This page lists the most recent releases from AAA's Travel department. For older releases, visit the release archives.
Media Contact: AAA Public Relations
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AAA Travel Services provides complete travel solutions for AAA/CAA members and the traveling public. The AAA network of over 1,000 offices and aaa.com offer a full range of travel services from requests for up to date travel information to assistance with worldwide tour or cruise packages and travel insurance. The goal of AAA Travel is to continue to be the most trusted brand in the travel industry.
Travel by automobile continues to be dominant mode of transportation as AAA expects more emergency roadside assistance calls than any other summer holiday
Recent stock market volatility and the gulf oil spill could alter travel plans for some, but improved economic data should propel a sizeable increase in holiday vacations.
As costumed monsters, superheroes, and creatures of the night take to the streets in search of candy, many Americans will seek a good scare at theme parks, parties and eerie locations.
Leader of nation’s largest motoring organization will discuss the future of the country’s transportation system with nation’s lead transportation administrator
“AAA commends the members of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission for their hard work in getting a report completed and released in time to contribute to the transportation reauthorization debate.
Americans seeking a view of dramatic fall colors travel to Tennessee and Pennsylvania more than any other states, according to a recent survey of leisure travelers AAA conducted with Ypartnership.
AAA Travel and Royal Caribbean International will unveil the latest innovations of the cruise line’s newest and highly anticipated ship, Oasis of the Seas, during a virtual travel show on the evening of August 26, 2008.
In a first-ever summer forecast for foreign travel, AAA expects 25.1 million Americans will be travelling internationally this summer, an increase of 2.6 percent over the 24.5 million who were estimated to have traveled overseas last summer.
AAA estimates that 65.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas-New Year’s holiday period, only a 0.7 percent increase from last year’s 64.7 million travelers. However, for those planning to travel during the last holiday season of the year, expect gasoline prices and airfares well above last year’s levels.
With the two busy holiday travel periods approaching, AAA, North America’s largest travel organization, announced a series of defensive flying tips for airline passengers concerned about the frustrating problem of flight delays.
I appreciate the opportunity to be here today and to discuss what is arguably one of the hottest topics in transportation right now – public private partnerships.
AAA members who visit AAA.com to book a room with one of AAA’s hotel partners are more likely to find a better rate there than on other leading Web sites, according to a recent survey.
AAA, North America’s largest travel organization, commended the U.S. State Department for providing temporary relief for travelers with pending passport applications, but urged Americans to still get passports as soon as possible for future travel.
Americans will be saving big this summer at hotels, amusement parks, railways, restaurants and more based on newly released data from AAA. AAA’s Show Your Card & Save® program is the world’s largest member discount program with more than 150,000 locations world wide.
Jeanette Gamba, chairman of Jordan Associates Oklahoma, was elected chairman of the AAA Board of Directors at the 104th AAA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, the first woman to hold the distinguished post.
Travelers will not see any relief in their wallet this year with average combined lodging and restaurant costs up 3.7 percent over last year, according to AAA’s Annual Vacation Costs survey.
Samuel Brandt, a 10th grade student at South Eugene High School in Eugene, Ore. used his considerable geography “smarts” today – triumphing over an initial field of nearly 25,000 students – to earn a $20,000 college scholarship and the title of 2007 AAA Travel High School Challenge Champion.
Travel will be up slightly this Memorial Day holiday despite high gas prices and increasing vacation costs, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 38.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.7 percent increase from last year.
More than 1,000 new pet-friendly AAA Approved and Diamond rated lodgings have been added to AAA’s ninth edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook®. This brings the total to more than 13,000 properties for the United States and Canada, all with detailed listings of fees, permitted pet sizes and conditions of stay.
Eleven percent of all leisure travelers in the U.S. travel alone and the number is growing. So it is no surprise that travel counselors are seeing increasing business from single travelers who are looking not only for advice about great destinations but also about how to travel safely.
Magellan, global innovator of GPS navigation solutions for automotive and outdoor markets, and AAA (American Automobile Association), North America’s largest membership organization for vehicle owners and travelers, today announced plans to extend their partnership to a national level.
More than 9,000 high school students in the U.S. registered for a major new scholarship from AAA Travel that should increase the number of entry-level travel agents, hotel staff, meeting planners and other workers in the U.S. travel and tourism industry. The new scholarships were added this year to the AAA Travel High School Challenge, the only high school scholarship competition in North America that tests student knowledge of travel, tourism and geography.
