How I Saved on a Cross-Country Move with My AAA Membership

Article overview

Here's a quick overview of how a AAA Membership made our whirlwind cross-country move easier and more affordable:

• Airport parking: We saved on booking fees and got two days of free parking at The Parking Spot.

• Moving truck: We received a discount on our Penske truck rental, with standout customer service.

• Hotel stay: We booked our hotel through AAA and saved on the nightly rate.

• Gas savings: By using our membership with Love's Rewards, we saved $0.13 per gallon on fuel for the entire 14-hour drive.

Moving across the country is rarely anyone's idea of fun. Add a 48-hour deadline and a 16-foot truck into the mix, and you've got the recipe for a long weekend. But my fiancé and I pulled it off over Memorial Day weekend and our AAA Membership made the whole thing easier (and cheaper) than we expected.

The plan was simple on paper: fly from Charlotte to Dallas, empty out my fiancé's storage unit, load up a moving truck and drive everything back to South Carolina. What I didn't fully appreciate until we hit the road was just how many AAA Member benefits we'd lean on along the way.

Here's exactly how we did it and where the savings added up.

Save money before you even leave town

Our trip started at 5 a.m. in Charlotte. Running on very little sleep, the last thing we wanted to do was hunt for a parking spot in the dark.

So, we reserved ahead of time with The Parking Spot. Booking through AAA made a real difference:

• No booking fee on our reservation, thanks to our AAA Membership

• Free 2-day parking because it was our first time using the service and we joined Spot Club

• 24/7 shuttle service to departures, even at that early hour

Knowing our space was guaranteed removed a layer of stress before we'd even boarded the plane.

Score a deal on moving trucks

When it came to renting a moving truck for our cross-country haul, our AAA Membership came through in a big way. AAA Members can save 12% or more on Penske truck rentals, which made a noticeable difference on an already expensive move.

Beyond the savings, the customer service was outstanding. The Penske representative we spoke with made it clear they genuinely value AAA Members, which was a refreshing experience during an otherwise stressful time.

We landed in Dallas and Ubered from the airport to The Home Depot, where our truck was waiting, complete with a dolly and moving blankets. Then we packed it up under the relentless Dallas sun.

Finding a place to rest

Ahead of our trip, we booked a hotel through AAA.com/Hotels and saved on our rate. The staff was especially accommodating when we needed to take up two parking spots to fit our 4-wheeled moving behemoth.

Gassing up and hitting the road

This is where the savings really stacked up. The next morning, we were back on the road by 5 a.m., navigation set for South Carolina—14 hours straight on I-20.

We only stopped three times. 

We kept our pit stops to a minimum, only pulling over when the gas light came on and a Love's Travel Stop was nearby. I signed up for Love's Rewards fast and easy right from the passenger seat before he could even get out to pump the gas.

Here's how our AAA Membership made a difference at the pump:

• We saved $0.13 per gallon, instead of the standard $0.10, which added up quickly on a 14-hour drive.

• The Love's app offered deals on road trip essentials like drinks, snacks and chargers.

Given that my fiancé needed a fresh Coke roughly every 300 miles, the app deals were well utilized.

We rolled into the driveway just before 10 p.m. on Sunday. After a quick check to confirm nothing had shifted in the truck (nothing had!), we made the drive back to Charlotte to pick up our car.

With so many moving parts, our cross-country trip could have been a disaster. But thanks to our AAA Membership, it was a seamless experience. We felt comfortable on the road, slept well knowing we'd saved on our hotel and paid less for gas, which always feels good.

Was the whole trip worth it?

Absolutely. We turned a daunting cross-country move into a smooth 48-hour mission, and AAA benefits touched nearly every step:

• Free airport parking through The Parking Spot

• A discounted Penske moving truck

• A reduced hotel rate via AAA Hotels

• 13 cents off every gallon with Love's Rewards

If you have a move, road trip or any big travel plans on the horizon, it pays to know your membership benefits before you go.