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While most programs make it more difficult to earn elite status each year, Hertz is doing the opposite. The car rental company is lowering the threshold to earn Five Star status by 50%, making it easier than ever to earn. Unfortunately, the requirements for earning top-tier President's Circle status remain the same.
Luckily, you can earn car rental elite status through a variety of credit cards. Here's what you should know about the updated requirements for earning Hertz Five Star status.
Hertz Lowers Requirements for Earning Five Star Status in 2026
Hertz has three tiers of elite status in its Gold Plus Rewards program: Gold, Five Star, and President's Circle. You will become a Hertz Gold member simply by signing up for the program. Previously, to earn Five Star status, you'd need to rent a car 10 times throughout the year or spend $2,000. Now, you'll need just three rentals or $1,000 in spending to achieve status.
That makes it substantially easier to earn through rental activity.
And the best part? The benefits of Five Star status aren't changing. Here are the benefits you receive at each tier:
As you can see, you'll still need 15 rentals or $3,000 in spending to achieve top-tier President's Circle status.
Related: What Is Hertz Five Star Status — And How to Get It Without Ever Renting a Car
Easier ways to earn Hertz status with credit cards
Want an even easier path to Hertz Five Star without ever having to get behind the wheel of a car? Fortunately, several credit cards offer Hertz Five Star status as a built-in benefit, including:
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
(Enrollment is required to activate these benefits.)
$95
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
$350Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar at hotels
- 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
$350Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta
- 3X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with hotels
- 1.5x miles on eligible purchases over $5,000 (up to 50,000 bonus miles annually)
- 1.5X miles on eligible transit and U.S. shipping purchases*
- 1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
In addition, you can get built-in Hertz President's Circle status with some premium cards, including:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture X Business
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
- American Express Platinum Card®
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
If you'd rather have immediate elite status benefits, you can enroll through one of these cards.
$395
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
$650Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
$895Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Related: How to Get Rental Car Elite Status for Free
Bottom Line
It's always great news when a loyalty program makes it easier to earn elite status. This doesn't happen often, so we'll appreciate it while it lasts. Although the requirements to earn President's Circle remain the same, it's much easier to earn Five Star status through rental activity. And if you don't want to wait to receive elite benefits, you can enroll in automatic status through several credit cards.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees)
