Air Canada has a new deal with Hertz to offer car rental elite status and more points for rentals. That’s smart because rental cars are mostly a commodity purchase and loyalty program tie-ins create brand preference – but most of those tie-ins are too weak to matter.

Points-Earning With Aeroplan

Hertz rentals will earn:

General member: 2 points per every $1 Canadian spent

Elite 25K, 35K and 50K: 3 points per every $1 Canadian spent

Elite 75K: 4 points per every $1 Canadian spent

Super Elite: 5 points per every $1 Canadian spent

Hertz owns Thrifty and Dollar. Those rentals earn just 2 points per Canadian dollar, regardless of status.

What seems awkward to me is that for genreal members are 25K elites, spending with Hertz earns more Aeroplan points than flying Air Canada .

Earning Aeroplan Status With Hertz

For every 5 Aeroplan points earned, members receive one Status Qualifying Credit toward Aeroplan status.…