The last thing you want after your flight is to see a long car rental pick-up line — or worse, to be told there’s no car left for you.

A while back, I booked a car with Hertz from Orlando International Airport (MCO) for a weekend at Disney World. When we pulled into the airport’s rental car pick-up area, I was immediately grateful that I didn’t have to wait in a shockingly long line, thanks to our free membership with Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards program. I spoke to people at the front of some of the lines, who said they had spent almost two hours waiting (hopefully) for a car to pick up.

RELATED: Save money on your next trip: Use these tips to never pay full price for a rental car

Summer Hull/The Points Guy

Car rental difficulties

The longest lines, lasting one to two hours, were for budget car rental companies like Dollar Rent A Car and Sixt. Still, there were significant lines at most car rental companies at the airport, including my company of choice, Hertz.

Summer Hull/The Points Guy

We often rent with Hertz because of the four-hour grace period we get Platinum Card® from American Express (registration required). However, skipping the car rental pick-up line is another major plus, and you don’t need a specific credit card to qualify for it.

Related: Can’t Find a Car Rental? Here are 7 secrets that can help

How to leave the line

To skip the counter, join Hertz’s free Gold Plus Rewards program and pick up your car at one of the many Gold Choice aisle locations. At the main pick-up locations, the board will take you to a specific parking stall or aisle (Gold, President Circle or Five Star). You can also use the Hertz app to check in and skip the line.

Related: How You Can Redeem Points and Miles for Car Rentals

I’ve frequently received the dreaded “see desk” message when the credit card on the account is expired or equal. Fortunately, though, the desks in the garage have much shorter waits than the primary lines inside.

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The keys should be waiting inside the car, so you only need to show your ID to the gate attendant when exiting the garage. They will usually print your rental car contract for you there and you will be on your way.

Summer Hull/The Points Guy

You can choose your own car

An added benefit of choosing a car from the aisle is to look at the car and choose one of the better, newer options in the row.

On the previously mentioned Orlando trip, the first car we thought smelled horrible and had over 30,000 miles on it. However, on just two cars, we saw a new option that had only logged two thousand miles.

Summer Hull/The Points Guy

Even if the Hertz location you’re using doesn’t have a dedicated wing, you can use a shorter check-in line by becoming a member of its Gold Plus Rewards program. This is how I saved an hour renting a car in Honolulu a few years ago, even though the location didn’t have a dedicated wing in the car rental garage.

Summer Hull/The Points Guy

Joining the Rental Car Rewards Program

Most car rental companies, viz Enterprise and Avis have similar programs. To increase your odds of skipping the line, be sure to join the membership programs of the car companies you rent from and enter all the necessary information in advance.

Related: How to use AutoSlash to save on rental cars

TPG has a complete guide to rental car rewards programs, including information on how to sign up and the benefits you’ll enjoy as a member.

Credit cards that offer elite status for car rentals

There are a handful of credit cards that can help you skip long lines at the car rental counter Automatic elite status. You must register for this benefit, so if you have one of these cards, be sure to complete the registration before your next car rental.

*Eligible cardholders will remain at the upgraded status level until December 31, 2024, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app upon enrollment. Please note, enrollment will not take place through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (eg at Hertz.com). Cardholders are automatically detected as eligible for the program and Cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

Car Rental Skip-the-Line Tips

Be careful if you rent through a third-party site. You can’t always add your car rental membership number, which can result in long pick-up lines. Sure, you can save a few dollars, but you need to weigh the savings against the time you’ll have to wait in line to pick up your car.

Avis’ lot at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Sean Cudahy/The Points Guy

For this reason, it usually makes more sense to rent directly, even if it costs you a bit more. Make sure you sign up for the relevant car rental program, complete your profile completely and double check to see if your car rental membership number is linked to your reservation.

Related: The Complete Guide to Car Rentals Matches Elite Status

If you need something special like a child safety seat, you may end up in some line with the rental car company regardless of your situation. For that and other reasons, it may be a good idea to travel with your child in a car seat.

Bottom line

Joining a rental car rewards program can save you time, help you progress toward a free rental, and increase your chances of having a car available when you’re ready to start your trip.

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