My review is for AAA Travel - After retiring I was ready to find "that big trip" to help me unwind and have something major to look forward to. I highly recommend that you sit down with Carmen. Carmen is obviously experienced and excited to help you make the most of your experience. No planning is what I like - Carmen took care of everything, air travel, extra side excursions, etc. I wound up with the "bucket list trip" extraordinaire! Happy - you bet. Kudos Carmen. read more

AAA - Amherst - Get your travel on! - Travel Services Near Me - Williamsville, New York

I had to get a new passport photo taken and the post office wasn't able to take one. They sent me next door to AAA to get a photo taken there. This office was so nice on the inside. I've driven by before and always wondered what was in there. They had everything from travel supplies, luggage, and plenty of agents to help you book a vacation or get a membership. I even noticed they had charging stations for electric vehicles outside which would be great to know since I recently got an electric car. Anyways, back to the photo. I walked in, was greeted by an agent and she took me over to grab my mugshot. They printed it out and gave me a couple of copies. The whole thing only cost around $15, which is what it costs at the post office too. I think I will definitely be back to check out the stuff they have inside because I saw some great luggage and items for a couple of trips I have planned coming up. read more

I am a AAA member and have been for years now. I have been to this location a few times, once to sign my daughter up for driving classes. I strongly encourage anyone that wants to learn how to drive, or even want to improve on defensive driving. Should sign up and attend their classes. I found myself recently coming here now, for all my currency exchanges. AAA makes it so easy to get whatever funds you may need. Normally you can receive your order within a few days. read more

My car got stuck at 9:30 outside of a school entrance and I called a triple A and I couldn't get anybody on the phone. I was forced to talk to a recording. For six hours, I was waiting to get somebody on the phone. And then after I reached a representative, I told him I was waiting for 6 hours and he told me no I wasn't and I knew I waited for 6 hours because the time was 4:00 by then. it's probably one of the worst service. nobody in buffalo should get AAA unless you want to wait 6 hours to talk to someone and no tow truck ended up showing up and my car got impounded and I had to pay $350 to get it out read more

I've had AAA since I got my first car in high school. My parents got it for me and after I moved out of the house I started paying for it myself. It's been worth it, I've needed a tow and jump start a couple of times over the years, and have made use of the travel planning services including maps and the tour books back before smart phones. On this occasion my wife and I were here to book a trip. We came in on a Saturday without an appointment, which we knew was our fault but the trip we wanted to take was filling up and we were in a bit of a rush. Not only were they able to take us without an appointment but we lucked out an Mamie was working and was able to see us after her scheduled appointment. We had worked with Mamie a few years ago to book our honeymoon. By going through AAA instead of direct with Viking we were able to get some additional discounts, plus ship board credit. read more

I have had a AAA membership for many years. I think my father originally got it for me when I started driving. Had to use it a few times over the years for things like dead batteries or locking keys in the car (now my car won't allow me to do that!). Normally thought it's for peace of mind and for travel. Today I stopped in this location to pick up a couple of maps for an upcoming trip. Not to long ago I went to a different location and it was quite a long process. Today, easy! Gave the woman at the desk my membership card and she went and got what I needed. Very friendly. Asked if I needed anything else and I was out the door. She did tell me that the tour books will be completely online by the end of the year. Makes sense. Total visit about 5 minutes. Exactly the kind of visit I wanted. 2021-147 read more

AAA - Amherst - Travel Services Near Me - Williamsville, New York

On 8/4/25, I had a new battery installed by a AAA contractor in Henrietta, NY. But he didn't give me a warranty. I assumed they would be sending it to my email address. They didn't. Ten days later, I called this office. They said they'd get on it. I received a letter which said that "the contractor that serviced you entered incorrect information". Hmm. He wouldn't be the only one. After I provided my info, I got a warranty for the battery via email. But the price listed was $269.99, when I had paid $221.39. I mentioned this is in a return email. Then I was emailed another warranty, with the proper price, but now the make of the vehicle was wrong. My Jeep was listed as a Lexus. Then they sent me a third warranty with the make/model section blank. So...I had to write it in by hand, making it look like a forgery. I would have let this issue lie, if it were not for what happened today, 10/9/25. I was getting an inspection at a dealership, and was told that my vehicle did not pass. I would have to drive it a number of miles, then return it, to eliminate the system-failure messages. Why? The battery installer, on 8/4/25, had disconnected the battery while the car was running. I understand that this is a no-no with modern computer-run cars. It screws up the ability of the computer to communicate between systems. So...let AAA jumpstart you, but DO NOT let them install a battery. A breathtaking number of inconveniences (including putting many gratuitous miles on my vehicle) for a single transaction to generate (I'm not forgetting the postage stamp & envelope, when they could have contacted me by email), don't you think? read more

