Earn Up to 4x Southwest Bonus Miles by Booking a Rental Car — Here’s How

Booking your next car rental with Southwest Airlines just got more rewarding, offering travelers discounts and bonus points for their upcoming trips.

“Southwest partners with car rental agencies to give you the best deals,” the airline shared about the promotion on its website. “When you book your car rental with us, you’ll save money and earn Rapid Rewards® points.”

The airline offers promotions with major car rental companies, including Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Payless, and Thrifty. Travelers can take advantage of these discount codes or bonus mile opportunities even if their flight wasn’t booked through Southwest Airlines, but they should sign up for a free Rapid Rewards account first.

For all the promotions listed below, travelers must book and complete their rentals by the specified end date and rent from U.S. airport locations to qualify for the savings unless otherwise stated. It’s important to enter the corporate discounts and promo codes before searching for rental cars to qualify for these deals:

• Avis customers can save up to 35 percent off their next car rental and earn up to 2,400 bonus points for rentals lasting seven days or more, available through Jan. 31, 2025. 
• Budget customers can enjoy up to 30% off car rentals and earn up to 1,800 bonus points for rentals of three days or more, with this promotion ending soon on Friday, Nov. 15.
• Payless customers can save 10% off base rates and earn up to 1,200 Rapid Rewards points on rentals of five days or more, valid until Jan. 31, 2025. 
• Dollar customers can save up to 15% off base rates and earn up to 1,200 bonus points on reservations of three days or more by Dec. 31, 2025. 
• Hertz customers renting for seven days or more can earn 2,400 bonus points and receive a discount, though the exact savings vary by location, car class, and other factors. This promotion is available at airport pickup locations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico, ending Dec. 31, 2024.
• Thrifty customers save 10% on base rates for mid-size or larger vehicles and earn 1,200 bonus points by renting for three days or more. This offer is valid until December 31, 2024.

Southwest states that there are no cancellation fees for these car rentals. However, Rapid Rewards members will only earn redeemable points toward future flights, not qualifying points for elite status.