The miles you earn with the card can be used to "erase" past travel purchases or to book future travel, including rental cars.
[/data-lightrail]Best business card for car rentals
[affiliate-lightrail id="1112" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Business" signupbonus="true"/]Earns transferable points
Car rental benefits
- Primary coverage for business rentals domestically and internationally.
- Secondary for personal rentals inside the U.S., but primary outside the U.S.
- Earn 3x points on rental cars and other travel purchases.
- Book rentals through the Ultimate Rewards portal using points at 1.25 cents each.
- Covers rentals up to 31 days in or out of the U.S.
For businesses with a lot of travel expenses, including car rentals, the {name} may be your go-to card. The card offers primary rental insurance in most countries for vehicles rented for business purposes, a high 3X rewards rate on car rentals and car rental privileges with Avis. Moreover, there’s no extra fee for issuing employee cards, so you and your employees can use all its car rental benefits cost-effectively.
- Type of coverage: Primary in all locations for business purposes; secondary for U.S. rentals and primary for international reservations for personal purposes
- What's covered: Theft or collision damage up to the actual cash value
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 days
- Countries covered: U.S. and most foreign countries
- Exclusions: No passenger vans that seat 10 or more people, no trucks and no vehicles with an open cargo bed. Additionally, it does not cover expensive, exotic or antique vehicles.
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and initiate and pay for the entire rental with the card. Additional drivers are also covered.
Best card for cash back
[affiliate-lightrail id="990" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Cash back" signupbonus="true"/] [data-lightrail id="990"]Car rental benefits
- Secondary coverage within the U.S.
- Primary coverage internationally and to uninsured drivers in the U.S.
- Rental periods of up to 31 consecutive days
- Earn 5% cash back on rental cars and other travel booked through Ultimate Rewards
The {name} is the best card for cash back on rental cars because it earns 5% cash back on rental cars and other travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There are {fee.annual.text} annual fees, so all of the cash back that you earn is not reduced by paying fees.
- Type of coverage: Secondary for U.S. rentals, primary for international rentals
- What's covered: Collision or theft damage of a rental vehicle up to the car's actual cash value
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: U.S. and most foreign countries
-
Exclusions: Expensive and exotic vehicles, like antiques, cargo vans, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and use the card (or the card's rewards) to initiate and pay for the rental. Secondary drivers are also covered.
Best card for airline miles
[affiliate-lightrail id="180" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Airline miles" signupbonus="true"/] [data-lightrail id="180"]Car rental benefits
- Primary rental car coverage up to the actual cash value
- Covers rentals up to 31 consecutive days
- Applies to rentals in the U.S. and most foreign countries
- Earn 1x United miles for every dollar spent
We pick the {name} as the "]best airline miles card for car rentals thanks to its car rental protection, along with valuable miles and airline perks. Cardholders get primary rental car protection both in the U.S. and abroad for rental periods up to 31 days.
You'll also get great United perks, including bonus miles on many of your purchases and free checked luggage on United flights.
- Type of coverage: Primary
- What's covered: Collision or theft damage of a rental vehicle up to its actual cash value or $75,000 for rentals
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: U.S. and most foreign countries
- Exclusions: Certain vehicles, including: high value motor vehicles, exotic and antique cars, cargo vans, vehicles with open cargo beds, trucks (other than pickups), motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes, limousines, recreational vehicles and passenger vans with seating for more than nine
- Other limitations: You must be the primary renter and use your card to pay the bill
Honorable mentions
In addition to the best car rental credit cards mentioned above, there are two others that deserve mention. These travel credit cards also offer attractive rental car protection and might be a good fit for your spending patterns.
[data-lightrail id="80"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
[affiliate-lightrail id="80" view="benefits_box" hide_title="true" signupbonus="true" /] [data-lightrail id="80"]Car rental benefits
- Primary rental car protection against theft or collision damage
- Earn 1% cash back on car rentals
- Can redeem rewards for travel, cash, and gift cards through Ultimate Rewards
The {name} is a good choice for small business owners who want cash back rewards, {fee.annual.text} annual fees and primary rental car protection. With free employee cards, all employees who rent cars with the {name} also receive primary coverage on their rental cars used for business.
