Airlines join alliances to make sure their patrons can fly across the world regardless of their network constraints. That takes care of seamless travel once you are at the airport. But what next? The new Skyteam Hertz partnership might be SkyTeam’s solution to ensure a frictionless door-to-door experience.

Hertz became the first non-airline ‘member’ of SkyTeam this past week, one of the big three airline alliances. Now you will be able to earn miles in eighteen airline programs when you choose to rent a Hertz car. Why eighteen? That’s because Alitalia and Aerolineas Argentinas are not covered in this partnership. About ten SkyTeam members already have some arrangement with Hertz to reward their frequent flyers. The new partnership won’t change the mileage accrual rates there yet. But, for the new airline entrants, you earn 500 miles per Hertz booking.

Besides the miles, Skyteam frequent flyers will also get a variety of rental benefits. To activate these benefits, you’ll get a unique code which you need to enter onto Hertz’s website or app. Currently, there is no word on elite benefits for SkyTeam elites. Perhaps match the Elite Plus tier to Hertz’s President’s Circle? And talking about Hertz elites, they won’t be getting any benefits such as lounge access or priority boarding on SkyTeam flights either.

Bottomline

There is nothing to write home about the new SkyTeam – Hertz tie up. Sure you can earn miles, but you could’ve done that even before as Hertz is a partner with 60+ airlines around the world. That includes SkyTeam heavyweights such as Air France/KLM  and Delta. Closer home, you can earn JPMiles on Hertz bookings as well. So until Hertz comes out with something pathbreaking for its fellow alliance members, this partnership looks like a just another tie-up between an airline and a car rental firm.

What do you think of Hertz’s entry into the SkyTeam alliance?