Thrifty
thrifty.comWhen it comes to car rental, Thrifty is one of the most recognisable names out there. Not only has it been on the scene for decades, its reach extends well beyond the United States – its country of origin – and into the international market. They offer everything from compact cars to SUVs, trucks and vans, regardless of whether travelling for business or leisure, meaning you will always be able to find the right vehicle for your type of trip.
The first thing that caught my attention when using the Thrifty website to find car rentals was its outdated feel. While a simple aesthetic and easy navigation is ultimately the most important factor when it comes to any type of booking website, those which are updated regularly tend to have quicker loading speeds and work more efficiently when viewed on a mobile device. For such a large company, it surprised me that Thrifty had not taken the time to update their site.
A feature of the site that I liked in particular was the ‘Wild Car’ option. This allows customers to pay the price of a compact car, yet be in with the chance of getting a larger vehicle at the same rate. The scheme guarantees a great rental with room for five passengers and at least two pieces of luggage. To book a vehicle with Thrifty’s Wild Card programme, you simply have to enter the pick up location and rental dates, and select ‘speciality’ as the car class.
Another great feature of Thrifty’s is their Blue Chip Reward scheme, offering members faster check in, quicker reservations, and bonus rental days, all for free. A free weekend rental starts at 500 points, with 1 point redeemed for each $1 USD spent on hiring a car. To me, this seems like quite a lot of points, especially in comparison to other companies that will provide their customers with free days for a lower points total. That being said, there are ways to earn additional rewards, such as air miles with Alaska Airlines, by looking through the ‘Deals’ section of their website.
When it comes to car rental, Thrifty is one of the most recognisable names out there. Not only has it been on the scene for decades, its reach extends well beyond the United States – its country of origin – and into the international market. They offer everything from compact cars to SUVs, trucks and vans, regardless of whether travelling for business or leisure, meaning you will always be able to find the right vehicle for your type of trip.
The first thing that caught my attention when using the Thrifty website to find car rentals was its outdated feel. While a simple aesthetic and easy navigation is ultimately the most important factor when it comes to any type of booking website, those which are updated regularly tend to have quicker loading speeds and work more efficiently when viewed on a mobile device. For such a large company, it surprised me that Thrifty had not taken the time to update their site.
A feature of the site that I liked in particular was the ‘Wild Car’ option. This allows customers to pay the price of a compact car, yet be in with the chance of getting a larger vehicle at the same rate. The scheme guarantees a great rental with room for five passengers and at least two pieces of luggage. To book a vehicle with Thrifty’s Wild Card programme, you simply have to enter the pick up location and rental dates, and select ‘speciality’ as the car class.
Another great feature of Thrifty’s is their Blue Chip Reward scheme, offering members faster check in, quicker reservations, and bonus rental days, all for free. A free weekend rental starts at 500 points, with 1 point redeemed for each $1 USD spent on hiring a car. To me, this seems like quite a lot of points, especially in comparison to other companies that will provide their customers with free days for a lower points total. That being said, there are ways to earn additional rewards, such as air miles with Alaska Airlines, by looking through the ‘Deals’ section of their website.
