Should You Cancel AAA Membership?

As you probably already know, your AAA membership covers roadside assistance such as towing, jump starts, flat tire changes, lock-outs, emergency gas delivery, and more if you get stuck on the side of the road. If you’ve never had to contact AAA for any of these services, it’s easy to wonder whether you really need your membership. But roadside assistance is just one of the many benefits AAA offers.

In this article, we'll explain what makes AAA unique, highlight additional member benefits, answer whether you can use AAA without a membership, and cover what happens if you decide to cancel your membership.

What makes AAA Roadside Assistance different?

Your AAA membership can be used for roadside assistance in almost any vehicle because it covers you, not your car. You don’t even have to be the driver; you can be the passenger. You just need to be present at the time the car breaks down. This is unique to AAA; if you try to use your car warranty or auto insurance for roadside assistance, you’ll most likely find that it only covers the specified vehicle and may be limited by other factors like car mileage, the age of your vehicle, and more.

AAA membership benefits off the road

As a AAA member, you’re entitled to thousands of discounts—in fact, members who take advantage of AAA discounts save an average of $220 annually,* which could more than pay the cost of your membership. Some of these discounts include:

• Tickets to movies, sporting events, theme parks, and more
• Restaurants and retailers
• Cruises, guided tours, and other vacation packages
• Luggage and other travel accessories
• Car rentals
• Phone plans
• Auto repair

You can also use AAA for expert travel planning, personalized insurance, and more at AAA.com or by visiting a AAA Store.

Can you use AAA without a membership?

Since AAA follows the person, not the car, there must be a AAA member present at the time of breakdown to receive roadside assistance.

If you don’t have an active AAA membership, you can join and receive roadside assistance the same day. However, according to AAA’s Member Benefits Guide, new members who request roadside assistance on the same calendar day they join are subject to a same-day service fee. This also applies to former members who renew beyond their grace period (60 or more days after their membership expires).

What happens if you cancel AAA membership?

The AAA membership refund policy allows new members to cancel within the first seven days of a new membership (including upgrades and added Associate members) and receive a refund of the unused portion of their paid membership dues, provided no AAA emergency roadside service has been used. After the first seven days, membership dues—including renewals, upgrades, and added Associate members—are nonrefundable once applied to the membership. If a member cancels after that point, their membership remains active until its expiration date, but it will not automatically renew unless they choose to renew it.

Members who do not renew their memberships remain in a grace period for 60 days after expiration. During the first 30 days of the grace period, members can still request roadside assistance. After 30 days, they must renew to use roadside assistance, but they will retain their original join date and renewal date.

On or after 60 days beyond expiration, members must renew their membership to use roadside assistance. They will also be required to pay a same-day service fee for roadside assistance requested the same day as renewal. They will receive a new join date and renewal date and, if they have an upgraded membership (such as Plus or Premier), those upgraded services are subject to a seven-day waiting period.

Is AAA worth it?

It’s up to you to decide whether AAA benefits are worthwhile, of course, but remember: If you’re already a member, you can continue using all your existing benefits right away in almost any vehicle (whether you're the driver or passenger) without paying extra fees, worrying about waiting periods, or any other inconveniences when you’re stuck on the side of the road.

For more information about AAA membership benefits or how to cancel AAA membership, visit AAA.com/Benefits or call Member Services at 866-MEMBERS (866-636-2377).

Disclaimer

*2024 AAA U.S. Market Track national surveys