aarp travel discounts 2022

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How to use your AARP discount on travel

When AARP — the 38-million-strong organization for people over 50 — starts contacting you about becoming a member, you may freak out. My first reaction was, "I am not that old."

But after I got over my initial consternation, I realized that becoming an AARP member might open up a treasure trove of travel savings for me, including some that are always available and others that come and go periodically.

And it's a small investment: Either pay $12 a year for a multiyear membership with automatic renewal or $16 if you rejoin annually.

"One of the strengths of the AARP program is it's always on and always available," said Matthew Phillips, director of travel for the membership organization. "Another strength is there's the AARP discount and AARP member rate, and you also get those awards points with the programs you are enrolled in."

Members have access to discounts and member-specific deals at more than 10 hotel chains and their brands. There are also exclusive AARP deals for Avis Budget Group car rentals and through a cobranded AARP Travel Center powered by the Expedia portal.

Here are all the ways that you can use AARP discounts on travel, including a few you might not know about.

AARP travel deals

Hotel stays.

Hotel savings for AARP members are between 5% and 10% off the best available rate. Some hotels offer additional perks, too, such as a late checkout at 2 p.m., when available. The ongoing travel discounts are clearly spelled out on the AARP travel benefits website .

Members can click through to the AARP Expedia booking portal or link directly to the booking sites of select providers.

With an AARP membership, you can score discounts for brands in the portfolios of companies such as Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts . Wyndham, for example, offers up to 10% off, plus a late checkout when available. When you click on the AARP rate during the booking process, you should be able to see the terms, conditions and benefits.

The savings are 5% or more off stays at Best Western Hotels & Resorts and up to 10% off Choice Hotels , whether booked through the AARP Expedia portal or directly with the brands. AARP members also save 10% on stays with budget brands Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn.

At some point during the booking process, you may be asked for your AARP membership number. In some cases, you will need to show your membership card at check-in at the hotel.

Airline tickets

This may come as a surprise, but AARP has a long-standing relationship with British Airways .

The deal is for $65 off World Traveller (standard economy) and World Traveller Plus (premium economy) fares, as well as $200 off Club World (business class) fares. The discount does not apply to basic economy fares.

The savings offer applies to round-trip transatlantic tickets purchased online. Connections to more than 130 destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa are available.

With the offer, you can collect British Airways Executive Club Avios based on the fare booked.

Car rentals

AARP's car rental partnership with Avis and Budget gives members discounts of up to 30% on base-rate rentals when you pay in advance. Other perks from the Avis and Budget brands include an upgrade on a booking for a compact through full-size car, based on availability, and you can add an additional driver at no cost. There's also a 5%-off deal on Payless rentals.

As with hotels, you may need to show your membership card at the car rental counter.

Other AARP deals

Through the Expedia portal, AARP members booking cruises have access to whatever sale fares are being offered, plus an onboard spending credit of up to $100 you can use for drinks, massages or other purchases on the ship, according to Phillips. Featured cruise companies include Princess Cruises and Holland America Line .

AARP members booking vacation packages with flights and hotels or rental cars on the Expedia portal receive the bonus of a $50 prepaid Visa card.

Three escorted and guided tour companies — Collette, Grand European Travel and Vacations By Rail — also offer discounts to AARP members.

Additionally, there's a discount on airport parking — 12% with ParkRideFly — available at nearly 40 airports throughout the U.S. Popular locations include New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Midway International Airport (MDW).

Exclusive AARP offers

In addition to the anytime deals, there are other targeted sales of travel products. For example, if a car rental company is having a sale open to the general public on SUVs, there may be an added offer exclusive to AARP members.

Plus, AARP members receive the organization's magazine and printed bulletin, both of which include some travel content, and can sign up for various newsletters like "Hot Deals," which has limited-time offers in a number of areas, such as dining and insurance products — and sometimes travel.

How to become an AARP member

While AARP is focused on people over 50, there is no minimum age to join. Anyone of any age can take advantage of the travel offers and the discounts on a lot of other products.

