This thread really has nothing to do with SPG specifically as Hilton, Marriott and most chains offer AAA discounts.

To answer your question, I think AAA membership is worthwhile if you drive a car and might need roadside assistance. I have called AAA to start a dead battery, fix a flat and tow a vehicle. All of these services saved me time and in some cases a great deal of inconvenience. For example I damaged my rental car about 100km outside Vancouver. The rental car company insisted that I have the vehicle towed back to the airport. We have AAA+ (an additional $25) which covers 100mi of towing. So we called AAA which arranged for a free tow (and a convenient lift back to the airport).

AAA membership gets you pretty much the same perks as SPG Gold, minus the bonus points. That could be another plus depending on your status.

As for discounts, I find most of them worthless as I can usually get better hotel rates on priceline or with other discount codes, but YMMV.

In sum I endorse AAA for the peace of mind, particularly if you or your loved ones need roadside service at night. However, if you are a single guy who doesn't mind changing his own tires or doesn't drive far from home, then maybe it would be a waste.

This is a great thread, talking about the range of benefits from AAA. Since so much of that discussed is outside the Starwood realm, I'm going to move this to the TravelBuzz forum so that everyone can benefit.

SanDiego1K
Starwood Moderator

Better yet - stayed last October at the Trianon Palace in Versaille for a couple of nights - property that would otherwise cost us 12,000 *points per night. Cheapest rate was 450 euros/night. Just for the sake of it, I priced AAA on spg.com -145 euros/night.

Savings 2 x 295 euros = +/- $900. Priceless. :D

But yes, I agree with other posters, it is worth it alone for the road assistance and peace of mind that comes with it. Plus lower rates you get with all the hotel chains. Also, discounts on various attractions and occasionally, other businesses, as I unexpectedly found out last weekend at LensCrafters (30% off frames+lenses order). ^

I have always thought it was worth it everytime I locked my keys in my car and when it wouldn't start.

If you have kids, they are free to add on as associate members (when they're driving, of course)

Can someone tell me how much is the AAA membership thru SPG? My Gold is comped thru my GE status with NW. So beside couple of stays here and there, I really don't check their site much. Thanks in advance ^

As for AAA benefit, I use them often for their free passport photos, hotel stays and peace of mind when I'm on the road. Luckily, I never use their tow service for myself but I have for my friends (at least three times). With the minimum hooking fee of $50 with the tow companies, it really is worth the $90 membership (and even better when it's cheaper :p )

It's certainly worth it.

We have it for the road service, with the 100 miles towing. Use that once and you have paid for it for years.

Even without that, the benefits when traveling are very good. Discounts on hotels with many chains, half price Hertz Gold and very good discounts on rentals, the ability to get free passport pictures, savings at all kinds of places like Amtrak, many factory outlet centers, theme parks, etc.

Shopping discounts like 10% off Target, 6% at dell, etc.

It's never a lot of money at one place, but it adds up quickly.

I wouldn't leave home without it. Two incidents this past year paid for the service for several years. One involved a flat where I picked up a nail and the other was a broken ignition problem that ended up with me spending most of the morning being chaufeurred around by the AAA guy trying to get a key that would work. I ended up having to have it towed.

Hotel & travel benefits are just the icing on the cake. :)

FYI, the AAA rate isn't always the best rate. In fact, there have been several times that I have found lower rates available to the general public. So don't rely on the savings and ignore the other rates.

But, the roadside assistance is worth it. Ironically, I once blew a tire in sight of their national call center in St. Louis. The operator got up, looked out the window and saw me.

I use my CAA/AAA membership for the discounts and the savings I earn over the year fuelling my truck at Husky/Mohawk gas stations between Alberta and BC. The savings are rebated to my membership dues every spring. I also use it to save when staying at Marriott properties whenever I travel.

Sanosuke!

Although the recent portion of this thread wasn't started here in TravelBuzz, from time-to-time this subject does come up, so I'll merge with an earlier, same-subject thread. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

I thought you had to pay extra for each associate member.

MisterNice

maybe it depends on your market and/or age?

i'm on my mom's membership, and she pays for me (i'm 22), and my brother is as well (19) but his is free

Yeah, I've been a member forever, and I probably need a tow or jumpstart once every 3 years or so. I suspect I could arrange comparable coverage for the 50 bucks I give AAA every year, but I don't bother to look. As a frequent traveller, I request maps and tourbooks from them all the time, so I figure that's worth $25/year. I think their hotel discounts are rarely better than other offers, but you sometimes get a buck or two off admissions and other discounts. That's probably worth at least $25 to me in a year as well.

So is AAA membership the greatest thing since sliced bread? Definitely no. But if you travel a bit, you'll at least get your money's worth. And you'll have the peace of mind to deal with car breakdowns. FWIW, I don't pay extra to have my spouse covered, since we usually travel together and I can get her car towed with my card.

I think the rates are set by each club. Ours are

$72 individual, $29 first additional, $17 each driver after that (new memberships)

Bumping that up to Plus is another $30 individual, $50 for all covered family members.

So for the wife and I to have Plus service, it's $151 new, a few dollars ($12) less to renew.

The New York rates are a bit different