Since the average American eats 10-12 pounds of chocolate a year, studies that support the health benefits of this delectable creation are welcomed almost as eagerly as those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates that symbolize Valentine’s Day. This year, instead of bordering on the ho-hum, why not be a little adventurous and try something with a different twist? In addition to indulging your sweetheart’s sweet tooth, you can literally surround her (or him!) with chocolate as you sample it in every imaginable form, explore the history and production of chocolate, and even soak your feet in it. AAA’s travel editors have come up with some savory suggestions on how to celebrate in chocolate-covered style.
More than 2.5 million motorists will need emergency fuel delivery this year because their cars ran out of gas while traveling. Now travelers who use AAA’s online mapping tool Internet TripTik®, located on AAA.com, can find the nearest gas stations and best fuel prices from their home computer or laptop. No more driving around in a nervous search as the fuel gauge drops lower.
With more Baby Boomers finding the time to take to the road, AAA is making road travel easier on the eyes for the generation known for its independence and wanderlust. AAA has just published the first edition of its Easy Reading North American Road Atlas, which offers 40 percent larger type than standard atlases, and covers all types of road networks – from Interstate highways to country roads – across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Map scale is also larger and easier to read.
Ten hotels and six restaurants attained the hospitality industry’s highest rating for 2007: the AAA Five Diamond Award. The total 151 AAA Five Diamond Award winners for 2007, which includes 93 hotels and 58 restaurants, comprises just 0.25 percent of the nearly 60,000 AAA Rated® properties across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Three Texas cities: Houston, San Antonio and Austin top the list of North America’s most accommodating cities for travelers with pets, based on the number of pet-friendly lodgings included in the latest edition of Traveling with your Pet: The AAA PetBook®. The AAA PetBook, with more than 13,000 listings of hotels and other accommodations that allow pets, is a comprehensive travel guide for pet owners.
With fuel prices slipping down to around $2.90 per gallon, AAA expects no let up in travel for the Labor Day holiday weekend. AAA estimates that 35.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.2 percent increase from the 34.8 million who traveled last year.
As the cool, autumn air rattles the leaves outside, unsettled spirits linger about some of America’s most haunting travel destinations. AAA recommends that travelers with a taste for the supernatural plan early for some of America’s most popular Halloween tours and travel destinations. Travelers can discover an assortment of thrills, chills, and spine-tingling fun for every taste, from the lighthearted rumor of a resident ghost to the gravely terrifying reality of high-tech horror. For many travelers the thought of a haunted house stirs their imagination or an isolated ghost town causes them to quiver. For others a roller coaster ride makes them scream --- with excitement --- into the night.
AAA, which evaluates hospitality establishments across North America as a service to members, will now charge an application fee for lodging properties that request an evaluation.
Americans are eager to travel this summer, but with the average gas price at almost $3.00 a gallon, travelers may be wondering if they can afford to take their hard earned vacation. To help vacationers enjoy their time away from the office without worrying about paying an arm and a leg for fuel, AAA has identified North America’s top ten most walkable cities, from Quebec to St. Augustine, Florida.
The cry, “Are we there yet?” can be heard now in the airplanes and airports around the world as more families begin vacationing overseas with their children. In a June survey of 424 AAA travel professionals, 42 percent say they are booking more international trips for parents with children under 18. The top international destinations for families are the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.
A newly-updated book released by AAA could become a best seller among pet owners who live in disaster prone communities, because it lists more than 13,000 hotels in the U.S. and Canada that will take in evacuees with pets. It is one of several resources available to pet owners
This year, the 50th Anniversary of the Interstate Highway System will kick off a record Fourth of July holiday weekend. AAA estimates that 40.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.2 percent increase from the 40.2 million who traveled last year. Of those travelers, about 85 percent will travel by car on our national interstate and local road way system this weekend.
Travel will be up slightly this Memorial Day holiday despite high gas prices and increasing vacation costs, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 37.6 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 0.9 percent increase from last year.
With colleges and universities throughout the country preparing for the imminent return of students this spring, AAA is pleased to announce that Paul M. Comishock is the recipient of its annual $5,000 AAA Five Diamond Hospitality Scholarship for the current academic year.
AAA members can now enjoy 10 percent savings on online purchases of music, movies, video games and more through Musicland Group, Inc.'s SamGoody.com, Suncoast.com and MediaPlay.com.
AAA Offers Tips To Keep Vacation Gas Costs Down Despite record gas prices averaging more than $2.61 per gallon, AAA expects no let up in travel for the Labor Day holiday weekend. AAA estimates that 34.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 0.9 percent increase from the 34.2 million who traveled last year.
Summer traffic bottlenecks are forcing families to spend more time getting to their favorite recreational areas and less time enjoying their vacations, according to a new report released today by a coalition of national transportation, travel, and motorist advocacy groups.
