Best Credit Card for Thrifty Car Rental in 2026
Thrifty Car Rental is classified under MCC 7512 (Car Rental Companies ( Not Listed Below)). The best card for Thrifty Car Rental purchases is the Hilton Honors Aspire ($550/yr annual fee), earning 7x on car rental companies ( not listed below) — an effective return of 3.50%.
Car rental companies like Thrifty are a great fit for travel rewards cards, especially those that offer high earning rates in the travel category.
Consider using your travel rewards credit card's rental car insurance coverage instead of purchasing it from Thrifty to save money and maximize your rewards.
Thrifty Car Rental purchases are classified under MCC 7512 (Car Rental Companies ( Not Listed Below)).
MCC Details for Thrifty Car Rental
Best Credit Cards for Thrifty Car Rental (2026)
How Thrifty Car Rental Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Thrifty Car Rental at their locations, your card issuer sees MCC 7512 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a car rental companies ( not listed below) merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "car rental companies ( not listed below)" purchases, Thrifty Car Rental transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Thrifty Car Rental specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Thrifty Car Rental transaction by checking your card's mobile app or statement. Some issuers display the merchant category alongside the transaction details. For the most accurate information, contact your card issuer's customer service and ask whether MCC 7512 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Thrifty Car Rental
About MCC 7512: Car Rental Companies ( Not Listed Below)
Merchant Category Code 7512 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Car Rental Companies ( Not Listed Below) industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 7512, all qualifying card programs that include car rental companies ( not listed below) as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Car Rental industry group encompasses several related MCCs. Not all merchants in a similar business will share the same MCC — for example, a grocery store inside a warehouse club may code as wholesale ({"5300"}) rather than grocery ({"5411"}). Always verify with your issuer if you're unsure whether a specific merchant qualifies for bonus rewards on your card.
Other Car Rental Companies ( Not Listed Below) merchants: ACE Rent A Car, Advantage Rent A Car, Alamo Rent A Car.
What You Could Earn at Thrifty Car Rental
Spending $200/month at Thrifty Car Rental with the Hilton Honors Aspire (7x on car rental companies ( not listed below)) earns approximately $168/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. After the $550 annual fee, that is $-382 more per year.