AARP provides access to 200-plus benefits, according to the company. While most are available to any member, products that are age-restricted by vendors, such as certain insurance products, are only available to members who are at least 50 years old.

A catch for anyone younger than 50 is that everything AARP does is geared and heavily marketed toward those age 50 and up. As such, you'll get pitches that may be irrelevant to your age group.

If you decide to enroll, it's fast and easy to sign up on the AARP website .

Bottom line

Is an AARP membership worth It?

The low cost of joining AARP makes it a good bet for all ages, even if you only take advantage of the travel discounts. You'll get an immediate return on your $16 membership investment with just one car rental or hotel stay.

In addition to multiple travel benefits, including hotel, car rental and airline discounts, you can take advantage of dining discounts at over a half-dozen brands — why not save 10% off your oysters, steak and truffle fries at McCormick & Schmick's?

Ultimately, for a small annual investment, your wallet will thank you.

Ready to take the plunge? Join AARP for free .

Related reading:

• 11 common rental car mistakes — and how to avoid them
• How to save on cruises with AARP Travel
• Got an AARP card? You now can get a lucrative perk when booking a Holland America cruise
• Barclays revamps and launches new AARP cards for all applicants
• Valuable travel discounts and deals for college students and young adults

• Home Care Finder

70 AARP Travel Discounts For Seniors

Editor's Rating:

The Senior List is compensated when you click on the provider links listed on this page. This compensation does not impact our ratings or reviews. Click here to learn more about our editorial review process and click here to learn more about how we are compensated.

The Senior List has become one of the premier online destinations for those seeking senior discounts.  Our senior discount lists are the best on the web, and our 2024 BIG List of Senior Discounts is the most comprehensive you'll see anywhere.

One of the other destinations for senior discounts is AARP .  Each year AARP offers a comprehensive set of discounts that are available exclusively to members. While some of these discounts can be had by pushy curious consumers, many are exclusively offered as a benefit to your AARP membership.

RELATED: 2024 TRAVEL DISCOUNTS FROM THE SENIOR LIST

On of the more popular lists in AARP circles is their AARP travel discounts list.  Here are 70 travel discounts that AARP is offering in 2024!   Visit AARP today for discount details.

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Chris Clark

For over a decade, Chris has been writing about senior discounts and deals. He finds the hunt for discounts rewarding because it allows him to take care of older adults by offering them senior-specific pricing. As the son of two social workers, Chris has spent his whole life advocating for the betterment of others. When he isn’t researching senior discounts, Chris enjoys fishing, spending time with his sons, and rooting for his favorite team, the Portland Trail Blazers. Learn more about Chris here

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Members save up to 35% off base rates when choosing the Pay Now option at reservation or up to 30% off when you choose to Pay Later at the pickup counter. Plus, members receive a 3% credit to apply to future rentals, a free upgrade on compact through full-size car class bookings (subject to availability) and an additional driver at no extra cost.

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Members save up to 35% when selecting Pay Now! Plus, earn an extra $10 off if you rent for 3 days or more. As an AARP member, you will always enjoy benefits when you rent with Budget: receive a 3% credit to apply to rentals within 12 months; get an upgrade on compact through full-size car class bookings (based on availability) and add an additional driver at no cost!

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2024 Dublin, California Hotels

Up to 10% off select hotels with aarp member discounts.

Add a flight

Choose from AARP Discount Dublin Hotels with Free Cancellation

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Dublin - Pleasanton

Holiday Inn Dublin-Pleasanton, an IHG Hotel

The Marina Inn on San Francisco Bay

Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport

Oakland Airport Executive Hotel

Claremont Club & Spa - A Fairmont Hotel

Oakland Marriott City Center

Executive Inn & Suites Embarcadero Cove

Radisson Hotel Oakland Airport

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Oakland - Hayward

• Sonesta Emeryville - San Francisco Bay Bridge

• HYATT house Emeryville/San Francisco Bay Area

• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Oakland Airport Coliseum

• Hotel Shattuck Plaza

• Doubletree by Hilton Newark - Fremont

• Larkspur Landing Pleasanton - An All-Suite Hotel

Guide to Dublin Hotels

If you're looking for a wonderful, relaxing vacation in Dublin, you're in luck; we're here to help. We combine members-only benefits with the best rates from Expedia, offering our members the very best deals in traveling, guaranteed. You can opt to use your membership advantage to book a hotel that's closest to the sights that you want to spend the most time at, or even a 5-star resort that pulls out all the stops. Let us help you save money on your upcoming trip to Dublin.

