How Much Does AAA Actually Save on Rental Cars in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Editor, ShopBack US

Short answer for the US in 2026: according to AAA at the time of writing, members save up to 20% off the base rate at Hertz, up to 10% at Dollar and up to 8% at Thrifty. The discount covers the pay-later base rate, not taxes and fees. The bigger saving for many people is the fee waivers: Hertz waives the young renter fee for AAA members aged 20 to 24 (AAA puts it at $29 a day) and the additional driver fee ($13.50 a day). Enterprise is not on AAA's list, so for Enterprise you compare its own rates and go through ShopBack before you book.

ShopBack US is a free app and website that gives cash back on purchases at partner stores in the US, including Enterprise and Hertz. You sign up for free, open the store's page on ShopBack, then book as usual. The cash lands in your ShopBack account once the rental is confirmed, and the live rate sits on each store's ShopBack page.

How much does AAA actually save on rental cars?

AAA saves you a percentage off the base rate plus a set of fee waivers, and for most renters the waivers matter as much as the percentage. Here is what AAA lists for US members at the time of writing:

Benefit	Hertz	Dollar	Thrifty
Base rate discount	Up to 20%	Up to 10%	Up to 8%
Additional driver fee waived (AAA puts it at $13.50 a day)	Yes, for qualified AAA members	Yes, additional qualified drivers	Yes, additional qualified drivers
Young renter fee waived for ages 20 to 24 (AAA puts it at $29 a day)	Yes	Not listed	Not listed
One child safety seat free (AAA puts it at $13.99 a day)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Prepaid fuel	10% off a tank	10% off a tank	10% off a tank
Damage responsibility	Limited to $5,000; loss of use charge waived	Not listed	Not listed

Source: AAA's member benefits page for Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty. AAA also lists up to 10% off Hertz international base rates on standard car classes, plus one free additional driver.

The fine print that changes the math, according to AAA:

• The discount applies to the pay-later base rate. Taxes and fees are not discounted.
• You must include the AAA Club Discount Code (CDP) in the reservation and book at least 24 hours ahead.
• Benefits apply at participating Hertz locations in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.
• An additional driver or young renter must be a AAA member, have a credit card in their own name and meet standard rental rules.
• The child seat depends on availability, and the fuel saving only applies when you buy the prepaid fuel option at pick-up.

AAA car rental discount 2026: worked examples

The same AAA discount is worth very different amounts depending on your age and how many people drive. These examples use an illustrative $60 a day base rate for a four-day rental. Real rates vary by city, date and car class.

Renter	Base rate (4 days at $60)	Up to 20% off base	Fees waived (4 days)	Possible AAA saving
Solo driver, age 30	$240	Up to $48	None	Up to $48
Two drivers, age 30	$240	Up to $48	Additional driver: $54	Up to $102
Solo driver, age 22	$240	Up to $48	Young renter: $116	Up to $164
Family with a child seat	$240	Up to $48	Child seat: about $56	Up to $104

Fee amounts are the per-day figures AAA lists; your counter price may differ by location. The point of the table: for a solo driver over 25, AAA is usually a modest percentage off the base rate. For a driver aged 20 to 24, the waived young renter fee is often the bigger number.

The discount is "up to" 20%, so on a given date you may see less. Always compare the final total with taxes and fees, not the headline rate.

Which rental car companies give a AAA discount?

AAA's own member benefits page lists Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty as its US car rental partners. Hertz gets the largest discount and the fee waivers. Enterprise, National, Alamo, Avis and Budget are not on that AAA page.

That matters because many people search for a AAA rate at whichever company they usually use. If your usual company is Enterprise, a AAA code is generally not the way to save there. You compare Enterprise's own public rate, its promotions and its free Enterprise Plus program instead.

Other rental companies on ShopBack US include Hertz, Avis, Budget and Alamo, alongside Enterprise. Booking sites such as Expedia and Priceline also sell rental cars.

