Travel FAQ
Click on any question to learn more.
What services does AAA Travel offer?
AAA Travel is your one-stop, full-service travel agency. Services include:
- Personalized counseling and trip planning for cruises, tours and all your travel plans
- Airline reservations and ticketing
- Amtrak and international rail tickets
- Hotel and resort reservations
- AAA/Hertz car rental discounts
- Foreign guidebooks and maps at special prices
- No-cost $100,000 travel accident insurance with airline tickets
- Free AAA cruise and tour default protection
- Low cost passport photos
- Trip Assist travel insurance
- Passport, visa and customs information
Do AAA members receive discounts on airline tickets?
Not only do AAA members automatically receive $100,000 in travel accident insurance at no cost when they purchase airline tickets through the club, they also receive special discounts on selected airline-city pairs. In areas where there are no special discounts, we will attempt to match our members with the best fares for their itineraries.
Does AAA offer discounts on cruises and tours?
AAA Travel offers a variety of cruise and tour programs featuring exclusive member savings and value-added benefits.
Do I have to be a AAA member to get travel discounts?
No, but this is one of the many areas where it definitely pays to belong! Although both members and non-members can use AAA Travel, some discounts are only available to members.
Are my funds safeguarded in the event of a cruise or tour operator going bankrupt?
Most cruises and tours booked with AAA Travel automatically include, at no additional cost, tour and cruise default protection. This protection covers travel interruption and cancellation if the vendor defaults for financial reasons.
There is a nominal processing fee for the purchase of airline tickets. This fee offsets the cost of issuing and processing airline tickets in our travel agency. In selected international markets, a processing fee may also apply for hotel reservations if AAA Travel has not issued your airline tickets.
Can I make an appointment to see a travel agent?
AAA Travel agencies do not make appointments. However, you will generally find that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are not as busy, and the chances of waiting to see an agent are reduced.
Does AAA Travel issue passports?
AAA can take your passport photos and can give you an application
for your passport. However, only the U.S. State Department can issue passports.
It is also possible to apply for a passport at major U.S. Post Offices. AAA
Travel has a limited supply of passport applications. Call your nearest
office to check if applications are in stock. Low-cost passport photos
are available in all AAA Travel offices.
Passports usually take 4-6 weeks to be processed. If you need
a passport in four weeks or less, AAA can have your passport expedited. Call
us at 859/233-1111 or 800-568-5222 for more information.
Where can I get an international driver’s permit?
AAA is authorized to issue International Driver’s Permits (IDPs). Simply visit one of our AAA offices and bring a copy of your valid U.S. license. Permits are good for one year.
Can I save money booking my next trip with AAA?
Yes. AAA merits a volume discount with many travel suppliers and can frequently offer significant savings.
Can AAA help with our class trip?
Yes. AAA has been booking group trips and tours for years. We can customized an itinerary to your needs or help you make a booking with a tour company. In addition, AAA operates several group tours and cruises each year including a trip to the Kentucky Derby.
We're not sure if we want to take a cruise next year or tour Canada. Should I call AAA?
Absolutely! AAA Travel is a full service travel agency. We can book airline tickets, rental cars, hotels, cruises, and escorted or independent tours. We work with a wide variety of tour and cruise companies and would be happy to consult with you on your next travel plans.
Online Travel FAQ
Can I actually book and purchase a ticket through aaa.com?
Yes! aaa.com is a fully-functional, web-based travel reservation service designed especially for AAA members.
If your departure is more than seven business days after your date of purchase, you will receive your paper tickets via regular mail within seven business days. If your departure date is three to seven business days after your purchase, your paper tickets will arrive via express delivery service as indicated on the confirmation page. You also have the option to pick up your ticket at one of the selected AAA branch offices provided at the time of booking. If these options do not meet your needs, you can select to have a AAA travel agent contact you to make special arrangements.
What if there is a problem with my ticket?
You can call our customer service representatives at 1-888-555-1234 and talk to a travel agent who can help you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Will I have to give credit card information over the Web?
Yes and no. To join AAA as a new member, a credit card is required. However to make travel reservations you have a choice. To lock in your reservation you will need to supply credit card information. However you also have the option on the final booking pages to send the unfinished booking to a AAA travel agent to complete the transaction. In this case, you are not required to enter your credit card information. A AAA travel agent will call you to complete the reservation.
Is it safe to give my credit card information over the Web?
aaa.com uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Private Communication Technology security standards supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later and other popular browsers. SSL encodes your personal information (such as your password, address, phone number, and credit card number) so that it is available only to you and the aaa.com travel agent who will help make sure your travel planning goes smoothly. This encryption makes doing business over the Internet as secure as making a purchase by telephone.
Why should I use aaa.com instead of a traditional travel agent?
AAA is committed to making the same high level of member service available on the Internet as we do in over 1,100 branch offices across the United States and Canada. aaa.com provides access to these member services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can expect the same level of trust and comfort booking your travel through aaa.com that you have come to expect from our local branch offices. As a AAA member you will also have access to the familiar AAA travel resources such as Tourbook® Guides, TripTik® routings, and much more! AAA members also have access to exclusive discounts, so you can book your travel knowing that you have not overlooked a great deal.
Why should I use aaa.com over another Internet travel service?
aaa.com is designed especially for AAA members, integrating traditional AAA resources such as Tourbook® Guides and TripTik® routings, with the online travel reservation process. You will also have access to special member savings available only through AAA travel agencies and aaa.com. Most of all, you'll be traveling with someone you trust.
Why aren't Southwest and Vanguard Airlines on your service?