More Americans will travel this Fourth of July holiday than have ever traveled for a holiday weekend, according to AAA’s holiday travel forecast. AAA estimates that 40.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.8 percent increase from the 39.2 million who traveled last year.
The millions of Americans traveling with pets this summer will find more places to stay than ever before, as AAA adds 400 campgrounds and 800 more hotels to the latest edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook.
Record numbers of Americans will travel this Memorial Day holiday despite the highest gas prices ever recorded for a holiday, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 37.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.2 percent increase from last year.
In an intense competition of travel and geography knowledge, students from Colorado, New Jersey, and New York topped more than 63,000 of their peers to take the national title in the third annual AAA Travel High School Challenge.
Gasoline prices aren't the only expense increasing for vacation travelers this year. AAA's annual vacation costs survey shows lodging and dining costs set to increase by a combined average of 5 percent this year.
A resurgence in business travel and continued strength in leisure travel have increased demand for hotel rooms, meaning that travelers should make plans for spring break and summer vacation sooner rather than later, according to AAA.
Winter’s chill sends thousands of people shopping for cruises, looking both online and through travel agents. AAA Travel offers would-be cruisers the best of both worlds: a top online cruise booking engine (at www.aaa.com/cruises) backed up by thousands of AAA travel professionals around the country.
Hotel rates available through AAA’s Web site (www.aaa.com) are generally lower than those of four travel Web sites, according to new, independent research.
The world’s largest motor club will extend its reach to the world’s fastest growing auto market through a new agreement announced today by AAA and China’s Anji Motor Club.
High school students throughout the country have just a few days to touch up on their travel knowledge. If teens can answer questions like: “If you’re visiting the National Cowboy Museum, what state are you in?”; “Which country is called the “Land of the Golden Fleece?”; and, “Where will you find the gateway to Acadia National Park?”, then they might be well on the way to winning an expense-paid trip for two to Orlando to compete for more than $100,000 in college scholarships.
Holiday travelers who got where they were going with minimal delays this holiday weekend can consider themselves fortunate following several days of airline snafus and bad weather affecting millions of travelers, according to AAA. With many Christmas travelers yet to return home and New Year’s Eve travelers now preparing for their trips, AAA offers tips drawn from this past week’s experiences.
Families have new flexible vacation options at a wider range of prices as part of the new Walt Disney World ticket plan, according to AAA Travel. Under the new ticket structure, a family of four can purchase a weeklong AAA Vacations package to the Walt Disney World Resort for less than $1500.
The vast amount of information that makes the Internet so attractive to travelers also is causing confusion when it comes to choosing a lodging online, AAA said today.
High school students throughout the country have just a few weeks to touch up on their travel knowledge. If teens can answer questions like: “If you’re visiting the National Cowboy Museum, what state are you in?”; “Which country is called the “Land of the Golden Fleece?”; and, “Where will you find the gateway to Acadia National Park?”, then they might be well on the way to winning an expense-paid trip for two to Orlando to compete for more than $100,000 in college scholarships.
Four restaurants and five hotels have been added to the list of AAA Five Diamond winners for 2005, bringing the total number of Five Diamond properties to 142. There are 85 lodgings and 57 restaurants on this year’s list.
AAA today announced the 23 tour companies, cruise lines and air consolidators selected as AAA Travel preferred suppliers for 2005 to 2007. Cunard Line and Insight Vacations join 21 continuing partners on the list, which was announced at the 2004 AAA Travel Conference in Bonita Springs, Fla.
Spectacular colors and the departure of summer crowds make fall a great time to take your camera to America’s national parks, according to AAA. To help shutterbugs pick the best park for their autumn getaway, AAA has teamed with a renowned nature photographer to recommend some top destinations.
A summer that brought record high gas prices and travel approaching pre-9/11 levels will end with potentially record high Labor Day holiday travel, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 34.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.2 percent increase from last year’s record-matching 33.4 million travelers.
Millions of Americans will take their pets on vacation this year and many will bring back the photos to prove it. AAA wants to see these pictures as part of its first-ever “Traveling With Your Pet—The AAA PetBook®” photo contest.
Disney Cruise Line®, Premier Gateway and Walt Disney Travel Company for AAA Vacations® Disneyland Resort have been named 2003 Preferred Partner of the Year award winners by AAA Travel – the largest leisure travel agency in North America.
American travelers generally feel confident in current security procedures, with most people reporting no change in their travel habits since 9/11, according to a AAA survey released today.
Strong travel demand and a slight easing of gas prices from recent records will keep Americans traveling in potentially record-high numbers this July 4 holiday, according to AAA.