- Type of coverage: Primary in all locations for business rentals, secondary in the U.S. and primary for international rentals for personal rentals
- What's covered: Theft or collision damage of a rental vehicle up to its cash value
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: U.S. and most foreign countries. Israel, Jamaica, Ireland and Northern Ireland are excluded
- Exclusions: High-value cars, exotics, antiques, and select types of vehicles
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and pay for the entire rental with the card. Additional drivers are also covered.
[data-lightrail id="1229"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
[affiliate-lightrail id="1229" view="benefits_box" hide_title="true" signupbonus="true" /]Car rental benefits
- Primary rental car protection in the U.S. and abroad
- Earn 2x miles on rental cars
- Complimentary enrollment in Avis President's Club, including complimentary two-car class upgrades, guaranteed car availability, expedited rental service and more
The [data-lightrail id="1229"]{name}[/data-lightrail] offers similar benefits as the [data-lightrail id="180"]{name}[/data-lightrail] — including primary car rental insurance — but it is for frequent travelers on United.
It carries a higher annual fee, but it has higher earning power, includes a complimentary United Club membership and accelerates United elite status. Cardholders also qualify for another sweet car rental perk: automatic enrollment in Avis President's Club.
- Type of coverage: Primary
- What's covered: Theft or collision damage up to the car's actual cash value
- Length of coverage: Up to 31 consecutive days
- Countries covered: Coverage is good within the U.S. and in most foreign countries
- Exclusions: Certain types of vehicles are excluded, such as exotic cars, antiques and recreation vehicles.
- Other limitations: The cardholder must be the primary driver and use the card or the card's rewards to initiate and pay for the entire rental. Additional drivers are also covered.
Best for building credit
[affiliate-lightrail id="626" view="benefits_box" featured_title="Building credit" signupbonus="true" /] [data-lightrail id="626"]Car rental benefits
- Earn 5% back on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Redeem rewards as a statement credit for car rentals
The {name} is good for people who want to build credit and earn rewards. Cardholders earn {rewardsRateDesc}. From there, cash back can be redeemed for statement credits, a check in the mail, gift cards and more. Note that a {fee.annual.text} annual fee applies, and that the high APR of {purchaseGoToRate} can make carrying a balance costly. All said, this credit card offers more rental car perks for those with fair credit than comparable cards for this credit rating.
[/data-lightrail]Pros of renting a car with a credit card
Besides being one of the most convenient and most accepted forms for rental cars, credit cards come with several other benefits that make them ideal for renting a car:
Collision damage waivers (CDW) and loss damage waivers (LDW)
Many credit cards include collision damage waivers and loss damage waivers. These are basically auto rental insurance policies that cover theft, damage and loss of use of a car rented with your credit card.
There are many benefits to these waivers — they can take the place of the insurance offered by the car rental agency, sparing you from having to pay an expensive daily fee. They can cover costs not covered by your personal insurance. And, for credit cards with primary car rental coverage, they can save you from having to make a claim with your personal insurance policy.
Car rental discounts
Some credit cards, such as the [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail], partner with car rental agencies to give you discounts and other special benefits when you rent a car with your credit card.
Car rental rewards
If you rent a car with a rewards card, you can earn points, miles or cash back on your rental. In some cases, you can also use your points to pay for your rental car reservation.
Primary vs. secondary car rental insurance
Before renting a car with a credit card, you should take a close look at whether your card offers primary or secondary car rental insurance. If possible, you should opt for a card with primary rental car insurance.
The vast majority of credit cards offer secondary coverage that only applies to costs not covered by another policy, including your personal insurance policy. In other words, under a secondary policy, if you have to make a claim, you’ll have to go through your personal insurance first.
With a primary insurance policy, on the other hand, you can report loss or damages directly to your issuer, possibly sparing yourself a premium hike from your personal insurer.
