Planning a Road Trip? Save with AAA Washington!

Find 15 ways to get discounts with your AAA Washington membership

Any season can be a perfect time to hit the road, whether that be a day trip down to the lake, a three-day getaway into the mountains or a multi-week odyssey across the country.  

But before you go, don’t forget to check out all the ways you can save as a AAA Washington member. AAA discounts are available on a range of auto services, entertainment, fuel, motels and more. Nationally, AAA members who used member discounts saved on average $199 in 2022, which is more than the yearly price of a premier membership.

Here are 15 ways to save money through AAA on your next road trip.

Getting ready to go on your road trip

Almost every road trip takes a bit of preparation, whether that’s getting your entertainment playlist together or having your car’s battery and tires checked out. AAA offers several ways you can save while getting yourself ready for the road.

• Tires: Before heading off on a trip, it’s a good idea to get your tires checked. Stop by Discount Tire and get a free tire inspection, tire inflation and rotations. If your car needs a new set of feet, AAA Washington members qualify for $10 off on Discount Tire’s “Better” or “Best” tire brands.
• Oil changes: You can also get a discount on an oil change and other maintenance services at Valvoline Instant Oil Change. Valvoline typically can do an oil change in 15 minutes or less, as well as check the vehicle’s other fluids and tire pressure, replace needed fluids, change the wiper blades and perform other maintenance as needed. AAA members will receive a 15% discount on the total invoice.
• Auto parts: AAA members can receive a 15% discount from NAPA Auto Parts on a wide variety of products, including brake parts, filters, wiper blades and more. Plus, AAA Premium batteries are now in stock at NAPA and at AAA approved auto repair shops. AAA members gets $22 off the retail price.
• Racks and hitches: If you are planning to bring your bikes along or haul some heavy camping gear or sports equipment, head over to Rack N Road Vehicle Outfitters. You can find cargo boxes, bike/ski racks, trailers and hitches, auto accessories and more, and AAA Washington members will save 10%.
• Maps: Planning on visiting a major American city? Don’t settle for any map, get Red Maps City Guides. These glossy, illustrated maps enable the road tripper to see everything a city has to offer. Plus, Red Maps does not accept advertising, so the company only includes places of interest that it considers noteworthy.  AAA members will receive 20% off on orders, plus get free shipping on orders greater than $19.
• Cabana rental:  If you are planning on camping, why not do it in style? Leave the car at home and rent a Cabana camper van. Cabanas are spacious, easy to drive (and park) and offer a comfortable bed and living space to overnight on the road — and AAA Washington members receive a 20% discount on rentals.
• Tickets:  And if you plan to hit Disneyland or see some shows in California, Las Vegas or around the country on your trip, don’t forget to book ahead online with AAA tickets. AAA members can save up to 30% on admission fees and tickets on shows, sporting events, concerts, theme parks and other popular attractions around Washington state, Seattle and other major U.S. cities.

Tip: One of the greatest benefits of a AAA membership is emergency roadside assistance. If you breakdown or get into an accident in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, AAA can assist you with towing, battery jumpstarts/boosts, fuel delivery, car lockouts, flat tire changes and more. See more details here.

On the road

Once you are on the road, there a plenty of ways to save money on gas, entertainment and lodging with your AAA Washington membership.

• Gas: Yes, fuel is still expensive, but AAA Washington members can save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up by signing up with Shell’s Fuel Rewards program, then 5 cents per gallon on every fill-up afterwards.
• EV car charging: AAA Washington members get a 10% discount on the charging rate at AAA-hosted DirtRoad charging stations. (Currently, the DirtRoad charging station at the AAA store in Vancouver, Washington, provides a discount.)
• Entertainment: Want to learn something about the people and places you meet on the road? Try Autio, a road trip companion app that shares stories about the history and lands that you travel through. AAA Washington members can get 25% off access to the Autio library of more than 10,000 stories (with new stories added weekly), told by the likes of Kevin Costner and Phil Jackson.
• But if listening to a great audio book is your passion, check out DownPour.com Audiobooks. There are more than 30,000 titles available, books that you can enjoy listening to over the lonely stretches of road. AAA members pay a discounted price of $12.99 for books that can be downloaded on various mobile devices, plus save 10% on CDs.
• Good eats: Who doesn’t get hungry on the road? AAA Washington members can receive a 10% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages at numerous chain restaurants, including the Claim Jumper Restaurants, the Rainforest Café and Hard Rock Café. See the full list here.
• Hotels and motels: And if you plan to stay overnight on your trip, you can get savings of between 5% to 15% at numerous hotels and motels across the U.S. Some of the participating brands include Best Western, Embassy Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, W Hotels, Westin Hotels & Resorts and more.

Back home after your road trip

Once you get back from your road trip, your car may need some tender loving care to get the dust off and clean any crumbs that have fallen through the seats.

AAA Members can also save money on:

• Car washes: If your car could use a wash or some detailing, you can receive a 10% to 15% discount at car washes affiliated with the Puget Sound Car Wash Association. This discount is available in several communities in Western Washington.
• Detailing: Plus, if you don’t have time to to get a wash and detailing, call Final Touch Detail. If you live in the Seattle area, the company will come to you. AAA Washington members can get a 15% discount on the service.

As you can see, your AAA membership can rack up savings on the road. And this is only a small number of discounts that you will qualify for as a AAA member. For more savings with AAA, check here.

—Written by AAA Washington staff

—Top photo: AdobeStock