AAA Towing Review

The American Automobile Association (AAA) specializes in providing roadside assistance services — including towing — along with a wide array of additional discounts and benefits. However, AAA memberships are relatively expensive, so you may be better off purchasing a car insurance add-on if you are only interested in securing low-cost roadside assistance coverage.

Check out the rest of our AAA towing review below to learn how much you may have to pay to join your local auto club and how much towing each type of AAA plan will cover.

On This Page

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  How Does Triple A Towing Work?

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  AAA Towing vs. Competitors

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  How Much Is a AAA Membership?

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  How Do I Get AAA Towing Services?

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  AAA Roadside Assistance

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  AAA Towing Review FAQs

How Does Triple A Towing Work?

If you are a AAA member and your car malfunctions — leaving you stranded on the side of the road — you can contact AAA to request a tow. You get to choose where the tow truck takes you and your vehicle. Common destinations include a gas station, your go-to auto shop or a repair facility approved by AAA.^[1]

Towing coverage is available for any vehicle you drive or ride in, even if it is not your own. For example, you may be able to request a tow if you are the passenger in your friend’s car or if you are driving a rental car. Some plans even extend coverage to other types of vehicles, such as bicycles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles (RVs).^[1]

Keep in mind that AAA consists of multiple independently operating motor clubs that set their own prices and benefits, so coverage details may vary depending on your location.

Does AAA Provide Free Towing?

When you sign up for AAA, you gain access to complimentary towing anywhere in the United States or Canada, but only for a limited number of miles — which varies based on your location and membership level.^[1] If your car must be towed a longer distance than your plan covers, you will have to pay a per-mile rate out of pocket for the excess miles.^[2]

You should also note that AAA only provides one free tow per mechanical breakdown.^[2] For example, suppose you get AAA to tow your car to your house so you can try to fix it yourself, but you decide it needs to be taken to a mechanic for repairs and contact AAA for another tow. In this scenario, you would have to pay for the second tow out of pocket.

How Far Will AAA Tow Before I’m Charged?

In general, AAA customers with a Classic membership can get their cars towed for five miles at no extra cost, after which they must pay for any excess miles at a discounted rate. The exception is if your vehicle is towed to a Car Care facility owned by AAA; in this case, the tow is fully covered, even if the facility is more than five miles away.^[3]

By upgrading to a higher-tiered membership plan, you can unlock significantly more towing coverage. Plus members gain access to tows of up to 100 miles free of charge. Meanwhile, Premier members can request one 200-mile tow per year, with their other covered tows maxing out at 100 miles.^[3]

Am I Limited to a Certain Number of Tows With AAA?

Each AAA member is limited to four complimentary service calls per year, whether they contact AAA for a tow or some other roadside assistance service. Nevertheless, AAA may still send someone to tow your vehicle even if you’ve already asked for help more than four times in the past year — you will simply need to pay for tows out of pocket from the fifth request onward.^[1]

Do I Need To Be a AAA Member for Towing Services?

You must be a AAA member to access AAA towing services. That said, you can sign up for AAA while you’re stuck on the side of the road and instantly request roadside assistance. However, there is generally a two-day waiting period before your benefits fully take effect, so you may need to pay an additional fee if you request a tow immediately upon joining AAA.^[1]

AAA Towing vs. Competitors

How AAA stacks up against other towing companies varies significantly based on the membership level you select — Classic plans offer less towing coverage than many competitors, while Premier plans offer more coverage. See the following table for examples of per-tow mileage limits for many roadside service providers, which may vary depending on your chosen membership level.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]}

How Much Is a AAA Membership?

The cost of a AAA membership typically ranges from around $40 to $160 per year, depending on which AAA club operates in your region and what membership level you choose. Annual prices for each AAA membership tier typically fall into the following ranges:^[9]

If someone in your household already has a AAA membership, you may be eligible to join their plan as an Associate member, allowing you to secure discounted annual membership fees. Examples of family members who generally qualify for an Associate membership include the spouse and children of an existing AAA member.^[10]

Your AAA plan grants you access to a large number of extra discounts and perks besides just roadside assistance, so it may be worth the relatively high price tag.

How Do I Get AAA Towing Services?

Once you’ve joined AAA, you can access towing services through the AAA mobile app or the online AAA Digital Roadside Request webpage. You also have the option to call 800-AAA-HELP (800-222-4357) for assistance. If you instead text “HELP” to the same number, you will receive a link you can use to submit your roadside assistance request.^[1]

AAA Roadside Assistance

AAA roadside assistance not only covers towing, but it also includes coverage for every major roadside service, plus other benefits. Examples of services you can receive from AAA include the following:^[1][11]

• Winching: If you can’t get your car out of a ditch or it gets stuck in mud, snow or ice, a technician from AAA may be able to travel to your location and help extract your vehicle.
• Battery support: AAA offers multiple services related to your car battery, including jumpstarts, testing and potentially even replacements, depending on your location. That said, you will have to pay for the battery separately if a AAA technician installs a new one into your car.
• Fuel delivery: You can ask AAA to bring you enough fuel to get to the nearest gas station if you run out of gasoline. Diesel may also be available, but you should be sure to ask up front since it isn’t an option in every region.
• Lockout services: Locksmith services are available through AAA if you get locked out of your vehicle. Keep in mind that your car may need to be towed to a AAA repair facility if the responding technician can’t successfully unlock it.
• Spare tire installations: While AAA may not provide a new tire in the event that you get a flat tire, it can send someone to install your spare tire for you. If you don’t have a spare or your spare is not in good condition, the technician can instead tow your car to a shop where your tire can be fixed or replaced.
• Minor auto repairs: Other services your AAA technician may be able to perform include checking fluids, inspecting wire connections and conducting other minor repairs that can help get your car back on the road. However, AAA won’t perform any onsite repairs that require new parts.
• Trip interruption: One of the benefits exclusively available to higher-tiered AAA plan members is car travel interruption, which may pay out as much as $1,500 to cover transportation, meals and hotel stays if you get into a car accident or your vehicle breaks down during a trip.
• Travel accident insurance: Another premium AAA benefit is travel accident insurance, which may pay out as much as $500,000 if you are injured while traveling at least 100 miles from home.