American Express car rental insurance
Renting a car with an American Express card is a special situation: All American Express cards, including [data-lightrail id="54"]{name}[/data-lightrail] and the [data-lightrail id="1304"]{name}[/data-lightrail], come with secondary car rental insurance.* If you want primary car rental insurance, you’ll have to pay a fee for Premium Car Rental Protection.
How American Express Premium Car Rental Protection works
American Express (Amex) cardholders may pay a rate of $19.95 to $24.95 per rental to get primary coverage on a wide variety of vehicles. While you’re generally better off paying with a card with free primary rental car insurance, Amex Premium Car rental Protection does have a few advantages:
- A longer-than-average rental period (up to 42 consecutive days)
- It covers vehicles that most other credit card policies don’t cover, such as luxury vehicles, SUVs, and pickup trucks
- The amount of coverage is really high: Up to $100,000 for damage or theft of a qualifying rental vehicle
- With a maximum fee of $24.95 for the entire rental period, the cost is also very reasonable — much better than the policies pitched to you at a car rental counter
Tips for renting a car with a credit card
- Between two cards, choose the card with primary rental car insurance.
- Check your policy closely for limitations and exclusions, such as — vehicle types, countries (Jamaica and Ireland are often excluded) and rental period (many cards’ policies limit you to two weeks).
- Make sure the cardholder is the primary renter on the rental car agreement.
- Decline the rental car company’s collision damage waiver when asked.
- Pay your entire rental with your credit card. If you’re renting with points or miles, check the terms on your credit card’s car rental policy — your coverage may not apply.
- Make sure you have a personal insurance policy with liability insurance since your credit card policy won’t cover that.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, rental car protection from credit cards only covers theft or damage to the rental car. It does not apply to injuries to people or damage to other cars or property. To cover these risks, you should have your own insurance or purchase coverage from the rental car company.
To receive coverage for your rental, you must pay for the entire reservation with your credit card. You must decline the collision damage insurance offered by the rental car company. The renter of the vehicle must be the cardholder, but additional drivers are also covered. Coverage limits are generally the actual cash value of the vehicle. Many higher-priced and out-of-the-ordinary vehicles are excluded, such as antiques, exotic cars, recreation vehicles and trucks with an open cargo bed.
If you do not have auto insurance, the best car rental credit card is the [data-lightrail id="990"]{name}[/data-lightrail]. It has a [data-lightrail id="990"]{fee.annual.text}[/data-lightrail] annual fee, yet it provides primary rental car coverage for uninsured drivers. Coverage reimburses up to the car's actual cash value, with a maximum reimbursement of $75,000.
In most cases, you are covered when using the points from a credit card that offers rental car coverage. However, you must still meet all of the other conditions, such as the cardholder as the primary renter, type of vehicle and length of rental.
Recap of the best credit cards for car rentals
- Best overall: [data-lightrail id="1129"]{name}[/data-lightrail] card
- Best for rental insurance: [data-lightrail id="92"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Best for elite status: [data-lightrail id="54"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Best premium travel credit card for car rentals: [data-lightrail id="2240"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Best for business: [data-lightrail id="1112"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Best for cash back: [data-lightrail id="990"]{name}[/data-lightrail] card
- Best airline card for car rentals: [data-lightrail id="180"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Honorable mention: [data-lightrail id="80"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Honorable mention: [data-lightrail id="1229"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
- Building: [data-lightrail id="626"]{name}[/data-lightrail]
Methodology
To help you choose the best car rental credit cards, we analyzed the credit cards reviewed on ValuePenguin as well as cards available from the major card issuers. We compiled a list of the best rental car credit cards based on coverage limits, exclusions, benefits, rewards, annual fees, and more. Our recommendations are based on how much value these cards can offer our readers and these choices are not influenced by our advertisers. Learn more on how we "]calculate rewards.
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which ValuePenguin receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). ValuePenguin does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.
How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. These estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Example of how we calculate the rewards rates: When redeemed for travel through Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred points are worth $0.0125 each. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Therefore, we say the card has a 2.5% rewards rate on dining and travel (2 x $0.0125) and a 1.25% rewards rate on everything else (1 x $0.0125).