You’re Never Too Young for AARP Travel Discounts
Even if you're in your 20s.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, it’s likely the AARP, originally geared towards Americans over 50, hasn’t been on your radar. But the non-profit organization’s discounts on travel, entertainment, and shopping are simply too good to pass up, and we’re happy to report you don’t need to start seeing grays to sign up for them. In fact, more and more young people are flocking to the veteran agency. The Wall Street Journal reported that as a result of actor and travel blogger Zach Abel spreading the young-AARP gospel on TikTok, 150,000 new members have signed up.
So, if you’re one of the many millennials or members of Gen Z going into debt after booking that summer trip to Europe, here’s why an AARP membership just got a whole lot sexier.
Who’s eligible for an AARP membership?
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be at least 50 years old to sign up. There’s actually no minimum age requirement for AARP membership, and you can get access to the same discounts, products, and services as older members. The only difference is, you might run into complications from third-party vendors when it comes to age-restricted insurance products. But we’re here for those travel discounts, anyway.
In case you’re still convinced you’re stealing resources from grandpas everywhere, you need not worry. AARP wants you to take advantage of their offerings, with the hope that we can all work together to support a great cause—that is, fighting age discrimination, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare, and more. “AARP is committed to serving people age 50+ and their families,” says Matthew Phillips, director of travel at AARP. “However, we acknowledge our benefits, tools, and resources are beneficial to everyone at any age and encourage the utilization of all we have to offer.”
What kinds of travel discounts are available?
An AARP membership is not exactly a travel credit card, but it’ll afford you discounts here and there that, when added up, can make a significant difference. “We know from our internal research that some of the most utilized benefits by our younger members are the car rental offers by Avis and Budget as well as the variety of travel offerings from the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia,” says Phillips.
If you’ve got an epic road adventure in the works, you can save up to 30% on base rates at Avis and Budget, plus enjoy special perks like car upgrades. Or, if you’ve been inspired by TikTokers living out their retirement fantasies on cruises, you can get up to $200 in onboard credit at Holland America Line. It’s also a great time to hop aboard the train trend, with 5% off on Vacations By Rail.
Finally thinking about that dream trip to London? Your AARP card will grant you anywhere from $65 to $200 off round trip flights on British Airways. While in London or anywhere else, you’ll be able to save on a number of well-known hotel chains, including Best Western, Hilton, IHG, Kimpton, and Wyndham. AARP also has a partnership with tour company Collette, so whether you’re interested in a river cruise or cultural immersion on your next vacation, you can get up to $100 off.
Your membership also comes with restaurant discounts to take advantage of on your travels—whether that’s a road trip pit stop at Denny’s or an airport Jamba juice—as well as savings on tickets to live shows through Ticketmaster.
How do you apply?
To join, simply fill out the online form on the AARP website. Membership is a mere $16 a year—$12 when you sign up for annual renewal—and if you have a spouse or partner, they can get in on your membership for free. It’s as simple as that.