AAA/CAA Rate Changes
 

In a move that resembles last year's change to Senior rates, I've noticed that AAA/CAA rates have quietly started to be the same as the best Flexible Member rate at many domestic properties rather than a percentage discounted. There are certainly exceptions and the occasional AAA/CAA "Hot Deal", which sometimes requires prepayment or has less flexible cancel, but a pattern is emerging. Some AAA/CAA rates are even higher and less flexible than the base Member rate. (One example was $189 for AAA/CAA vs. $170 for base Member rate.) This move parallels Hilton and a few other chains who did the same awhile ago. If one is a member of the chain's program it almost never pays to book AAA/CAA and Marriott seems to be following suit.

I always wondered what’s in it for the chains offering much lower rates to AAA/CAA.

I would presume it's because the chains get access to a HUGE member base and I would not be surprised if they got some sort of kick-back from AAA/CAA to offer preferred rates. AAA/CAA charge considerable member fees and this is a way for people to feel like they are getting value for being a member beyond the potential for roadside assistance. If you are a AAA/CAA member you get access to discounts on all kinds of things, hotels are just one of them.

It's usually a modest discount, rarely anywhere near as good as a negotiated Corp Rate, and as the OP suggested, the discount seems to be even less than what it was in the past with tighter restrictions.

I think it dates from the pre-loyalty era where the Auto Associations' endorsement/recommendation mattered.

I think it goes a lot deeper than that. Yes, I am old enough to remember my Dad going to the AMA (Alberta Motor Association) to get the 'trip-tik' as well as the hotel guide before every family road trip, and it probably mattered back then to be featured in that guide pre-internet. I think the business model has evolved and the AAA/CAA entities are trying to show value to the members and the Chains want to tap into that massive install base of travelers.

I tend to find the complete opposite. A majority of my stays are always booked at AAA rate because it's usually a few dollars less than the member rate but more than the prepay rate, which I never do unless I have a travel package with insurance booked. I even see hotels offer AAA packages that include more like parking, discounted restaurants, and other things.

Yeah, it’s been a several weeks since I’ve really looked at booking Marriott (mostly due to lack of promo), but my experience from past several years has been that their AAA rates have provided the largest discount for cancellable rates between them, Hilton, & Hyatt. Would be disappointing if that difference has shrunk.

Hilton has been no benefit from the times that I’ve checked (basically AAA rates matches member rate).

Hyatt can be hit or miss. Sometimes member rate is cheaper, sometimes AAA is.

And as mentioned occasionally AAA rates have extra benefits included, such as parking, as well as also occasionally more favorable cancellation policy.

I completely agree and have done the same since the demise of Senior rates, which were sometimes as low as prepay. I first started noticing the AAA/CAA rates creeping upwards about a week ago when updating my March reservations. As I said initially, it's not all but more than half the properties I checked and that ratio is changing daily.

I also book lots of AAA rates. The savings ranges from a few dollars to truly substantial. You'll sometimes see properties dump inventory relatively close-in with a big AAA discount while maintaining their rack and member rates at a much higher level.

The other benefit is that AAA rates sometimes exclude destination fee (for example, W SF).

These are set at the property level, so you're going to see lots of variation.

I gave up my Cal. St. Auto. Åss'n (CSAA) membership in 2021 when I moved from Las Vegas back to Saipan, CNMI, USA.

I haven't missed the AAA rates too much, until I read posts like the foregoing. :D