Enterprise student discount: what Enterprise actually offers

Enterprise does not describe a general student discount among the promotions it lists. According to Enterprise, its popular promotions are weekend specials, drive-out programs, special coupons through some corporate partnerships, and email specials for Enterprise Plus members and email subscribers. If your university or employer has its own Enterprise code, that is the code to use.

What students and young drivers should know, according to Enterprise at the time of writing:

• Minimum age. 21 in most of the US, and 18 in Michigan and New York.
• Young renter fee. Renters under 25 pay a daily young renter fee. The amount varies by location, and Michigan and New York set their own fees.
• One code at a time. Enterprise says usually only one discount or coupon code can be used per rental, and some times of year have blackout dates.
• Branch matters. Enterprise says weekend specials and other promotions are often at non-airport branches, and not every location takes part.

Enterprise official student discount terms vs the AAA route

For a renter aged 21 to 24, here is the honest comparison:

• AAA at Hertz removes the young renter fee for members aged 20 to 24, which AAA puts at $29 a day, and takes up to 20% off the base rate.
• Enterprise charges its own daily young renter fee, which varies by location, unless a corporate or school code changes that. Check the fee shown at checkout for your branch.

So for a young driver, pricing the AAA rate at Hertz is worth doing. For a renter over 25, Enterprise's public rate at a non-airport branch, plus its free Enterprise Plus program, can be just as low. Price both before you book.

Enterprise Plus: the free program to use instead

Enterprise Plus is Enterprise's free loyalty program, and it is the official way to earn on Enterprise rentals. According to Enterprise, members earn points on qualifying rentals and redeem them for free rental days at participating Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations; check the current points chart on Enterprise's site. Enterprise also says prepaid rentals booked through a third party, such as an online travel agency, do not earn points.

That last rule is useful: book on Enterprise's own site with your Enterprise Plus number on the reservation. Going through ShopBack first still sends you to Enterprise's own site, so you book direct.

Can you combine AAA with ShopBack?

Usually not on the same booking. Store pages on ShopBack typically exclude promo codes that are not featured on ShopBack. ShopBack's Hertz page also says association rates such as AAA, plus corporate negotiated and government rates, typically do not qualify. So treat these as two different routes and pick the cheaper one:

1. AAA route. Book Hertz, Dollar or Thrifty with your AAA CDP code. You get the AAA discount and fee waivers.
2. ShopBack route. Go through ShopBack's Enterprise page or Hertz page, then book the public rate on the rental company's own site. Part of your eligible spend comes back as cash after the rental.

For a young or multi-driver rental at Hertz, the AAA route often wins because of the waived fees. For a solo renter over 25, or anyone renting at Enterprise, the ShopBack route is usually the one to price first. Check the merchant's terms on the ShopBack store page before you book.

How ShopBack lowers what you pay on a rental car

For rental car companies like Enterprise and Hertz, and booking sites like Expedia and Booking.com, going through ShopBack is an essential step before you book or check out, so you pay less on the same booking. ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order.

The steps:

1. Open Enterprise on ShopBack and check the live rate and terms on that page.
2. Tap through to Enterprise and book in the same session, with your Enterprise Plus number on the reservation.
3. Pick up and return the car as booked. The cash is confirmed after your trip.

A worked example, clearly illustrative: on a $300 rental at an illustrative 2%, $6 comes back, so the effective price is $294. Rates differ by store and change over time, so check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page on the day you book.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Enterprise Plus points are redeemed for rentals under Enterprise's program terms; ShopBack cash is yours to withdraw once it is confirmed.

Things that usually do not earn, according to ShopBack's Enterprise page: gift card or voucher redemptions, purchases with promo codes not featured on ShopBack, taxes, service charges and booking fees, and cancelled or no-show bookings.

Frequently asked questions

How much does AAA actually save on rental cars?

