Best Senior Discounts
Even if CDC is still a bit reluctant when it comes to traveling, local and international, and also when it comes to anything related to entertainment, whether it’s amusement parks, theaters, or any other areas with large crowds (basically all that brings joy to our lives), we’re still looking for ways to be out and about in the world.
We prefer to stay optimistic, and we soon believe that travel restrictions will soon ease up and you will have the green light to travel anywhere you want to, including those exotic locations you’ve dreamed about for so long. Since inflation has taken a toll on our budgets, you should consider looking for senior discounts that might ease your budget. Here’s our list of discounts:
Airlines
It seems that many airlines will ask for a negative COVID-19 test before letting you on board. In fact, there are still a couple of countries that might require a certain period of quarantine upon arrival. If you’re not sure whether or not your airline company still has these regulations, you could contact them and ask them for more details when you start planning your next trip.
British Airways is known to offer all AARP members $65 off economy and premium economy flights. As an alternative, the company also offers $200 off all business class fares if you buy round-trip transatlantic tickets for certain locations.
Buses
Greyhound has something that all retirees might want to try, and that’s a veteran discount. You can save as much as 10% on your ticket when you buy it from the station. If you’re the lucky possessor of a Veteran Advantage card, you will have access to discounts when booking online.
Also, Peter Pan has not one but two discounts: a senior and a veteran one. Riders who are over 62, but also retired military members, will be able to receive no less than a 15% discount, as long as they present a valid I.D. So, no longer you’ll travel for less money, but you also got plenty of options to choose from!
Hotels
Best Western Hotels & Resorts offers seniors over 55 a whopping 15% discount at any of their locations. Plus, for veterans and AARP members, there’s an additional discount. For instance, if you stay at Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, VIB Hotel, Glo Resorts, SureStay Collection, or SureStay Hotel, you can save somewhere between 5 and 15% if you can prove that you are an AARP member. When you arrive at one of their locations, you will be asked to show proof of age at check-in. And it gets better: in some Best Western locations, you might even receive complimentary breakfast!
Choice Hotels, which include Ascend Hotel Collection, Cambria Suites, Clarion Hotels, Comfort Inns, Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Rodeway Inn, and Sleep Inn, but also Suburban Extended Stay Hotels, give all AARP members as much as 10% off at all the hotels registered in this program.
Also, Days Inn, which is part of Wyndham Hotels, has plenty of senior, veteran, and AARP member discounts. If you want to access these discounts, you have to be over 60 years old, present a valid ID card, and request a special senior rate when you reserve the room.
There’s also Hilton Hotels & Resorts, which offers all AARP members a 10% discount on the following locations: Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Curio Collection, Embassy Suites, DoubleTree, Hampton, Home2Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, and Waldorf Astoria hotels, which is awesome! Wait, but there’s more: all the hotels that are currently participating in this program offer a military family rate, especially for veterans.
Last but not least, Extra Holidays offers 20% off all kinds of resort stays in most of their establishments located in the United States of America, such as Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Canada, and Fiji, but also Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Hampton Inn & Suites will offer 10% off their best available rate for all seniors who are over 65 years old, as long as you book online. Upon arrival, you will be asked to present a valid ID.
Marriott Hotels, such as Courtyard Hotels, the Ritz-Carlton (and Reserve), St. Regis, JW Marriott, W Hotels, EDITION, Sheraton, Le MERIDIEN, Westin, Residence Inn, and many other hotels, offer a grand senior discount for those individuals who are over 62 years old. The discount applies only to online bookings.
What about Motel 6? Well, they come with a ton of discounts for veterans and AARP members. When you book online, make sure you check the military box on the checkout page to receive their discount. You will have to present a valid AARP membership ID number at check-in. Also, AMAC members are able to receive as much as a 10% discount with their code.
Radisson Hotels also takes good care of all AARP members, as it offers a 10% discount at the following locations: Country Inn & Suites, Park Inns, Radisson Blue, Park Plaza, but also Radisson RED hotels.
Red Lion Hotels will offer a 10% veteran discount and an additional senior 55+ discount. Some of the hotels in this chain also include Hotel R.L., Red Lion Inn & Suites, GuestHouse, Knights Inn, and Canada’s Best Value Inn. Not enough? No problem, as Red Roof Inn also offers a 20% discount for all AMAC members. Are you an AARP member and have you booked a night at Studio 6 Hotel? Then expect to receive a 10% discount.
Car rentals
Avis took care of all the AARP members, as they offer 30% off base rates, a free upgrade, and an extra driver for zero additional costs. Also, Avis offers AMAC members the possibility to rent an SUV for only $25 a day and $209 a week at all their participating locations.
Budget Rent-A-Car has a 30% discount for AARP members, and besides that, an additional driver is zero extra cost, and an upgrade is free. The budget provides all AMAC members a 25% discount as long as they present a promo code.
Payless Car Rental also has the best interest of AARP members in mind, with a 5% discount offered on daily, weekly, weekend, and monthly base rates. Do you want an upgrade? No problem! You can easily get one.
There’s also Zipcar Car Sharing, which comes with a 43 percent discount for AARP members who have an annual membership and $40 in free driving credit.
Railways
Vacations By Rail offers all AARP members a 5% discount on all rail vacations, anywhere in the world. Also, Amtrak has a 10% discount for those over 65 on most routes. Seniors who are 60 years and older could get a 10% discount on cross-border routes.
Cruises
Unfortunately, plenty of cruise tours have been suspended since the COVID-19 outbreak. But for those who are still in circulation, they definitely require a COVID-19 test before boarding, as well as a period of quarantine upon arrival.
If you booked a cruise and want to know what to do, contact your cruise line. As for discounts and promotions, Carnival Cruises has all kinds of senior fares for those who are 55 years of age and older. Collette Cruise Tours offers AARP members $50 off per person on all their cruise tours. AMAC members are able to save as much as $100 per person.
All this talking about hotel discounts made me remind of a great piece on our website. If you’re an adventurous type, then you might want to check this article, too: 10 of the World’s Most Unusual Hotels
