National Car Rental is a premium car rental brand owned by Enterprise Holdings, targeting business travelers and frequent renters. Its signature "Emerald Club" program lets members skip the counter entirely and choose any car in the Emerald Aisle — often getting a free upgrade. National operates at major airports and select neighborhood locations across the US, Canada, and internationally.
National is positioned as the business traveler's car rental brand within the Enterprise Holdings portfolio (which also includes Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo). It competes directly with Hertz and Avis for corporate contracts and frequent renter loyalty. Its "choose your own car" model is a genuine differentiator that competitors have been slow to replicate.
One of the most recognized rental brands globally. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and airport counter presence. Went through bankruptcy in 2020 but emerged and continues as a major competitor.
Part of Avis Budget Group (which also owns Budget and Zipcar). Strong corporate account program and Avis Preferred loyalty tier. Direct competitor for business travel contracts.
Same parent company but different positioning — Enterprise focuses on neighborhood locations and insurance replacement rentals. Largest fleet in the world. "We'll pick you up" service.
Peer-to-peer model with massive vehicle variety. Often cheaper than traditional rental for leisure travel. Less convenient for airport pick-up and business expense compliance.
National's "choose your own car" model eliminates the pain points of traditional car rental — no counter waits, no vehicle assignment. This experience-based differentiation builds strong loyalty among frequent business travelers.
Being part of Enterprise Holdings (the world's largest car rental company) provides fleet leverage, negotiating power, and shared infrastructure. However, internal brand competition with Enterprise and Alamo can create confusion.
Turo, Uber, and Lyft are reducing the occasions when business travelers need a rental car. In urban markets, ride-hail may be more convenient than renting. National must defend the "I need my own car" use case.
National competes directly with Hertz and Avis for business travelers. Within its own parent company, Enterprise targets neighborhood and insurance rentals while Alamo focuses on leisure travelers.
The Emerald Club is National's loyalty program. Members skip the counter and choose any car in the Emerald Aisle, often getting a free upgrade. Executive Elite status adds guaranteed upgrades and free rental days.
Yes, National Car Rental is owned by Enterprise Holdings, which also owns Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Alamo. Each brand targets a different customer segment. Enterprise Holdings is the world's largest car rental company by fleet size.
National tends to be slightly more expensive than Enterprise at the same location, reflecting its premium positioning. However, Emerald Club members often get free upgrades that make the per-trip value competitive.