Several major rental brands publish a car rental military discount. Who qualifies, how large the discount is and what it covers differ by company. At Rank and Pay, we publish guides on military pay and benefits.
Published figures run from 5% off to up to 35% off, and several companies list "discounted rates" with no percentage at all. Some discounts come through a WeSalute+ membership (formerly Veterans Advantage), some come from a discount number you enter at booking, and trips on official orders use separate government rates. The comparison table below lists the companies and what each one publishes.
Compare Military Car Rental Discounts
| Company | Pricing | Best for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
FeaturedYour company here, pinned above every listingGet featured → | |||
| Avis | Up to 35% off PAY NOW via WeSalute+ | Veterans, families enrolled in WeSalute+ | Avis offers military rates of up to 35% off PAY NOW time-and-mileage charges to U.S. veterans, active duty, Guard, Reserve and family enrolled in WeSalute+. |
| Budget Rent a Car | Up to 35% off PAY NOW via WeSalute+ | WeSalute+ members, families included | Budget offers up to 35% off PAY NOW rates, applied to time and mileage only, to WeSalute+ subscribers including veterans, service members and immediate family. |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Not published | Leisure and official travel | Enterprise offers discounted leisure rates to federal employees, active-duty members, retirees and veterans, with no military association membership required. |
| Hertz | Military CDP code; percent not published | Leisure and official TDY travel | Hertz provides a military CDP discount code for official TDY travel and a separate code for leisure travel, applied automatically at booking. |
| Alamo Rent a Car | Discounted gov/military rates, 550+ locations | Official TDY travel with orders | Alamo offers discounted rates to federal employees, active-duty members, retirees and veterans at over 550 locations, with added benefits on official orders. |
| National Car Rental | Discounted rates; percent not published | Government and military official travel | National offers discounted leisure rental rates to federal employees, active-duty members, retirees and veterans, plus mileage and protection packages for official travel. |
| Dollar Rent A Car | 5% off retail; free upgrade on leisure | Military leisure with free class upgrade | Dollar lists 5% off retail rates, a free car-class upgrade and unlimited mileage for U.S. military and government leisure renters. |
| Thrifty Car Rental | 5% off for Veterans Advantage members | Veterans Advantage members and families | Thrifty provides 5% discounts to Veterans Advantage members who are veterans, active duty, National Guard or Reserve, and their families. |
| Sixt | Up to 15% off, no coupon code | Veterans with VIC or state veterans ID | Sixt offers up to 15% off rentals for active-duty members and veterans, applied automatically after ID verification, with no coupon code needed. |
| Fox Rent A Car | Up to 10% off with booking code | Active-duty, Guard, reserve, veterans, Gold Star | Fox offers military renters a booking code at U.S. corporate locations for daily and weekly rentals of 1 to 27 days, valid through 2026. |
Pricing is as each company publishes it. Confirm current terms before you sign up. Listed here? Update your listing.
How to Get a Car Rental Military Discount
You claim a military car rental discount in one of three ways, depending on the company: a WeSalute+ membership, a discount number entered at booking, or an automatic discount after identification (ID) verification.
- Membership program. Some companies tie their military discount to WeSalute+. Two brands describe up to 35% off "pay now" rates for members, and two others describe 5% off.
- Discount number at booking. Several companies ask you to enter a corporate or worldwide discount number when you reserve. One company offers a booking code for U.S. corporate locations on rentals of 1 to 27 days, booked 24 hours ahead.
- Automatic after verification. One company applies its military discount automatically once you complete an ID verification form. You enter no coupon code at that company.
One company's discount code name suggests a different percentage than its page states. The figure printed on the company's page governs, and the code name does not set the discount.
Membership Programs Versus Discount Codes
A WeSalute+ membership is a separate step from booking the car. You finish the membership first, then reserve with a participating company.
The 35% member figure applies to "pay now" rates. A discount number is entered at booking, as a separate route from a membership.
Who Qualifies for a Military Discount
Eligibility differs by company. The groups named across company pages include:
- Veterans
- Active-duty members
- National Guard and Reserve members
- Retirees
- Federal employees
- Immediate family members
One company also names Gold Star families and cadets. Because each company sets its own list, a federal employee or a family member can qualify at one company and not at the next.
Proof of Eligibility at Booking or Pickup
A rental company may ask for proof of eligibility when you book or when you pick up the car. Documents named on company pages include:
- Military or government ID
- A veteran designation on your driver license
- A state veterans ID
- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran ID Card (VIC)
Our VA benefits hub covers other programs tied to veteran status.
Leisure Rates Versus Official Travel Rates
Official travel on orders, called temporary duty (TDY), is priced separately from leisure travel at several companies. To use official-travel rates, you need travel orders or a government credit card. These rates may include unlimited mileage and protection packages.
Leisure and official-travel discount codes are different codes at the same company.
| Feature | Leisure Military Discount | Official Travel (TDY) Rate |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | Membership, discount number or ID verification, depending on the company | Travel orders or a government credit card |
| Published discount | 5% off to up to 35% off, or "discounted rates" with no percentage | Separate government rate |
| Mileage and protection | Damage waivers excluded from the 35% programs | May include unlimited mileage and protection packages |
| Renters under 25 | Extra daily surcharge may apply | One company lets personnel with orders avoid the young-driver surcharge from age 18 |
| Discount code | Leisure code | A different official-travel code |
What a Car Rental Military Discount Covers
A car rental military discount in the 35% programs comes off the time and mileage charges only. Those programs exclude these charges:
- Taxes and fees
- Add-ons
- Fuel
- Damage waivers
A car group may also be excluded. Because the excluded charges stay at full price, a 35% discount on time and mileage cuts less than 35% from your final total.
The discount usually cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. Blackout dates may apply, and some locations do not take part. Some offers have an end date or are listed for a set year, so an offer that worked on a past trip may have expired.
For the insurance side of that decision, our guide to car insurance for military members compares policy options.
How to Read the Published Percentages
The percentages companies publish are up to 35% off pay-now rates, 5% off retail or base rates, up to 15% off and up to 10% off. "Up to" marks the top of the range, so the discount on your dates can come in lower.
Several companies publish no percentage, only "discounted rates". To measure those offers, price the same rental with the code and without it. A 5% discount on a base rate is small enough that a promotion or a weekend special can beat it.
Renters Under 25
Renters under 25 may pay an extra daily surcharge, and the military rules on that surcharge differ by company and by trip type.
- One company says personnel on authorized government travel with orders can avoid the young-driver surcharge from age 18.
- One company lists a minimum age of 21 for government leisure travel and allows 18 for official travel.
- Base-specific locations at that company set their own ages.
- One discount program waives the additional or underage driver fee.
On a leisure trip, policies vary from company to company, so check the age rules before booking.
Before You Book
Price the same car, dates and location twice, once with the military discount and once without, and keep the lower total. Run through these steps in order:
- Decide whether the trip is leisure travel or official travel on orders, and pick the matching code.
- If the company runs its discount through WeSalute+, finish the membership step before you reserve.
- Price the rental with the discount and again without it, including a pay-now rate if one is offered.
- Compare final totals after taxes, fees, fuel and any damage waiver, since the 35% programs leave those charges at full price.
- Bring the military ID, veteran driver license, state veterans ID or VIC you qualified with to pickup.
A promotion can change the math. If a promotion or weekend special prices lower, it may beat the military discount, because the military discount usually cannot be combined with it.
If you pay for leisure rentals on a personal card, our roundup of the best military banks compares banks and credit unions for service members. Before your next trip, pick the company in the table above whose eligibility list includes you, and price its car rental military discount against the best public rate.