National Car Rental is back with its long-running One Two Free promo, promising free rental days just for doing what you were going to do anyway—rent cars. Sounds great, right? But before you jump in, let’s take a closer look at how it works, who benefits the most, and whether it’s truly a good deal for the way you travel.
How to Sign Up
To sign up for the promotion, you need to be a National Emerald Club member. If you’re not, check out our post on how to sign up for the programs for all the major US car rental companies.
Once you sign up, or if you’re already a National Emerald Club member, here’s the sign-up link for the promotion.
How to Earn Free Rental Days
In short, after every two qualifying rentals of two or more days each, you earn one free rental day. The promotion runs from April 1, 2025, through June 22, 2025.
To earn credits:
- Each qualifying rental must be at least two consecutive days
- Only midsize or larger vehicles qualify
- Rentals must be paid and completed within the promotional period
You can also earn faster with longer rentals:
| Consecutive Paid Rental Days | Eligible Vehicle Rentals Earned |
|---|---|
| 2–7 | 1 |
| 8–11 | 2 |
| 12–15 | 3 |
| 16–19 | 4 |
| 20–23 | 5 |
| 24–27 | 6 |
Note: Even though a single long rental can earn multiple credits, you must complete at least two separate rentals to unlock your free rental days. For example, a 15-day rental earns 3 credits — but you’ll need a second qualifying rental to receive any free rental days.
How to Use Your Free Rental Day
Free rental days earned during the promotion are valid for redemption through 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) on December 31, 2025.
Here’s what’s covered — and what’s not:
Covers: Base rate charges (time and mileage only).
Does NOT cover: Taxes, fees, surcharges, refueling, drop-off or delivery charges, youthful or additional driver fees, or any optional services (like damage waiver, even if under $50/day).
So, while the rental day is free in theory, there are still out-of-pocket costs depending on what extras you add.
Is This Promotion Right for You?
Now, while I do think this is a great promotion for some people, it’s just not right for us and the way we travel — and there are a bunch of people in the same boat. One Two Free really benefits frequent renters or business travelers who take multiple short trips. But if you’re an occasional leisure traveler who rents once or twice a year, this promo might not make a meaningful difference.
Watch Out for Missed Savings
Another thing to consider: to earn credits toward this promotion, you need to choose to earn National rental credits, not airline miles or hotel points. I’ve done the math on this trade-off in another post, and again — frequent short rentals make it worth it. If you’re a once-or-twice-a-year renter, it’s not a slam dunk. But hey, these rental credits are more valuable than some of the other programs I’ve looked at (looking at you, Dollar).
Also worth thinking about: once you commit to earning credits with National, you might miss out on a better deal elsewhere. Would you rather save $30 today or earn a free rental day you might or might not use in the future?
Final Thoughts
I signed up for the One Two Free offer because, well, why not? It doesn’t hurt to sign up. And if I end up needing a rental and National is competitively priced, it’ll be nice to know there’s the potential for a free rental day down the line.
Will I rent from National during this timeframe? Maybe. I’ve got one trip where I might need a car. If National comes through with a good rate, I’ll keep the promotion in mind. Or I might stick with earning airline miles for my rentals — we’ll see.
You can find the full Terms and Conditions for the One Two Free promotion on the National Car Rental website.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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