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. I have been a member of AAA for over 50 years and pay several hundred dollars a year for me and my families membership, Recently, went into this location to make travel plans. Was told they were too busy, even though the customer parking lot was empty, no customers were in the office and the numerous travel representatives were just sitting at their desks and staring at the computer screen. Will never go back there again for travel and will NOT be renewing my membership!!! read more

When you or your loved one take a driving course, AAA refuses to provide you with timely certificate or even the number afterward, causing you to wait there weeks for something they already have immediately. In short, they take your money immediately but are slow to deliver the product you paid for! Other companies provide the completion certificate to you instantaneously so you can move on with your life. We will never use AAA again, completely unhelpful and a dinosaur in this digital age. Join the 21st century already! read more

I called for a tow at 8:40 pm , a text was sent to my phone to open the tow claim using gos to located the vehicle, the app said it would take 2 hours for the tow truck to arrive. I decided to patiently wait . Around 9;40 I received a 40 minute countdown I waited the 40 minutes to get a new message a tow would be arriving soon. Getting frustrated I called the international drive headquarters and navigated the poorly designed I've tree and finally got to speak with someone that was able to confirm my tow was scheduled but could not give an estimated time of arrival. I feel that the app is lousy and if it should have the ability to give someone an accurate estimate of arrival. I have been a member over 35 years and pay over $200 for an annual membership. I will not be renewing my membership read more

I haves booked 10 tours in the past 10 years. I had to cancel my cruise for this year do to personal reasons. Well I lost my deposit and had to pay an additional $100 AAA cancellation fee? Well it looks like I will be booking my future cruises on line! read more

we had issues with aaa with safelite replacing our front window. horrible experience with aaa never taking responsibility for the faulty instillation where our brakes failed us and we broke down in the middle of an intersection. horrible customer service read more

My car would not start on Wednesday, August 8th. It was 11a.m. and I had to be at the Erie County Fair at 1p.m. The noise coming from the car was strange sounding; we did not think it was the battery. My husband thought it was the " start motor". We called AAA. Unfortunately I did not get the name of the man who came out. It was another hot and humid day and he had a smile on his face and an upbeat attitude. He tested the battery and got the car started. He told us not to turn off the car and made arrangements for another AAA emergency truck to meet me at the Fair with a new battery. Our battery was not going to hold the charge(which turned out to be true once we got to the Fair, parked, turned off the car and tried to turn it back on). This AAA service man saved the day, and with a smile on his face. I regret I did not get his name! read more

We normally plan our own trips, but when planning for our honeymoon trip abroad, we wanted an expert's advice on visa requirements, etc. We didn't make an appointment, but it wasn't a problem (I'm not even sure if they take appointments). We came in on a Saturday, went up to the front desk, and they told us we could sit down in the waiting area while they paired us with a river cruise expert. The waiting area was nice and had a fancy, complementary hot drink/coffee maker. By the time I could decide what I wanted to drink, the travel agent came right over and introduced herself. She didn't rush us and said to come by once we had our drinks, which was nice. Mamie, who recently got back from a Danube River Cruise, was awesome with booking our trip and giving us advice. She also was patient and very knowledgeable, answering all of our questions. I still recommend doing you own research before coming in, because she had to work with the Viking agent to book our trip and Viking was recommending the more expensive dates first. If you're looking for expert advice for your trip, or a deal, I highly recommend stopping in if you have a AAA membership! read more

I have kept my membership in the AAA for years. Recently I experienced a tire blowing out while driving on Klein Rd. at regular speed. It was frightening to have an actual blown tire. I called for help and the AAA truck was there within 15 minutes. Much to my surprise the driver told me he would drive me to Zinny's Mobile and another truck would bring the car. I was on a cane because of a recovering broken femur so his kindness went a long way.... he helped me discuss the car's needs at Zinny's and then drove me home. Kudos to the truck driver!! read more