According to AAA at the time of writing, members save up to 20% off the base rate at Hertz, up to 10% at Dollar and up to 8% at Thrifty in the US. The discount applies to the pay-later base rate, not taxes and fees. Hertz also waives the young renter fee for AAA members aged 20 to 24 (AAA puts that at $29 a day) and the additional driver fee ($13.50 a day), which can be worth more than the percentage off.

Which rental car companies give a AAA discount?

AAA's member car rental benefits page lists Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty as its partners in the US. Hertz gets the largest discount, up to 20% off the base rate, plus fee waivers. Enterprise is not listed on that AAA page, so for Enterprise you compare its own rates and promotions instead.

Does AAA waive the young driver fee?

Yes, at Hertz. According to AAA, the young renter fee is waived for AAA members aged 20 to 24 at participating Hertz locations in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico, a saving AAA puts at $29 a day. The young renter must be a AAA member, have a credit card in their own name and meet Hertz's standard rental rules.

How do I use my AAA discount on a car rental?

Book at least 24 hours ahead and include your AAA Club Discount Code (CDP) in the reservation, according to AAA. Present your AAA membership card at pick-up. The discount applies to the pay-later base rate, and the prepaid fuel saving only applies when you buy the prepaid fuel option at pick-up.

Is there an Enterprise student discount?

Enterprise does not describe a general student discount among the promotions it lists, which are weekend specials, drive-out programs, special coupons through some corporate partnerships and email specials for Enterprise Plus members. If your school or employer has its own Enterprise code, use it. Otherwise join Enterprise Plus for free and go through ShopBack before you book.

How old do you have to be to rent from Enterprise?

Enterprise says the minimum age to rent is 21 in most of the US, and 18 in Michigan and New York. Renters under 25 pay a daily young renter fee, and Enterprise says the amount varies by location.

Can I use a AAA discount and ShopBack on the same rental?

Usually not. Store pages on ShopBack typically exclude promo codes that are not featured on ShopBack, and ShopBack's Hertz page says association rates such as AAA typically do not qualify. Price both routes: the AAA rate on its own, and the public rate after going through ShopBack. Check the merchant's terms on the ShopBack store page before you book.

Is AAA worth it just for rental cars?

It depends on how often you rent and who drives. AAA membership dues are set by your local club. If you are aged 20 to 24, the Hertz young renter fee waiver (AAA puts it at $29 a day) can cover a year of dues in a few rental days. If you are over 25 and rent once a year, the base-rate discount alone may not cover the dues.

How does ShopBack lower what I pay for a rental car?

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Go through ShopBack's Enterprise or Hertz page before you book, and part of your eligible spend comes back as cash after the rental. On a $300 rental at an illustrative 2%, $6 comes back, so the effective price is $294. Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page.

Is cashback the same as rental car points?

No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Enterprise Plus points are redeemed for free rental days under Enterprise's own program terms.

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Key takeaways

• According to AAA, members save up to 20% off Hertz base rates, up to 10% at Dollar and up to 8% at Thrifty in the US; taxes and fees are not discounted.
• The fee waivers often matter more: Hertz waives the young renter fee for AAA members aged 20 to 24 ($29 a day, per AAA) and the additional driver fee ($13.50 a day).
• Enterprise is not on AAA's partner list and does not describe a general student discount; its minimum age is 21 in most of the US, and renters under 25 pay a young renter fee that varies by location.
• A AAA code and ShopBack usually do not combine on one booking, so price both routes and pick the lower total.
• Before you book Enterprise direct, go through ShopBack US first and check the live rate and terms on its ShopBack page.

Before you book, open Enterprise on ShopBack and check the live rate and terms on that page.

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author.

AAA benefits, partner lists, discount levels and fee amounts are set by AAA and its rental partners, and Enterprise's age rules, fees, promotions and Enterprise Plus terms are set by Enterprise. All of these can change and vary by location. Figures in this article were taken from AAA's and Enterprise's published information at the time of writing. Cashback rates, qualifying purchases and terms on ShopBack US are published on each store's ShopBack page and can change, so check that page before you book.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.