AAA Members Access Record Savings Via AAA's Show Your Card & Save Program

    ORLANDO, Fla.--Sept. 18, 2002--Despite ongoing economic uncertainty in the last 12 months, AAA members, using their AAA member discounts, have spent record amounts on everything from hotel rooms, airplane and train tickets, restaurants, rental cars, theaters, theme parks, vision care, footwear, outlet shopping, online shopping, car washes, oil changes, auto parts and flowers.
    "Regardless of shifting public concern about domestic or economic security, millions of consumers continued to spend money while accessing deals available through the AAA Show Your Card & Save(TM) program," said Tom Wilt, managing director of AAA Partnership Programs.
    Since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, AAA members saved more than 14 million times at merchants affiliated with the nation's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, and received a total of over $330 million in discounts. This represents a record number of customer transactions for the program.
    "These figures clearly illustrate the AAA Show Your Card & Save(TM) program remains the most universally known and understood discount purchasing program in existence," Wilt said.
    Conceived as a way to offer special values to AAA members when traveling, the program now offers over 60,000 merchant locations at home or away for members. Transaction volume for the 45 million-member association's discount program grew 12 percent in the last year.
    Reasons for the expanded use include the addition of several new savings partners, including Casual Corner, Reebok Outlet Stores, Best Western and Marriott Hotels. And AAA said aggressive plans are in place to add additional partners to the Show Your Card & Save(TM) program, including well known retailers, restaurants and Internet-based companies.
    Marketing of the Show Your Card & Save(TM) program is done through the Internet via http://www.aaa.com, AAA publications and member mailings. AAA's Internet presence is the gateway to the most comprehensive collection of AAA-affiliated businesses at the national, international, and local levels.
    Internationally, two new motoring organizations have joined AAA's worldwide savings network. They are the AMA of Mexico and the KAA of Korea. Currently, over 40 international automobile/touring clubs provide membership card-based savings to members visiting the United States, Canada, Mexico and the 21 European countries affiliated under ARC Europe.
    For more than 80 million auto club members around the globe, the Show Your Card & Save(TM) program is eminently easy to use. Members can locate the merchants near them by using http://www.aaa.com or simply look for merchants that display Show Your Card logos.
    By producing their AAA membership card, or the card of another affiliated motor club when making a reservation or paying for a purchase, members receive a pre-determined discount, usually between five and 30 percent. Special benefits not available on the same terms to other customers also may be offered in addition to a discount.
    AAA provides members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.