AAA’s travel agency sales were up 21 percent for the first quarter of 2004 and its travel agents expect continued strong sales for the summer travel season, according to AAA. Cruises led the way with a 43 percent increase for the first quarter of 2004 versus the same period in 2003. AAA today also released its travel agents’ ranking of top international and domestic vacation destinations.
AAA, the nation’s largest organization for motorists, today announced plans to make its world-class routing and mapping technology available to all Internet users through a new Web site, AAAmaps.com. AAA is launching the new site today, just in time for travelers to plan their Memorial Day driving getaways.
Record numbers of Americans will travel this Memorial Day holiday despite record high gas prices, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 36.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a robust 3.6 percent increase from last year.
The number of lodgings that are now accepting pets has increased by 8 percent in the last year, says AAA. Now, more than 38 percent of all lodgings rated by AAA accept pets.
Lower lodging and meal costs should help vacation travelers compensate for record high gas prices in 2004, according to AAA’s annual vacation costs survey. Lodging and dining costs should be about 4 percent lower this year than in 2003.
In an intense competition of travel and geography knowledge, students from Maryland, South Dakota and Texas topped more than 10,000 of their peers to take the national title in the AAA Travel High School Challenge. Each winner took home a $25,000 scholarship for placing first in the national competition that finished with game show-style finals this morning at Universal Orlando.
With spring in full swing many Americans are planning to take a family vacation this season. According to AAA, the country’s National Parks offer exciting experiences in all seasons, but knowing what time of year is best for which park is key.
AAA’s Show Your Card & Save®, a discount purchasing program for AAA members, today announced the nation’s largest motor club has added the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) to its list of foreign automobile clubs offering select AAA member benefits. The addition of JAF allows AAA members who travel to Japan to receive discounts from merchants in that country, similar to what they receive in the United States.
With discount prescription cards flooding the market, consumers may have trouble sorting out the benefits of each one to find the offer that is best for their family.
Eight newly revamped editions of the popular Essential series of travel guidebooks have been released with expanded content, a larger map section and a new design.
Travelers planning spring or summer vacations this year are likely to receive higher levels of service and amenities at many hotels than they might have in the past, according to AAA.
After 84 years of publishing the AAA CampBooks®, AAA is introducing a three-level rating system for more than 4,000 private campgrounds listed in the 11-book series.
Students across the country should brush up their travel knowledge to answer questions like: When you greet someone in Bangkok, should you give him a hug? If you’re visiting Old Sturbridge Village, what state are you in? What city do you fly into for a vacation in Tahiti? Teenagers who can answer questions like these might be well on their way an expense-paid trip to Orlando to compete for a $25,000 college scholarship.
If you are planning to eat out while on vacation during the holiday season, join the crowd. Spending by travelers accounts for approximately 50 percent of revenues at restaurants with an average check of $25 or more, according to the 2004 Restaurant & Foodservice Market Research Handbook.
Another strong month of cruise and tour bookings – both up 10 percent from 2002 levels – pushed AAA’s overall travel bookings to a 3 percent increase this November compared to a year ago.
Planning holiday travel can be stressful for parents. Which side of the family do you visit first? And how do you keep the kids from asking “Are we there yet?”
With the cost of health care continuing to increase rapidly, AAA has created a new benefit -- AAA Prescription Savings -- to help members battle the cost of staying healthy.
Six restaurants and nine hotels have been added to the list of AAA Five Diamond winners for 2004, bringing the total number of Five Diamond properties to 137. There are 82 lodgings and 55 restaurants on this year’s list.
AAA’s overall travel bookings increased by more than 3 percent this October over the same period last year, according to the monthly AAA National Travel Barometer.
A more than 20-cent drop in nationwide gasoline prices in the last two months could be the catalyst for even more travel during the traditionally heavily traveled Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA.
If you are traveling in parts of the Caribbean in the near future, don’t be surprised to see one of the most well-known logos in the world on tow trucks, auto repair shops, hotels and restaurants on the islands.
To successfully combat the many challenges faced by today’s travel industry, AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet offered six tenets of change the industry can and must consider to help ensure a bright future.
Another strong month of cruise and tour bookings — up 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively, from 2002 levels — pushed AAA’s overall travel bookings to a 1 percent increase this September compared to a year ago.
The third consecutive strong month of cruise bookings — up 13 percent from 2002 levels — spurred AAA’s overall travel bookings to a 3 percent increase this August compared to August 2002.
The early arrival of Labor Day—most of the holiday weekend falls in August this year—could help spur Americans to travel in numbers that are the highest in at least nine years this upcoming holiday weekend, according to AAA.