Ahhh the AAA. I do make use of this membership. I came to this location recently as I was in the area anyway. Its is the largest in the area, and its where they hold defensive driving classes and things like that. Parking is easy here too, plenty of spots in a large lot. This location does get some traffic, and you may have to wait a little while, but once you are called, the help is friendly and useful. I am usually here to pick up maps and things like that. They have both maps you can fold out and then map books,. Both serve a great purpose, and with membership all are free. I find their books very useful, especially when visiting a new town and looking for things to do. The maps are great to use to plan a trip and also get some new ideas. These days there is an online tool they have for members. AAA version of MapQuest really. You can drop ion where you want to go and sites along the way, and it will show you a few different routes. Say you don't want a highway, it'll take you backroads. I have only used this on a desktop and am not sure if there's an app for it. If you are in the area, this location is just fine. So "Im a Fan", which is true of both the location and the membership overall. read more

AAA goes above and beyond every time. So refreshing to have such amazing customer service for anything roadside assistance-related. It's so affordable too and they've done way more for me and my travels than my auto insurance company ever has. Tip: even if you lock your car keys in Canada or experience some sort of problem on the other side of the border, they will help you with your AAA membership. Just the other day my fiance's battery died and I was about forty minutes away. I called AAA asking if they could help jump start her car (even though she's not a member) and they said they would do it as a one-time courtesy. It doesn't get better than this. At this location, you can grab maps, trip tics, discounts, etc. AAA = AAA+++. read more

Ok. So in June I had an issue with my car, and since I hadn't had a car for a while my membership had lapsed. I was FORCED to pay an additional fee for them to service my car immediately - this was and is BS considering all the years I've been a member. Then I never get a membership card, so I call today ( 9/16) and Thaddeus asked me to confirm the address ... when I do he unapologetically tells me the problem was that it shows "Buffalo Ave" (the city, and not my actual address) - I referred to the person who took the information as an "idiot" - because clearly she was - it doesn't take much to get address input correct. Thaddeus (as pretentious as his name) decides he has it in his ability to be condescending to me and suggest that I should be an adult and not call people names. Really? Here's the fact of the matter - if he'd have simply said, " we are sorry sir, but it looks like an error was made - we regret any inconvenience this has caused" (or the like) - rather than his marmy, it doesn't really matter, people make mistakes posturing - I'd have not been angry about it. Then he asked me if I wanted to upgrade to unlimited tow coverage. I think AAA is a bully if an organization that preys on people who are in need of emergency auto services. If it wasn't a necessity in this area, I wouldn't pay a dime. I'm going to look into other options for next year - you should too! read more

I have taken over 10 cruises and tours in the pat 10 years. I had to cancel a recent tour do to personal reasons and I knew I would loose the deposit. Now by my surprise I was charged an additional $100.00 for a AAA cancellation fee. Well seems I will book my future tours on line! read more

A friend and I decided to go on an away Buffalo Bills game to New York for the Monday night game on 9/11. I've been to several away games with the Bills but never with AAA. It was the worst experience. I have severe knee problems. At the international drive office I booked with Kathy. It was set up that I have an aisle seat on bus and at the game. It's all spelled out on my invoice. Angela the tour director said I don't have aisle anything. Fortunately my friend let me have aisle seat on bus. The seats at game were seats 1-25. She gave me. 20. Why couldn't I have seat 1? Because she gave them to someone else and would not ask them to move. My knees were horrid for days because I was squished in. So much for being handicapped. The tailgate party was pathetic also. Two hours with included only beer and pop to drink and hamburger and hot dogs. I've been to other away tailgate parties and it's 4 hours, literally anything you want to drink and any imaginable food item. Never again with AAA. Of course I tried to call and got Kathy the agents voice mail. She sis call back several days later and left me a voicemail. Wasn't interested in what I had to say, just left message she'll leave a message with member services read more

I encountered Dan on my first tow pick up he was really friendly and understanding it diverted my thoughts of how nice he was then my car in a dire situation. Thank you Dan read more

I stopped by at the Williamsville Office last January (ie, before any "Pandemic" excuses) and experienced unbelievable service so unbecoming of service reps there not just to me as a Premier member for 38 years, but also as a basic human being. I sincerely was convinced, especially after another Caucasian member there later affirmed to me outside this office, that most staff at his office resent members of a darker hue. Indeed, numerous follow-up calls to the insurance agents at his office failed to produce return calls, leave alone the assured service. This merely mimicked the intake reps and other associates at this office -- perhaps permanently blemishing the century long service allegedly awaiting motorists. Hey Williamsville AAA staff: "All Members Matter!" read more

