Golden Retrievers to greet weary travelers at select U.S. airports; Travelers help to pick next ‘Gold Squad’ destination

Estero, Fla., Aug. 25, 2025 – As the busy Labor Day weekend approaches, Hertz, one of the world’s largest car rental companies, is seeking to comfort stressed travelers. With a mission to make travelers feel golden, Hertz is bringing its ‘Gold Squad’ – a team of highly trained Golden Retrievers – to select airports across the country. These friendly, furry ambassadors aim to bring comfort, calm and cuddles during peak travel times, ensuring all Hertz customers hit the road with a smile.

“With the Hertz ‘Gold Squad’ making surprise appearances across the country, we’re aiming to delight customers with something unexpected,” said Kari Birdsall, Vice President, Operations Excellence at Hertz. “Whether it’s a warm welcome from a Golden Retriever or the ease of skipping the counter with Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership, we’re focused on making every step of the rental experience feel convenient, seamless and a little more golden.”

Why it Matters:

• A recent study from YouGov indicates 70% of Americans find booking a vacation stressful, with specific pain points including booking airport transfers and flights.
• The rental car lot at an airport is often the last leg of a trip; and by the time travelers reach the counter, they’re often exhausted from a long day of traveling.
• With over 17 million travelers braving the holiday weekend in 2024, this year is sure to bring even more of a frenzy to flying.

The Hertz ‘Gold Squad,’ including Cooper the Golden Retriever, made their debut at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) last week, providing comfort to thousands of travelers. Now, they want to surprise travelers in additional cities like Chicago, San Diego and Atlanta, but before they head out, they’re inviting travelers to share their opinion on social to decide future stops. To make that final trek feel golden, the Hertz ‘Gold Squad’ are ready to greet travelers with wagging tails and warm smiles as they await their next destination.

Select airports will host ‘Gold Squad’ visits, featuring exclusive giveaways and on-site support to help travelers enroll in Hertz’s free Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program, which makes future car rentals faster, easier and more rewarding. Members can enjoy exclusive rates when booking on Hertz.com or the Hertz app, skip the counter at select locations, and earn points redeemable for free rental days and more.

To bark your opinion for the ‘Gold Squad’s’ next location, travelers can comment on Hertz’s recent post. To travel along with the Hertz ‘Gold Squad’, follow Hertz on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok and learn more at hertz.com/goldsquad.

About Hertz
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. is one of the world’s leading car rental and mobility solutions providers. Its subsidiaries, including The Hertz Corporation, and licensees operate the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, and Firefly vehicle rental brands, with more than 11,000 rental locations in 160 countries around the globe. The Company also operates the Hertz Car Sales brand, which offers a range of quality, competitively priced used cars for sale online and at locations across the United States, and the Hertz 24/7 car-sharing business in Europe. For more information about Hertz, visit www.hertz.com.