Airlines must pay to participate in a reservation system such as Apollo (which is the system behind aaa.com). In order to save money, some airlines choose not to participate in reservation systems. Whether you are a travel agent or a customer, the only way you can make a reservation on these airlines is by calling them direct.
I'm confused about multi-destination booking.
Let's say you're traveling from Denver to Portland to San Francisco to New York and then finally back to Denver. On the multiple destination page, you would fill in Denver as your home airport, then list Portland in the first destination field, San Francisco in the second destination field and New York in the third destination field. You'll input Denver—your final destination—in the next field, leaving no blank fields in between.
How do I find the lowest fares?
aaa.com's reservation system gives you direct access to the same powerful Apollo database used by professional travel agents worldwide. The suggestions below will help you use the system to find the lowest fares. These guidelines are not absolute and may not apply in each and every situation but, by following them, you increase your likelihood of finding the right fare for you.
- Stay over a Saturday night
Staying past midnight on Saturday night can result in significant savings. However, occasionally a low fare will be introduced that does not require a minimum stay. This usually occurs in shuttle markets such as San Francisco to Los Angeles, or Boston to Washington. - Buy in advance
The advance purchase schedule spans from 21 days to 3 days. You can usually secure the least expensive domestic and international fares 21 days in advance. For domestic flights, there are 14-day advance fares, and airlines occasionally offer 3-day advance fares as well. - Use the same carrier for all flight segments
When making more than simple one-way or round-trip reservations, try to use the same airline for all segments of your trip. Choosing "no preference" as your airline preference is a good way to figure out which airlines offer flights for all segments of your trip.
Many times on international itineraries, two or more airlines are necessary to cover all flight segments. This is an exception to the above rule, although even here you may benefit if you can find a consistent carrier. - Pick the right days of the week
Travel on certain days of the week can be cheaper than on others. Currently, for most airlines, it's cheapest to fly on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday (except when a Saturday night stay over is required). If you have the flexibility, try modifying the dates to find the lowest fares available. - Avoid holidays
Traveling during the holidays is notoriously expensive. Most airlines have black-out days around popular holidays. Not only are the fares more expensive, but often you cannot use frequent flyer miles during these periods. Ironically, the day of the actual holiday (e.g. Dec 25th, Thanksgiving Day, Memorial Sunday, etc.) is commonly not a black-out day and seats are often available right up to the last minute. Flying on the day of a major holiday can sometimes be a way around poor availability and expensive fares. - Consider frequent flyer programs
Make sure that you are registered with the frequent flyer program of any airline that you fly. When making reservations, keep in mind that it may be a better idea in the long run to consistently fly with the same airline and accumulate frequent flyer miles rather than always selecting whichever airline has the lowest fare.
Why did the fare change at purchase time?
aaa.com uses a real-time reservation database, the same used by travel agents worldwide, listing actual ticket prices and availability. As airlines fill flights or change fares, the database immediately reflects those changes. Always be sure to double-check prices when reserving or purchasing tickets, as the fare may have changed since you first searched for fares or created your itinerary.
aaa.com is designed to find an inexpensive flight closest to the time you would prefer to depart. When you request a search for all flights from all airlines, aaa.com searches through a smaller selection of flights from each airline for a shorter span of time. (In other words, if you specify that you want to depart at 2:00 PM, the search might look at all flights from all airlines between noon and 4:00 PM.) If you specify only one airline, aaa.com will look at a broader range of flights throughout the day from one carrier. (Because one airline's flights are spread out through the day, aaa.com will look for flights from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.) Because flights at different times of the day may be more or less expensive depending upon whether or not they're "rush hour" flights, a lower-priced flight may turn up when you do a search on one airline.
To help you find the best-priced flight combinations we have recently added a new feature that increases the search window beyond 4 hours. To use this feature make sure the Only search for flights within 4 hours of selected times option is not selected on the flight criteria screen. We also suggest when searching for best-priced flights, searching with a couple of different departure times throughout the day. You may find better prices that way.
I know there's a flight on this airline at this time, but aaa.com doesn't list it. Why not?
We show only those flights that have seats available. Therefore, if the the flight you're looking for is not shown, all seats on it have already been sold.
How does my credit card guarantee my hotel reservation?
When you supply us with your credit card, we pass that number to the hotel. Your hotel reservation will be held until the date and time you indicate you will check in. If you cancel your trip or decide to stay elsewhere, you must cancel your hotel reservation or the hotel may impose a "no-show" charge.
How do I book more than one room for a vacation?
If more than one room is required, please make a separate reservation for each room, indicating the appropriate number of adults and children per room. You can check the hotel rules screens for occupancy limits. Complete the entire reservation process, including purchase and confirmation for the first room, then return to Travel Planning to complete the process for each additional room required. If all persons will be traveling together, please be sure to choose the same flights and lodging for each reservation.
Why is the car rate seen in availability different than what I booked?
Car pricing and inventory is managed by the individual car rental agencies. When the agency confirms a different price, it means that the car rate you requested is not available. The rate you receive is the next available rate.
Does the car price include tax or insurance?
No. All car rates are for the car only. Your final price will differ, due to varying taxes and/or penalty fees. Since every location has different taxes and fees, that amount will be exblacked when you pick up you car. Insurance is always an extra charge depending on the type of insurance you choose. International car reservations may require a pre-payment and may have a cancellation penalty.
Are there charges for extra drivers?
Yes, there may be. Policies differ from agency to agency on a variety of issues. For instance:
- Most car companies charge extra for drivers under the age of 25.
- No one under the age of 21 can rent a car.
- All renters must have a credit card in their name.
Contact each car rental company for detailed information on their policy.