This morning I started my day with a text message from my wife containing a picture of her tire pressure warning light. She was at her office in Williamsville. I thought of driving there to check it out as occasionally the sensors can be set off by a minimal PSI change. I had her check the app for her car on her phone and unfortunately this wasn't the case as the difference was 12 psi. I had her call AAA who advised they could be to her office within 1/2 hour. The driver came and found she had a nail in her tire. He put air in her tire so she could drive to a repair shop. He didn't stop with just putting air in her tire. He followed her all the way to the repair shop to make sure she made it safely. Us having AAA as a family has taken away a great deal of worry and work for me as was the case today. We'll continue to renew our membership for the piece of mind they provide as well as other services such as travel and discounts. read more

My husband and I came here on a weeknight evening to get our international drivers licenses for an upcoming trip. They took our photos and cashed us out and we were in and out in less than 15 minutes. The service was great! read more

I want to complain about the condescending phone service I received this morning from a female operator. On Friday Sept 13th my car broke down due to a broken brake line, so I called AAA for towing. That operator told me I could have the car towed to a garage for service or to my home. I elected to have it towed to my home, so I could attempt the repair myself, and asked the operator if I was unable to fix it, if it could be towed a second time to a garage, since it cannot be driven with a broken brake line. He said yes they could do that because I was a long time customer. When I called in this morning to have it towed to a garage, the female operator was very condescending and treated me like a was trying to abuse my coverage, saying AAA is not a towing service. Before I ended the call, I asked her to tell me how long I had been a AAA member, she said since 2008, and in that time, I had no reported incidents. So why was I treated this way from this operator? The previous operator from Friday's call was very nice, so I am not complaining about the AAA system, just the way I was treated by today's operator. I would appreciate if a supervisor could contact me back to address the situation with today's operator and review the importance of making the customer feel valued. Today I just feel like Grandpa Simpson having to write this letter. Thank you. read more

Member for over 11 years and I can honestly say it is worth every dime. They've retrieved keys from inside my locked vehicle at least 5 times, cleaned out a corroded battery and replaced a slashed tire. I would be lost without them. Today they responded to my service call in only 30 minutes. The technicians were two young, incredibly friendly and efficient guys who did not cause any damage to my vehicle when unlocking the doors. The other services provided by AAA are equally invaluable. Go here to stock up on travel guides and maps, and speak to one of their friendly agents who can help you plan your trip. read more

I have been a member for a few years and have not had to use the emergency services. I called for a "gas report" because of Ida and got caught in their automated system. I just want a real person to direct my call, not stumble around menus only to get dead ended and disconnected. read more

Wow. I was NOT expecting a pleasant experience here at AAA Travel & Insurance Center on International Drive in Williamsville. It just does not get any better than this customer service. Our helper was Liz, who greeted us with a smile. She walked us to her desk to discuss adding a family member to the AAA plan I was already enrolled in and to see about obtaining some travel advice and maps. Liz was as good as it gets, cheerful and friendly while listening to our requests. We added a family member to the plan and then she asked if there was anything else, and I remembered members get discounts on movie tickets, so I purchased four ($8/ea vs $10.50 at Regal). She returned with the debit card and movie passes and then wanted to remind us to always, always show our AAA card anywhere we shop. She informed us that many places give a 10-15% discount just for having AAA, such as Payless Shoes. We learned if we visit the Outlet malls, stop by the mall customer service desk and receive a coupon book, free (Green Savings Cards - show your AAA/CAA card welcome program). How thrilling to learn about the discount at NOCO (Swipe your AAA membership card ONCE at the pump and watch the price per gallon automatically reduce by 3¢!). This adds up when your dang car drinks premium gas. Oh, and you can also enroll in AAA Pay and use your AAA Membership Card to pay at the pump at Noco Express (Swipe your new AAA Membership Card ONCE MORE, enter your PIN to authorize payment, and watch the price per gallon automatically reduce by a total of 10¢) to save even more. You can purchase money saving tickets for Darien Lake for much less than at the Park. We left with a lot of ideas for saving money, learned to show our AAA Membership card more often, and with a bagful of maps, a TripTik, a ferry schedule and books for our destination. One more hint Liz gave my guest was to consider a waterproof container for her cell phone since kayaking may involve a man-overboard. She showed us to the wall of travel paraphernalia and snagged the one she herself used when she kayaked. It was a waterproof bag that allowed use of the phone while contained and the neatest part was that should you upend your vessel, the phone would FLOAT! Plus the thing was just $10, cheap insurance to protect a smartphone that wouldn't have the sense to float of its own volition. I did not expect such a pleasant experience here at AAA, it was not positive in the past. But it gets a full five stars and fireworks for excellent customer service from Liz. read more

