How My AAA Membership Saved Me Over $100 on a Hotel

Your AAA membership could unlock a cheaper hotel stay for your next trip. 

An American Automobile Association (AAA) membership can enable you to get 24/7 roadside assistance. But help with car issues isn't the only valuable benefit of this membership. 

You can get discounts on travel, attractions, restaurants, and more. Recently, I used my AAA membership to get a discount of more than $100 on a hotel stay. Find out how you could use your membership to save money on your next vacation. 

Thankfully, I haven't had to use my AAA membership to get out of a stressful car situation for many years. But that doesn't mean I'm not getting value from my membership. 

My birthday is coming up, so I decided to book a weekend getaway for myself and my husband. While booking the hotel, I remembered to check if the hotel offered a AAA rate. They did -- which meant my weekend getaway was about to get cheaper.  

The hotel offered me two ways to save. I could save 20% by booking a non-refundable room or 15% by making a reservation that I could cancel up to 48 hours before my arrival. I value flexibility, so I booked the refundable room and took a slightly smaller discount. 

So how much did I save? $113. It took only a few seconds to take advantage of this discount. I now have more money in my vacation budget to spend on a nice birthday dinner. 

I also paid for the room with a travel rewards credit card, so I'll earn rewards on my spending, which I can redeem for free travel in the future. 

How to get more out of your AAA membership

Do you have an AAA membership? While it's worthwhile to have the peace of mind that comes with having roadside assistance coverage, if you're not using any of the benefits that come with your membership, you're missing out on ways to save money. 

Here are some suggestions that could help you get more out of your AAA membership:

Don't neglect travel discounts: You can book travel through the AAA travel portal to get money-saving deals. You can also score a discount when booking directly with participating hotels, car rental companies, cruise lines, and more. Just mention that you're a member and show your card at check-in to take advantage of lower rates. 

Save money on attractions and event tickets: You can also use your membership to score deals on attraction admission and event tickets. This could make your next family vacation or weekend adventure much more affordable. 

Pay less for electronics: If you need a new cell phone, TV, or laptop, you can get a discount with eligible partners, including HP and Samsung.

But the savings don't stop there. You can save money in other ways with these seven little-known perks of AAA. You pay for your membership, so make sure you're using it to its full potential. 

Use your membership benefits 

It's worthwhile to check in on available discounts every so often. You can download the AAA mobile app to your phone to make it easy to review your membership benefits and discounts. You may be missing out on valuable membership perks. 

Are you looking for ways to improve your financial situation? Take a look at our personal finance resources for additional guidance.