Europcar

Europcar is a global car and van rental brand with the deepest network across continental Europe and a strong presence in Australia across every major airport and capital city, plus New Zealand, the UK, Middle East, and Africa. Australian travellers use Europcar both for AU pickups (SYD, MEL, BNE, PER, ADL airports and CBDs) and, more distinctively, for European road trips where its density across France, Germany, Italy, and Spain is unmatched by US-rooted competitors. Book via europcar.com.au for AU pickups or europcar.com for European pickups and activate ShopBack through the Europcar merchant page on ShopBack Australia to earn cashback on eligible rentals at the current published rate.

Europcar Privilege is Europcar's free loyalty programme with tiers Privilege (base), Privilege Executive, Privilege Elite, and Privilege Elite VIP. Members earn Privilege Points on eligible rentals, redeemable for free rental days. Higher tiers unlock express pickup (skip-the-counter), guaranteed upgrades subject to availability, and priority customer service. Elite VIP typically requires around 25 rentals per year or high spend. Verify current thresholds and points earn on europcar.com before enrolling. Privilege Points are separate from ShopBack cashback and typically stack on eligible bookings.

Europcar typically runs sale windows including AU school holidays (April, July, September, December), AU end of financial year (June), Black Friday (November 27, 2026), Cyber Monday (November 30, 2026), Boxing Day, and European summer (July to August) for European pickups. Pay-now (prepaid) rates are typically cheaper than pay-at-counter but non-refundable. Verify current sale banners on europcar.com.au before booking, and click through fresh from the ShopBack Europcar merchant page to keep cashback tracking clean.

In Australia the minimum age to rent from Europcar is typically 21 for most vehicle classes, with a young-driver surcharge for drivers under 25 at most locations. Prestige, ute, and 4WD classes often require age 25 or higher. A full valid driver licence held for at least 12 months is typically required, with an International Driving Permit needed for non-English licences. Verify age rules, surcharges, and licence requirements on europcar.com.au for your specific pickup location before booking.

Europcar has the deepest continental European network, particularly outside major airports (regional stations, smaller cities, cross-border allowances). Hertz has strong airport presence and better US alignment for round-the-world trips. For a France-Germany-Italy road trip where regional pickups and one-way drops matter, Europcar typically wins on network depth and one-way fee structure. For a US-then-Europe trip where a single loyalty programme matters, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards often wins. Both are cashback-eligible via ShopBack when booked through their respective merchant pages.

Avis Australia pairs strongly with Qantas Frequent Flyer for points earning and has skip-the-counter well established at Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane airports. Europcar has broader European reach and stronger van and ute inventory in AU for moves and trades. For a Qantas Frequent Flyer holder chasing AU points, Avis often wins. For a van or ute pickup, or a bundled AU-then-Europe trip, Europcar often wins. Both are cashback-eligible via ShopBack, so click through fresh from the respective merchant page on shopback.com.au before locking.

In Australia, Europcar base rates typically include third-party liability and a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) subject to an excess (often between AUD 3,000 and AUD 5,500 depending on car class). You can reduce the excess by purchasing Europcar's Damage Cover Insurance option at pickup for an additional daily fee. Personal Accident Insurance and cover for tyres, windscreen, and underbody may be extra. Verify current excess levels and cover options on europcar.com.au and consider whether your travel insurance or credit card rental excess cover applies before adding Damage Cover Insurance at the counter.

Yes, most Europcar rentals within continental Europe allow cross-border travel across Schengen countries with prior notification at pickup, subject to vehicle class restrictions and country-specific limits (some higher-risk destinations require prior written approval). One-way rentals between countries are also possible for a one-way fee that varies by origin, destination, and vehicle class. Notify the pickup counter of your intended countries and request a cross-border authorisation letter (Carta Verde or equivalent). Verify current cross-border rules on europcar.com before locking your itinerary.

Empty any pending Europcar booking cart, then click through fresh from the ShopBack Europcar merchant page to europcar.com.au (or europcar.com for European pickups). Log in to your Europcar Privilege account, complete the booking in the same browser session, and confirm the reservation email. Avoid pasting unofficial third-party promo codes at checkout since they can break cashback tracking. Cashback tracks on eligible rentals at the current published rate; see the Europcar page on shopback.com.au for live rates.

Yes. Any cancelled or refunded portion of your Europcar booking is voided from the ShopBack cashback total, since Europcar only pays commission on completed rentals. Prepaid pay-now rates and pay-at-counter rates may have different cancellation and refund windows; a cancelled reservation or a no-show will typically not confirm cashback. Rebookings and downgrades confirm cashback only on the retained, paid amount after the merchant validates the transaction.