Many years back, I bought an annual membership to Best Fares. I spent the year looking at their negotiated rates but never bought anything. I always found better prices on my own. After all, I wrote the book on finding airfare deals.

Although it is not a stated McCool Travel 2011 resolution, I want to revisit travel memberships to see if they offer better deals.

What is a travel membership? There are travel membership clubs and discount membership clubs. Are they the same?

My definition is that a travel membership is any group that offers its members negotiated discounts. I could start a McCool Travel Discount Membership Club. Want in?

Travel memberships are different than passes. You could buy an annual Delta Sky Club membership–or is it an annual pass? I will cover travel passes in a future post.

I have been a AAA member for 25 years and a Costco member for about 20 years. I am member of the Hertz #1 Club Gold and National’s Emerald Club (they are free). I regularly buy Entertainment books. I save money with these travel memberships–more than the annual fee–that is why I continue to be a member. These are kinds of travel memberships, along with AARP and many others.

I am curious about Spirit Airline’s $9 club and Peter Greenberg’s Insider group.

I will explore other travel memberships in 2011.

What are your travel membership experiences? Good ones? Bad ones?

Happy travels.

For frequent travel deals, follow me on Facebook (McCool Travel) and Twitter (@CharlesMcCool).

© 2010, Charles McCool

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