Thrifty Car Rental Kicks Off Blue Chip Rewards Program, Offers 'Double Credits' Through Sept. 30, 2004

TULSA, Okla., May 18, 2004 -- Thrifty Car Rental, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. today kicks off its own signature frequency program, Blue Chip Rewards. The program, an enhancement to the company's Blue Chip Express Rental Program(R) promising expedited service, will reward Blue Chip members who elect to sign up with credits that will earn them free days on qualifying rentals at participating Thrifty locations in the U.S. and Canada.

To celebrate the launch, Blue Chip Rewards members will earn double credits from now through Sept. 30, 2004, when booking their reservation via THRIFTY.com. (Single credits will be awarded for rentals made through other booking channels).

Blue Chip Rewards members are awarded one free day when a member earns 16 credits. Ordinarily, each rental day under the program equals one credit, with a rental day based on a 24-hour rental day starting at the time of rental. But through Sept. 30, 2004, members will have the opportunity to double their credits.

"The great thing about this program is its simplicity," said Rainey Talbot, Director of Marketing Customer Retention for Thrifty. "When we set out to create our own program centered around our Blue Chip customers, we wanted something that was easy to understand, but of high value. Combined with the great service that customers already get with the Blue Chip Express Rental Program, the addition of a frequency-based component will add a lot of value for customers."

Blue Chip Rewards Credits, or FF Miles ... Not Both

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Blue Chip Rewards is that members who enroll in the program will have to choose whether they earn Blue Chip Rewards credits or frequent flyer miles/points when they rent ... but not both. Those choosing to earn frequent flyer miles/points must provide their frequent flyer number on the enrollment form or at the time of rental. Members may change their Reward selection at any time by modifying their profile on THRIFTY.com, or by calling Blue Chip Member Services.

Blue Chip Rewards is open to all new and existing Blue Chip members who indicate they want to participate. To sign up, new customers may visit THRIFTY.com or call Blue Chip Member Services at 1-888-400-8877; current Blue Chip members can update their profile using the same contact information. Credits may be tracked online at THRIFTY.com.

To automatically earn credits, members must select Blue Chip Rewards as their preferred program choice in their Blue Chip profile and book a reservation using their Blue Chip number. Every rental day under the program will qualify for at least one credit. The Blue Chip member must be the primary renter. Other restrictions may apply. For a complete listing of the "Terms and Conditions" of this program, please log on to THRIFTY.com.

Redemption of Free Days

Blue Chip Rewards members should allow at least three to four weeks from the conclusion of the rental for credits to be posted to their Rewards account. Award certificates for the "free day" are automatically mailed to members after earning 16 credits. Members who have supplied an e-mail address in their profile will be notified via e-mail at the time of the award.

Free days are redeemable in the U.S. and Canada and apply to time and mileage only. Free day certificates are available for use on rentals of compact through full size cars and minivans.

Blue Chip Rewards credits are valid for one year from the date of issue. Membership in the program may be terminated at the company's discretion if no rental activity takes place or no credits are accrued during an 18-month period.

With the Blue Chip Express Rental Program(R), customers speed through the check-in process in 60 seconds or less, with no-hassle pick-up and return. As part of the Blue Chip Satisfaction Guarantee, if a customer for any reason is dissatisfied with their rental, they get their first rental day free of charge. Available at 125 airport locations in the U.S. and Canada, Blue Chip is a service that is free of charge. To sign up, visit THRIFTY.com or call Blue Chip Member Services at 1-888-400-8877.

To book a reservation with Thrifty, visit www.THRIFTY.com , call 1-800-THRIFTY in the U.S. and Canada, or consult your professional travel agent.

Thrifty Car Rental is a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 1000 Company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together with its corporately-owned locations and those of its franchise owners, the Thrifty Car Rental brand serves value-conscious travelers from more than 1,100 locations in 64 countries.