What is the difference between an AAA membership and an AAA Plus membership?

The main difference between a standard AAA Classic Membership and an AAA Plus Membership is the towing distance and the level of free emergency perks included.

📊 Comparison of Benefits

🚗 AAA Classic

• Best for local commuters who drive mostly close to home.
• Provides short-distance towing if your car breaks down near your house.
• Covers service calls for flat tires, dead batteries, and lockouts (with lower reimbursement caps).

🚙 AAA Plus

• Best for road trippers and drivers who commute long distances.
• Upgrades your tow to 100 miles, meaning you won't get stuck paying out-of-pocket if you break down far from a mechanic.
• Adds travel protections like trip interruption and baggage coverage.

AAA Plus is generally worth the money if you frequently take road trips or drive an older vehicle, as it upgrades your towing limit to 100 miles per call (compared to just 3–5 miles on the Classic plan).

Key Benefits of AAA Plus

• Towing: Up to 100 miles of free towing per service call, up to 4 times a year.
• Locksmith Reimbursement: Up to $100 toward car lockout services.
• Travel Protection: Includes trip interruption coverage (up to $750) and lost baggage insurance (up to $250).
• Cost: Typically ranges from $38 to $171 per year depending on your region (often around $90–$100 annually).

When Is It Worth It?

• You drive long distances or commute far from home where a standard 5-mile tow would leave you paying massive out-of-pocket towing fees.
• Your auto insurance does not offer robust roadside assistance.
• You want the added peace of mind for travel perks and lockouts.

When Should You Skip It?

• You rarely drive or only stay within a few miles of home, making the AAA Classic Membership sufficient.
• Your auto insurance already includes cheap or free roadside assistance.
• Opinions on community forums like Clark Howard Community are mixed; some users report long wait times or prefer relying on insurer-provided rescue options.

The three primary levels of AAA membership—which apply to seniors and all other adults—are Classic (or Basic), Plus, and Premier.

AAA membership covers the person rather than a specific vehicle, meaning your benefits follow you whether you are driving or riding as a passenger in any car.

1. AAA Classic (Basic)

• Best for: Local driving, running errands, and short trips close to home.
• Towing: Up to 5 miles of towing per breakdown incident.
• Key Benefits: 24/7 roadside assistance, battery jump-starts, flat tire changes, and vehicle lockout locksmith reimbursement up to $50. Emergency fuel delivery is included (though you must pay for the cost of the fuel itself).

2. AAA Plus

• Best for: Frequent road trips or visiting family in neighboring towns and states.
• Towing: Up to 100 miles of towing per breakdown incident.
• Key Benefits: Everything in Classic, plus free fuel delivery (including the cost of the gas), locksmith reimbursement up to $100, and extra perks like free passport photos.

3. AAA Premier

• Best for: Cross-country travel, maximum roadside coverage, and extensive travel perks.
• Towing: One tow up to 200 miles and up to 100 miles for remaining service calls per year. It also includes roadside coverage for motorcycles and RVs/motorhomes in many regions.
• Key Benefits: Everything in Plus, plus higher locksmith coverage (up to $150, sometimes including home locksmith services), trip-interruption protection (up to $1,500), travel accident insurance, and 24-hour concierge services.

AAA Plus includes up to four free service calls per membership year, each covering a tow of up to 100 miles.

Key Details for AAA Plus Towing

• Towing Distance: Up to 100 miles per tow to the destination of your choice. Extra miles cost a discounted per-mile fee.
• Shared Pool of Calls: The four annual service calls are shared across all roadside services. This includes towing, flat tire changes, jump-starts, emergency fuel delivery, and vehicle extrication.
• Member-Specific Coverage: Coverage follows you (the member). You can use your benefits whether you are driving or riding as a passenger in any vehicle, including a rental car.

An upgrade from AAA Classic to AAA Plus typically costs between $25 to $38 per year, depending entirely on your specific regional AAA club. Because AAA is split into independent regional clubs across North America, the exact base membership pricing varies, but the gap between tiers remains similar.

Membership Plan Price Breakdown

In most regions, the annual costs for primary members break down roughly as follows:

Note: If you have already paid your annual Classic dues, AAA will usually prorate the upgrade fee for the remaining months left in your current billing cycle.

What Upgrades Do You Get?

Upgrading to AAA Plus significantly expands your roadside benefits:

• Towing Distance: Increases from standard short-distance towing (3 to 5 miles) up to 100 miles per tow.
• Emergency Fuel: AAA Classic covers fuel delivery but you must pay for the gasoline. AAA Plus includes the cost of the fuel for free.
• Locksmith Services: Vehicle locksmith reimbursement bumps up from $50 to $100.
• Extra Travel Perks: Adds trip interruption protection and lost baggage insurance.

How to Upgrade

You can initiate the change instantly. Check your local regional club's portal or use the primary contact lines:

• Online: Log into your account on the AAA Official Website to view your exact, prorated regional pricing.
• Phone: Call AAA member services at 1-800-922-8228.

Keep in mind that higher-tier services like Plus usually carry a 7-day waiting period before the extended benefits (like the 100-mile tow) become active if you are upgrading outside of your normal renewal window.