AARP or AAA?

[daughtersrus]

We're planning a fly to Disneyland for 3 days and then rent a van to drive to San Diego 4 days. Which card offers better discounts for hotels and car rental? AAA is quite a bit more expensive than AARP and we don't really need the services that they will provide for the rest of the year but if the deals are better, I would get that instead.

I really hate to admit that I'm now old enough for an AARP card

 

[HM]

10% is usually what is discounted with AAA at hotels. I don't know about AARP, but I'm betting it's similar.
Both probably have webpages that give other offers for attracations in the area you are going.

 

[Sadie22]

We joined AAA last year, but we have never found a better discount on lodging with AAA than with AARP. The rates tend to be the same with either one, or sometimes a dollar better with the AARP rate. We don't rent vehicles so I have no idea on those rates. I like the AARP publications. We have never needed road service, so I'm not going to renew AAA.

 

[lanejudy]

In my experience, the hotel discounts tend to be the same for either AAA or AARP/Seniors. I have used AARP car discounts but not AAA. Car rentals may vary, as I believe the organizations have deals with specific rental agencies, but again probably similar if you aren't particular about which agency. If I recall, you have to book the car rental directly through a link from the AARP website, you can't get the discount without going through that link.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I have both and as others have said the hotel discounts are generally the same. When I rented a car last month I specifically went through AAA because not only was their rate much cheaper with Hertz, it included an additional driver, my daughter, at no charge. That may have been a special circumstance but I have to say that, in general, I have not been impressed with AARP car rental discounts.

For car rentals I have actually often found the best rate to be using my Costco discount.

 

[My3Princez]

You don't actually have to have either membership just to see what the discount rates are with hotels and car rentals. You can look the rates up online, and for that matter you can usually book them without any proof of membership UNTIL you arrive. Not saying you can actually get to the point of checkin/pickup without a membership, but you can book it and then get the membership.