I tend to use Avis when hiring a car.  They’re not necessarily cheapest but I have “preferred” membership which is free, entitles me to queue jump and often ends in an upgraded vehicle too.

This status combined with multiple rentals has also got me a free weekend car hire in Europe between now and next March.  While receipt of this quite excited me, I’ve still got no idea when I’m going to utilise it.  If I can find cheap flights to Aberdeen or Inverness to do the North Coast 500 or hop down to Newquay for three days in Cornwall it might even get used in the UK.

Iberia, the Spanish Airline, appear to have come up with an offer where I can get better than free car hire.  It’s quite exciting.  Hire a car at a weekend and get 9,000 Avios.  Base value of those is £50 when redeemed for hotel or car hire.  My first class flights to Boston have squeezed 2.5p per Avios out of my points so make this offer worth £225 in some cases.

Given that my three days in Northern Ireland next week involves paying £41 for the car (Malta cost me £15) there’s a case for finding a weekend in May or June to hire a car, do nothing with it and collect a bonus that I can cash in for a not insubstantial value.

Dublin, Belfast and Inverness would all do me a three day qualifying car hire for less than £60.  Not dissimilar in certain other parts of Europe too.

Now I just need to work out what weekends, if any, I can take advantage of this offer for.  It seems way too generous!  Alternatively head to Leeds or Manchester, pay £70 for a car for three days and not use it.  There’s still a profit to be had!

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