When you write "Discount Hotel" programs, I immediately thought of TripRewards & Choice Hotels - for Choice hotels, they often have promos where if you stay twice, you get a free night - and if you're driving cross-country - in all honesty I don't recommend necessarily focusing on one particular chain.

I've traveled all aroudn the US & even drove cross-country & back twice in one summer - from what I found from that experience is that when you're traveling like that, you don't want to blow the cash on the room, but on the adventure. If you look up any of the towns that you're planning on sleeping in - you can check the prices of Fairfield Inns, Hampton Inns/HGI's, Comfort Inns, etc - and you will probably find that 9 times out of 10, the Hampton Inns & HGI's are the most expensive, followed by the Fairfields, and the Comfort inns, etc.

My recommendation (as someone who's done this a few times before & is a super-budget traveler) - forgo the bigger name hotels while traveling - the highlights of the trip shouldn't be the room you sleep in, but the adventure you have. Invest 200 bucks & buy 2 sleeping bags & a decent tent. Spend at least 30-40% of your time in campgrounds (you can find camping practically anywhere west of the Mississippi) & you can do it cheap or free in most places. When you need hotel/motels, join TripRewards & Choice's program & try to stay with those places in transit stops (i.e. places where you're just staying to spend the night, not necessarily explore the towns) - when you go to bigger cities, then, maybe look for the Hampton/HGI's & Fairfield Inns - but don't get them in the city, get them in the suburbs - i.e. to stay at a select service hotel in Arlington, VA is easily 50-100 less than staying in Washington, DC - you'll have a car - use it. Use the highway exit guides (you can get these at McDonalds & Rest Areas along interstates). See what free discounts you can get too - here are some examples (from the Mileage Run Tools thread):

- 15% off Red Roof Inns - just write the number & account code down & call ahead with your cellphone when you get to a town that has a Red Roof Inn (you'll see signs along exits & maybe some billboards) -

-10-50% off Cendant hotels & 10-35% off Choice Hotels - again, just call ahead & write down the numbers & keep them in your wallet - no one will ever check for ID.

Basically, go budget - don't bother with the major brand name hotels unless you have to - all you really need is a clean safe place to crash for the night & a free continental breakfast! One major recommendation would be to apply for a credit card that gives you 5% back on gas - like the Citi Platinum Dividend card - the Chase Freedom card gives you instant gas rebates & considers many convience stores to be gas purchase too for some reason.