Fabulous Hotels in a Great Location

There are 2,063 hotels to choose from in Dublin, with recommendations to check out so that you and your vacation crew will know what to expect at each possible accommodation. Dublin is a top destination thanks to its ideal weather all year round. This city is also known for its a landscape that draws visitors from all over and a reputation for a cultivating art scene. You're sure to find an interest to do during your visit. Looking for a golf getaway? Don't worry, because we have the perfect plan for you. If you want to get some time on the fairways, then make sure pack your clubs. You can readily schedule a tee time at courses like Dublin Ranch Golf Course. Enhance your savings by booking a beautiful holiday package on AARP Travel Center. Thanks to our discounts, you'll be able to relax and enjoy your trip knowing you scored the best deals with us. AARP Travel Center is here to assist you.

Reserve Your Hotel with the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia Today

We're going to make sure you get the greatest deals available when you book your next Dublin getaway. When you're fit to plan your golfer's trip, we'll help you make all the arrangements. Thanks to our discounted rates, you won't have to fret about breaking the bank in order to have your ideal trip. Book with us because you won't be able to find anything more cost-effective then our deals. You'll have peace of mind during your entire vacation knowing you scored the best deal possible. Your wallet will be happy that you are taking this trip when you book with AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia.

Near An Airport

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More Dublin Hotel Discounts for Seniors

• Sonesta Select Pleasant Hill
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• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fremont / Silicon Valley
• Kissel Uptown Oakland, in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Hotels Near Dublin, California

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By CSU Horticulture Specialist, Linda Langelo , May 13, 2024 02:22 PM

What is no mow May about? The goal is to allow flowers to bloom in your lawn which benefits pollinators. Bees are coming out of hibernation. According to the University of Minnesota, honeybees will need nectar and pollen as a food source. Some flowers blooming in early spring are dandelions, white clover, and creeping Charlie. All plants that we really would rather get out of our lawns. So, what do you do if you do not like any of these flowers? Many might consider them weeds. Allow them to bloom and mow the lawn before the seeds start setting on the plant. That way you can control some of their spread. I will mention dandelions are not considered the first source of food for honeybees. A new study from the Honeybee Research Center, University of Guelph discovered that honeybees' first source of pollen and nectar are trees. In 2019 no mow May started in the United Kingdom by Plantlife, a conservation charity. Their mission was to "secure a world rich in wild plants and fungi" for the health of the environment according to Morgan Noll in his article titled, “Here's What to Know About the "No Mow May" Movement”. The truth is that there were studies about how reduced mowing frequency for the entire growing season benefits honeybees. According to a Massachusetts study, lawns mowed every two weeks had the highest bee abundance compared to weekly mowing and mowing every three weeks, despite the lawns mowed every three weeks having the greatest abundance of flowers (Lerman et al 2018). Arthropod abundance increases with reduced mowing. (Proske et al. 2022). Another interesting finding was a lower abundance of ‘pest species’ in lawns with reduced mowing schedules (Proske et al. 2022). Once you start mowing again, raise your mower height to 3.5, or if your mower allows to 4 inches. By taking off a 1/3 of the grass blade at one time, you reduce the stress on the grass. Waiting for your grass to get to be 5.25 inches tall, by mowing at 3.5 inches is taking 1/3 of the blade off at one time.

