Shhh...It's No Longer a Secret

Purchase Universal Orlando tickets at AAA and save. Photo by: © 2007 Universal Orlando Resort

I've let the cat out of the bag. You actually can save by simply showing your little ol' AAA card!

By Sandy Klim

I was really surprised by the number of members who wrote in after my last column. I told the story of meeting members who didn’t realize they could save money on all types of everyday purchases with their AAA card. In fact, I pay for my membership many times over with the savings I receive throughout the year. Some of my favorite AAA-discounted merchants are Target.com, Payless ShoeSource and Barnes&Noble.com, just to name a few. But there are thousands of merchants worldwide that provide exclusive AAA discounts.

Readers told me they had no idea that they could simply Show Your Card & Save to receive these great deals. Sure, most knew about our road service and hotel discounts. Some even had used their card for restaurant discounts. But eyeglasses...flowers...clothing...prescriptions? I realize now that perhaps this is the world’s best, best-kept secret.

So I’ve made it my personal mission to let everyone in on this super-classified bit of information. If I don’t run in to you personally, please visit AAA.com/Save for a complete list of participating merchants.

Since we’re on the topic of savings, don’t forget to buy all of your attraction tickets from AAA before your next getaway. You can often get great savings off the gate price.

The same goes when booking your hotel. Be sure to stop by your local AAA branch office or AAA.com to get member rates and to ensure availability. AAA also provides free maps, TripTik directions and TourBooks.

When it comes to booking any type of travel, from roadtrips to cruise ships, AAA is the perfect resource for great deals and expert planning.

Check out the article in this issue called “Savvy Vacations” for more money and fuel-saving tips. You’ll be surprised how a little planning goes a long way. And after all, who doesn’t want to get more for less?

Editor-in-chief, AAA Going Places
letters@aaagoingplaces.com