When it comes to AARP vs. AAA travel discounts, both memberships promise real savings, but they deliver them in very different ways. AAA leans on preferred hotel suppliers, in-person AAA Travel Agents and a cruise program with a Best Price Guarantee. AARP runs a self-serve booking portal backed by a separate network of partners. The right pick depends on how you travel and which brands you book most often.
This guide walks through the travel benefits that matter most, from hotels and rental cars to cruises and vacation packages, so you can put your membership to work on every trip.
AAA vs. AARP: At a Glance
Both memberships offer travel savings, but the programs cover different ground. Here's a side-by-side look before we get into the details.
| Feature | AAA | AARP |
| Membership cost | Classic from $57.75/year (varies by club) | $20/year; $15 first year with auto-renewal |
| Hotel partners | Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice Hotels and more | Wyndham, Best Western, Choice Hotels, Red Roof and more |
| Rental car partners | Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty | Avis, Budget, Payless, Zipcar |
| Cruise discounts | Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Viking, AmaWaterways and more | Collette, Grand European Travel, Holland America and select lines via AARP Travel Center |
| Live travel agents | Yes — AAA Travel Agents at local branches | No — self-serve via AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia |
| Roadside assistance | Included at all membership levels | Discount on Allstate Roadside plans (separate purchase) |
How AAA Travel Benefits Work
AAA Members get access to a variety of travel deals spanning hotels, rental cars, cruises and more. AAA has been helping members travel since 1902 and now serves over 65 million members across the United States and Canada. Membership is open to adults of any age, and members can stack their AAA rate with brand loyalty programs to save even more on travel .
What sets AAA apart is its approach to travel. Rather than a self-serve portal, AAA offers dedicated AAA Travel Agents at local branches who can research pricing, time bookings, bundle flights and hotels and arrange member-exclusive perks at preferred partner properties.
AAA Vacations® bundles flights, hotels and car rentals to more than 300 destinations and cruise bookings come with the AAA Vacations® Best Price Guarantee and 24/7 Member Care. AAA Members collectively save $3 billion annually through partner discounts.
How AARP Travel Benefits Work
AARP is an advocacy organization whose mission centers on the needs of people 50 and older, though membership is open to anyone 18 and up. At $20 a year, AARP benefits span a broad range of categories, from insurance savings and tax preparation discounts to the hotel, rental car and cruise deals covered in this guide.
AARP approaches travel through the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia. It’s a self-serve portal where members search and book hotels, flights, car rentals and cruises. Exclusive AARP rates appear alongside standard Expedia inventory, and members who prefer to book by phone can call hotel and rental car partners directly to request the AARP rate.
Hotel Discounts
AAA Members receive member-exclusive discounts at AAA preferred lodging partners across a network that includes Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and Choice Hotels, with loyalty points eligible on most bookings. AAA Travel Agents can add perks, including late checkouts and room upgrades, that aren't available through self-serve booking. The AAA Diamond Program provides independent quality assurance through unannounced property inspections, giving members a verified assessment before they book.
AARP members get discounted rates at Wyndham, Best Western, Choice Hotels, Red Roof Inn and Motel 6, with savings that vary by chain and booking terms. Marriott does not participate in the AARP program, so travelers loyal to Marriott Bonvoy will find that AAA is the only option for a member rate at those properties.
For a full side-by-side breakdown of every hotel partner, loyalty perk and quality assurance comparison, see our dedicated guide on AAA vs. AARP hotel discounts .
Rental Car Discounts
AAA Members rent for less at Hertz with exclusive discounts, waived fees and added benefits for young renters, additional drivers and child safety seats. Dollar and Thrifty round out AAA's rental car lineup with additional member savings that come in handy whether you're renting for a weekend trip or planning your next road trip .
AARP members save up to 35 percent off base rates at Avis when booking Pay Now directly, or up to 30 percent when booking Pay Later or through the AARP Travel Center. Budget matches those rates under the same terms. Both add a free upgrade, an additional driver at no cost and a credit toward future rentals. Payless offers AARP members a discount off the base rate, and Zipcar car sharing is available at a member discount.
Cruise and Vacation Package Discounts
AAA's cruise program is one of the broadest available through any membership organization. Every booking made through AAA comes with the AAA Vacations® Best Price Guarantee. If you find a lower rate for the exact same itinerary within 24 hours of booking, AAA Vacations® will match it and send a $50 future travel credit.
The program also provides AAA Vacations® 24/7 Member Care for assistance during the trip. Here's what members can expect at AAA's primary cruise partners:
- Carnival: Up to $200 onboard spending credit per stateroom on select sailings.
- Royal Caribbean: Up to $100 per stateroom onboard spending credit, plus complimentary sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries.
- Celebrity Cruises: Up to $175 per stateroom onboard spending credit on select sailings.
- Princess Cruises: Up to $225 onboard credit per stateroom, reduced deposits and a $50 shore excursion credit.
- Viking: Up to $200 per person shipboard credit on Viking voyages.
- AmaWaterways: Up to $800 per stateroom in savings and up to $300 onboard spending credit on select 2026 and 2027 Europe sailings.
AAA Vacations® also bundles flights, hotels and car rentals to more than 300 destinations with guided tour options through partners like Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Tauck.