_Linda Langelo is a Colorado State University Extension horticulture specialist, member of Garden Communicators International, and regular contributor to MarthaStewart.com gardening articles. She also produces The Relentless Gardener Podcast. She is a guest blogger for AARP Colorado and AARP Maryland. An equal access and equal opportunity University.

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Millions of Older Americans are Already Benefitting from AARP-Supported Drug Law

By nancy a. leamond , may 10, 2024 09:27 am.

As we take time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons during Older Americans Month, a new law passed in 2022 is lowering the prices of prescription drugs and creating significant savings for people with Medicare. Millions of older Americans are already benefitting from the new drug law, which requires Medicare to start negotiating the price of certain drugs, penalizes drug companies that increase their prices faster than inflation, caps seniors' annual out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs in Medicare Part D, limits cost-sharing for insulin in Medicare drug plans and extends financial assistance to help people with limited resources afford health insurance. The new law represents a fundamental shift in how the US approaches prescription drug pricing in Medicare and finally starts to hold drug companies accountable for their out-of-control prices. Here's a quick rundown of the new benefits and protections that are already available and what’s still to come. Benefits that are available right now Insulin co-pays capped at $35/month.  Co-pays for a 30-day supply of any plan-covered insulin are now capped in Medicare Part D, with similar limits on out-of-pocket costs for insulin covered under Medicare Part B. Part D plans are required to offer this co-pay amount even before you meet your deductible for the year. Prior to the new drug law, the average out-of-pocket cost for people with Medicare was more than $60 per insulin fill. It’s estimated that 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have saved an average of $500 each if this new protection had been in place in 2020. Free vaccines for Medicare beneficiaries. If you’re on Medicare, you no longer have to pay anything out-of-pocket for vaccines that are recommended for adults by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This was an important change for Medicare Part D-covered vaccines that previously required cost-sharing, such as shingles . Overall, 10.3 million enrollees received a Medicare Part D-covered vaccine with no cost sharing in 2023, representing about 20 percent of the total Part D population. No cost sharing for catastrophic coverage in Part D.  Under the original Part D benefit, once your out-of-pocket costs reached a certain threshold, you entered “catastrophic” coverage but were still responsible for 5% of your prescription drug costs, with no limit. In 2022, 1.5 million people in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans reached catastrophic coverage and had to continue paying 5% of their drug costs for the rest of the year, which sometimes meant paying thousands of dollars more. Now, people in Part D plans are not responsible for any out-of-pocket drug costs once they enter catastrophic coverage. This change is the first step of even bigger changes discussed below that will further limit annual out-of-pocket costs starting in 2025. Expanded eligibility for Medicare Part D Extra Help . Medicare pays some or all of the out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for people with limited incomes and resources through the Extra Help program. This year, the income threshold for the full Extra Help benefit increased from 135 percent to 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($22,590 for a single person or $30,660 for a couple in 2024). This change improved access to affordable prescription drug coverage for nearly 300,000 individuals with Medicare , as well as an additional 3 million people who could benefit from Extra Help but aren’t currently enrolled. Drug companies pay penalties for big price increases . Drug companies that increase the prices of their products faster than inflation must now pay the higher-than-inflation amount back to Medicare. For example, if inflation were 5%, and a drug price increased by 6%, the drug company has to pay the 1% difference for all Medicare-based sales of that drug back to Medicare. This provision addresses brand name drug companies' long-standing practice of increasing their prices year after year, often at rates that are higher than inflation. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) expects the new penalties to reduce drug prices for Medicare and the commercial health care market, which will lead to lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans. Medicare drug price negotiation process begins . The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new annual process to identify the drugs Medicare spends the most money on and choose a subset of drugs for price negotiation. All of the selected drugs must be single source, meaning there is no generic or biosimilar competitor on the market, and the newest drugs on the market will not be eligible for negotiation. Drugs will only be eligible for the two-year negotiation process if it has been at least 7 years (for small molecule drugs) or 11 years (for biologic drugs) since they were approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Federal officials have already announced the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare drug price negotiation:

