PSA - Check your credit card for rental status

If you have a premium travel card, many will auto give you a higher level of status in a rental car. For example I rent infrequently but the Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) sets me up with Emerald Executive - pick any car, not just the emerald aisle but also the executive aisle, and drive away paying I think the mid-size price. Gotten some nice cars.

Something similar with Avis on that card, I'm sure the higher end Amex's etc have stuff too. Note that location matters, if it's a small town like Amarillo, yeah you go to the counter and get the keys to a regular car, they jsut don't have a big selection.