AARP hotel discounts are an excellent way to save a bit of money on your bookings. And the dirty little secret is that anyone of any age can join AARP. Of course, it’s geared toward people 50 and older, but technically, there’s no minimum age to join.
Travel costs add up, whether you’re jetting off for an exotic vacation or visiting family for a much-needed catchup. Every last cent saved is worth it, and sometimes the AARP membership can mean up to 15% savings on hotels (though, admittedly, the higher end of that is often for weekday stays). Still, we’ll take whatever we can get when it comes to keeping money in our wallet.
If you’re considering in general whether AARP is worth it, we’ve got that information, too. But here we’ll dig into AARP hotel discounts specifically.
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How do you get AARP hotel discounts?
First things first, you’ll need to join AARP.
The standard annual rate is $16 per year. But if you sign up online, you can get two years for $20 or five years for $9 per year ($45). You’ll also get a free gift. This is a limited time deal though, so if you’re interested, hop on it!
Once you’re a member, you can book your hotel online through Expedia, or call the AARP Travel Center to book: 1-800-675-4318.
For hotels with loyalty programs, book directly. You can still use your AARP discount!
Hotels like Choice, Best Western, Hilton, Hyatt, and more dole out points with bookings. If you’re someone who likes to frequent a certain chain of hotels for this reason, you’ll want to book directly with the hotel instead of through the AARP Travel Center. Doing this will make it so you can earn your points and get the AARP hotel discount.
Just tell the hotel you’re an AARP member. You may need to show proof of AARP membership at check-in, or they’ll ask for it during your booking.
Related: Know anyone who works for Hilton? You can get a Friends & Family discount of up to 50% with their Hilton employee discount.
What sort of AARP hotel discounts will I get?
You’ll get 5% – 15% off the best available rate at eligible hotels. The most common discount is 10% off. Some hotels offer up to 20% off, and others include perks like late checkout (as late as 2 p.m. in some cases).
Does AARP get a discount at Marriott?
Marriott Bonvoy hotels don’t require an AARP membership in order to get a hotel discount. Anyone 62 or older can qualify for Marriot’s senior discount.
The only catch is that the discount isn’t available for every booking, and the only way to know is to call Marriott (1-888-236-2427) or check the drop-down box for “Senior Discount” when you book online. If the option for the discount is there and you’re at least 62, you qualify. You’ll need to show proof of age upon arrival.
Discount amount varies based on the time of year and which hotel you’re booking.
Related: See all of the very best senior discounts.
Which hotels accept AARP discounts?
A lot. There’s a whole list of AARP hotel discounts online. But here’s a quick and dirty list of some of the most popular ones. Remember, all of these discounts are taken off the best available rate.
- Best Western: 5% – 15% off
- Clarion: 10% off
- Comfort Inn: 10% off
- Hilton: Up to 10% off
- Holiday Inn: 10% off
- Kimpton: 10% off
- Motel 6: 10% off
- Radisson: 10% – 20% off
- Ramada: 10% off
- Super 8: 10% off
- Waldorf Astoria: Up to 10% off and 2 p.m. checkout
- Wyndham: 10% off
What other benefits do AARP members get?
AARP members enjoy benefits galore, and it’s pretty easy to get the annual membership to pay for itself with the savings you’ll see. Here are a couple examples of AARP discounts and savings:
- 15% off at Denny’s
- 10% off at Outback Steakhouse
- Unlock members-only retro games like Pong and Breakout
For more travel savings, check out AAA membership discounts too.