  The selected drugs are used by varying patient population sizes, and total per enrollee spending on the drugs ranges from $3,000 to nearly $130,000 per year , indicating that the selection process successfully identified drugs that are widely used and/or expensive. The drug price negotiation process is currently underway and will end by August 1, 2024. The final Medicare-negotiated prices for the first 10 selected drugs will be published by September 1, 2024, and take effect on January 1, 2026. Keeping Health Insurance Affordable for Millions . In addition to the prescription drug-related provisions, the new law also helps adults under age 65 purchase affordable health insurance. The law provides ongoing financial assistance for adults with limited resources who purchase health insurance through state and federal exchanges. This assistance completely covers or lowers the costs of premiums for people with the lowest incomes and ensures that no one buying coverage on the exchanges pays more than 8.5 percent of their income towards premiums. Without this support, millions of Americans are at risk of losing their health coverage because they can no longer afford it – especially those who are 50 and older, who pay the highest rates (up to three times more) for their coverage. This financial assistance would have expired at the end of 2022 but is now available through 2025. Benefits that are coming soon Cap on annual out-of-pocket drug costs and Part D benefit changes (2025). Medicare Part D covers most of the prescription drugs that you pick up at the pharmacy. In 2025, the program will undergo several changes that will help reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Most importantly, you will not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for your prescriptions once you hit an annual cap ($2,000 in 2025). There was previously no limit on how much a person on Part D could have to pay in a given year, and some Part D enrollees on expensive drugs faced out-of-pocket costs that exceeded $10,000 per year . The coverage gap where enrollees were originally responsible for 100% of their prescription drug costs (sometimes called the “donut hole”) will also be eliminated.

*Note: The new Medicare Part D out-of-pocket limit will increase annually based on Medicare Part D per capita spending along with the other parts of the benefit. About 4.3 million people in Medicare Part D plans reached catastrophic coverage in 2022. Of them, about 1.5 million did not receive Extra Help and had to pay 5% of their prescription drug costs for the rest of the year, spending an average of nearly $3,100 out-of-pocket. The new $2,000 out-of-pocket limit will provide an important new financial protection for these enrollees, as well as anyone else in the program who is prescribed an expensive drug in the future. The changes to the Part D benefit are also expected to encourage Part D plans to negotiate more aggressively with drug manufacturers. Ability to spread out-of-pocket costs out over the year (2025) . Starting in 2025, Medicare Part D plans must offer people the option of “smoothed” cost-sharing, which will allow them to spread their out-of-pocket costs over the course of the plan year. For example, someone on a very expensive drug who would otherwise have to pay $2,000 out-of-pocket in January 2025, reaching the new out-of-pocket limit, will instead be able to spread that $2,000 cost across 12 monthly payments. This mechanism will help protect people on expensive drugs from large out-of-pocket payments that may arise in a particular month and potentially improve their ability to afford their prescription medications. People with Medicare begin to benefit from Medicare-negotiated drug prices (2026) . Starting in 2026, anyone who gets a prescription for one of the 10 drugs negotiated this year will benefit from that new, negotiated price. The Department of Health and Human Services will add new drugs to the Medicare drug price negotiation process every year. Medicare is already negotiating for 10 drugs for prices that will become available in 2026 and will add up to 15 drugs in 2025 and 2026 for prices that will become available in 2027 and 2028, respectively. Starting in 2027, Medicare will add up to 20 drugs every year going forward for prices that will become available in 2029 and beyond. This means that as many as 60 drugs total could be selected and negotiated by 2029. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) expects Medicare drug price negotiation to lower the prices of selected drugs by roughly 50%, on average, and to reduce Medicare Part D enrollees’ out-of-pocket costs by $7 billion in 2031 alone. Overall, the new drug law includes numerous provisions that have made historic improvements in the health and wellbeing of older Americans by making their prescription drugs more affordable. AARP worked for years supporting these changes and helping to push them across the finish line, and we will continue to work to ensure that this law is fully implemented and benefitting older Americans for decades to come.