AARP's cruise offerings are narrower. Direct partners include Collette guided tours, Grand European Travel river cruises (up to 30 percent off select 2026 sailings) and Holland America Line. Members can book additional cruise lines through the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia and receive up to $100 in onboard credit on select sailings. AARP has no equivalent to the AAA Vacations® Best Price Guarantee or dedicated cruise travel agents.
Flights and Vacation Packages
Neither AAA nor AARP offers dedicated flight discounts the way they do for hotels and rental cars. Where AAA stands out is its support for the booking process. AAA Travel Agents can help you travel affordably by researching flight pricing, tracking promotional fares and bundling flights into full vacation packages with hotel and car rental included.
AAA Vacations® packages cover more than 300 destinations, with options ranging from self-guided itineraries to fully escorted tours. This flight-booking website sends alerts when it finds the best travel deals, which pairs well with the timing guidance a AAA Travel Agent can provide.
The AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® credit card offers cash back on travel purchases, including AAA bookings and is stackable with AAA Member rates. Availability varies by region, so confirm current terms at your local AAA club or at AAA.com.
AARP's flight offerings are available through the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia, giving members access to Expedia's full flight inventory, along with hotel and car rental bookings. AARP does not offer dedicated live agents for flight booking.
Roadside Assistance
AAA includes roadside assistance at every membership level with no separate purchase required. Coverage follows the member, not the vehicle, so it applies whether you're in your own car, a rental or a friend's, as a driver or passenger.
For travelers, that distinction matters. A flat tire in a rental car on a road trip, a dead battery at a trailhead or a lockout at a hotel parking lot are all covered under your AAA Membership, with higher tiers adding longer tow ranges and trip interruption reimbursement for stays disrupted by a breakdown far from home. Specific benefits and tow distances vary by club.
AARP does not include roadside assistance in its base membership. Members receive a discount on Allstate Roadside plans. The Allstate discount makes roadside coverage accessible, but it requires separate enrollment in addition to AARP dues.
Membership Cost and Overall Value
AAA Classic membership starts at $57.75 a year, with Plus at $96 and Premier at $127, with dues varying by regional club. AARP runs $20 a year, or $15 for the first year with automatic renewal, and includes a free second household membership card.
For travelers who use their membership actively, AAA tends to pay back quickly. Members who use AAA Discounts & Rewards® save an average of $220 a year, and AAA Members collectively save $3 billion annually through partner discounts. A single trip combining a Hertz rental with the young renter fee waived, two nights at a Hilton at the member rate and one roadside tow can recover the entire cost of a Classic membership.
Beyond travel, AAA Membership includes exclusive discounts on labor at AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities, savings on AAA-branded insurance, free enrollment in ProtectMyID® identity theft monitoring and fuel savings through Shell Fuel Rewards.
Which is better, AAA or AARP? If you're weighing whether AARP travel discounts are worth it, the answer depends on how often you travel and which brands you prefer. For frequent travelers who use hotels, rental cars and cruises, AAA Membership tends to deliver more value across the board.
Can You Have Both AAA and AARP Memberships?
There's no restriction on holding both memberships simultaneously. The limitation is that the two discounts can't be combined on a single booking. Hotels and rental car companies offer a single membership rate per reservation.
Both AAA and AARP rates are typically eligible to earn rewards points on the same booking, which means you can take advantage of discounts and build toward free nights or rental credits at the same time.
FAQs
Here are answers to the questions travelers ask most about AAA and AARP.
Is AAA or AARP better for hotel discounts?
AAA is the stronger choice for travelers loyal to Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt. AARP has no Marriott discount, and AAA rates are stackable with loyalty programs at all three brands. AARP focuses more on discounts with Wyndham and Best Western. The AAA Diamond Program also provides independent hotel quality assurance with no AARP equivalent.
Does AAA have better rental car discounts than AARP?
AAA and AARP cover almost entirely different rental car brands, so the better deal depends on which company you prefer. AAA covers Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty; AARP covers Avis, Budget, Payless and Zipcar. AARP's headline rate at Avis and Budget reaches up to 35 percent off Pay Now, while AAA's Hertz benefits include exclusive extras for young renters, additional drivers and child safety seats that go beyond a straight rate discount.
Can AAA and AARP discounts be combined?
Generally, hotels and rental car companies allow only one membership rate per booking. Both rates are typically eligible to earn loyalty program points, so you can still build toward rewards regardless of which rate you use.
Is a AAA membership worth it for travel?
AAA membership is worth it for frequent travelers. Members who use AAA Discounts & Rewards® save an average of $220 a year. A single trip combining a Hertz rental, a hotel stay at the member rate, and one roadside tow can fully recover the Classic membership cost. Add the AAA Vacations® Best Price Guarantee, AAA Travel Agent access and built-in roadside assistance, and AAA covers more travel categories with more built-in support than AARP travel discounts alone.
Secure Travel Discounts With AAA
The difference between AARP and AAA travel discounts comes down to breadth and support. AARP delivers straightforward savings at a low annual cost for travelers whose preferred brands are part of its network. AAA covers more ground:
- Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotel rates
- Exclusive Hertz benefits
- A broad cruise network with the AAA Vacations® Best Price Guarantee
- Roadside assistance at every membership level
Explore AAA Membership options now and take advantage of available AAA Discounts .