For many people the “last hurrah” for summer means a beach vacation on Labor Day weekend, but for football fans those hurrahs are for pre-season games in stadiums across the country.
A major increase in cruise bookings — up 25 percent from 2002 levels — spurred AAA’s overall travel bookings to a 5 percent increase this July compared to July 2002.
With the summer travel season in full swing, many people may find it odd to be thinking about scheduling a winter cruise. But savvy travelers know an important secret: This is one of the best times of the year to shop for discounts on cruises and tours.
Americans continued their return to travel as AAA’s travel bookings increased by 3 percent during June 2003 compared to June 2002, according to the latest monthly AAA National Travel Barometer.
Disney Cruise Line®, Premier Gateway and Tauck World Discovery have been named 2002 Preferred Partner of the Year award winners by AAA Travel – the largest leisure travel agency in North America.
Americans continue to show an increased interest in vacation travel as evidenced by the 37.4 million people who expect to travel 50 miles or more from home the Fourth of July weekend – the highest total for that holiday in at least nine years, according to AAA.
(Note to editors: This is the final weekly version of the AAA National Travel Barometer. With leisure travel demand now returning to near normal levels following the Iraq War, AAA will continue its reporting of travel sector data on a monthly basis, beginning after the July 4 holiday.)
Americans’ summer vacation planning surge paused last week as Americans planned for—and took—Memorial Day drive trips, according to the most recent AAA National Travel Barometer.
As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, interest in drive trips continues to rise as online AAA TripTik® routings increased for the eighth consecutive week.
Hot on the heels of AAA projecting that this year’s Memorial Day travel would match its lofty 2002 levels, the most recent AAA National Travel Barometer shows Americans have increased their travel planning for the fourth consecutive week.
Despite continued economic sluggishness and lingering effects of the war in Iraq, Americans will travel this Memorial Day holiday in numbers equal to last year, according to AAA.
Students from Connecticut, North Carolina, and Virginia matched geography wits with more than 5,000 high school students from across the country and came out on top in the AAA Travel High School Challenge. The winners each won $25,000 scholarships for being on the first-place team in the finals of the national geography contest, held this past weekend in Orlando, Fla.
AAA encourages its members and other travelers to “See America’s Byways” and get in touch with America and support the economy during National Tourism Week from May 10-18.
With baseball season in full swing, basketball season into its playoff race, and football pre-season a few months away, summer is a great time for a sports enthusiast’s pilgrimage to a dream sporting destination.
Interest in travel continues to pick up as travel agency bookings increased for the third straight week – including a 17 percent increase in cruise bookings – in the most recent AAA National Travel Barometer.
Willis B. Wood Jr., retired chairman and CEO of Pacific Enterprises in California, has been elected chairman of the AAA Board of Directors at the AAA Annual Meeting here today at the Adams Mark Hotel.
Seventy percent of Americans have indicated they would plan a summer vacation this year and 14 percent of those will take their pets with them, according to AAA and travel research.
Since its founding 10 years ago this week, AAA’s Show Your Card & Save® program has saved its members more than $2.5 billion and grown to include many of America’s preeminent brands.
For the first time since the U.S.-Iraq war began, travel agency booking activity and online trip routings included in the AAA National Travel Barometer all increased from the previous week.
Vacationers will find great deals on cruises between now and the start of summer as cruise lines cut prices to make up for lost business during the U.S.-Iraq war, according to AAA.
As the summer vacation season approaches, interest in travel is on the upswing, especially drive trips as AAA’s online routing requests increased for the fourth straight week to their highest level of the year.
(Editor’s Note: AAA’s National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel).
Seven out of 10 Americans said they would choose a summer vacation within the continental United States to relieve stress from current world events, a new AAA survey shows.
(Editor’s Note: AAA’s National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel).
(Editor’s Note: AAA’s National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel).
Relaxed airline cancellation policies, travel insurance and working with a travel agent are among the strategies travelers can use to overcome the uncertainty that has kept many of them from booking trips, according to AAA.
(Editor’s Note: AAA’s National Travel Barometer will be released weekly. It is a sample of 13 AAA clubs and is intended to provide information about the state of leisure travel).
From a dream honeymoon on an island paradise to a family reunion on a cruise ship, a travel professional can take the work and uncertainty out of vacation planning, according to AAA.
In an effort to ease marketing costs for some of its smallest affiliated lodgings, AAA is launching a new advertising program for bed and breakfast inns and country inns based on feedback from the Professional Association of Innkeepers International and other industry organizations.
AAA today commended the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at a news conference announcing six recent court filings against bogus marketers of International Driving Permits (IDPs).