AAA - Amherst - Friendly customer service - Travel Services Near Me - Williamsville, New York

See all

It is very cold outside and I am dashing from job number one to job number two. The car has been making an on and off whining noise and after parking, eating, and running out to tuck my day clothing in the car, I see a lot of green stuff around the car like a moat! Now what? My dad is 75 and it's too bitter cold to ask a guy with a tired ticker to check it out. My son is miles away and his car broke two weeks ago. All the rest of my family might as well be on Mars. I think OK ,join the auto club, as I heard you can do that the moment you need help. Yes, you certainly can join, but if you need immediate service you do need to know there is a premium tacked on. Just a few dollars that a customer service rep waived as I was a member before for many years. Well, it's very cold in Buffalo right now, my friends, and that can only mean one thing: AAA drivers are the businest guys out there tonight. Fortunately, I'm at work, safe and warm, with lots of good food. I place my emergency call an hour before I knock off at ten pm, They tell me it's an average 75 minute wait. They call me to let me know that a driver will be right there in a little bit he is only just down the street. They call back to apologize but dispatched him to a guy who is stranded in a car that won't start and he has no heat. They call back to apologize that it is taking so long and tell me not only will they waive this nights call but that they will ask the driver to take me right home after dropping my car off at the garage. The driver is very pleasant. He is from Niagara Falls and has been in my area taking care of calls for four hours and his night is not over yet. He's on the road for a while yet. In the cold. Remember that and be nice to him. My experience with the company years ago was frustrating because New York State has rules. Too many of them that tend to interfere with old fashioned good customer service. Like legally only two people can ride in the car with the driver and if the driver has a budddy with him that can be a problem if you have a passenger. So, I am rescued and warm, safe at home, now, I can get free maps (triptics) to anywhere I want to go and after I pay the repair bill for the car I can even browse and see about Triple A discounts on trips, etc. So, I make the most of it and let you all know that if you read my traumatic experiences with a competitor listed in my reviews earlier last year I can finally say I am getting my money's worth and am a satisfied customer. read more

Never came to help in when I had a glare tire and had to drive to a gas station. Really

So if I could I would give this a 0 review. I got my car towed and the guy did damage to my car and they are refusing to pay it because they have no "proof" well I had 4 witnesses to the incident and also had video but unfortunately the videos delete after two weeks and now I have no way to get them back. The guy made a statement saying that he did drive off the side of the trailer but he didn't hit or scrape anything. Unfortunately I couldn't be there when my car was towed so I had to get the phone call at work saying that he did damage to my car. Very disappointed and very very angry. I would not recommend getting your car towed by them especially when you have a standard car. The guy also had stated that he thought the towing job would have been easier than it was so clearly the guy didn't know what he was doing. read more

AAA - Amherst - These are the photos of my damaged car - Travel Services Near Me - Williamsville, New York

See all

Friendly staff that caters to AAA members. I have been a member for over 10 years so I never have a problem however I can see why someone would be turned off by this place if they walked in off the street seeking travel information and did not have a membership. The vacation planning staff is very helpful and seems to know a lot however a bit pushy even though they say they do not make commission it sure doesn't seem that way. All in all a good choice for travel advise, I would go again. read more

My husband and I have been members of Triple A as long as I can remember in several states, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, etc. Since moving back to WNY, I have worked with Lisa Lavender for all of my travel needs. The travel has included personal as well as her help with scheduling a cruise for a family reunion. Well at this year's family reunion after we decided to go on a cruise again. I reached out to Triple AAA once again hoping to connect with Lisa Lavender. After having no success, leaving her voice mails and texts, someone from the company finally reached out to me. After some frustrations I finally connected with Jennie Todd. We got off to a rough start but I thought things were going okay. Apparently I was wrong. She informed me that she would not hold any cabins on the cruise for the family members and my daughter had a credit with the cruise line but that credit could not be used to reserve a cabin on the cruise for the reunion. I gave her several dates, cruise lines and places to check for the family reunion. We finally decided on a date, and cruise we would like to take. I informed Jennie and asked her if she could reserve about 10 cabins, 2 inside, 4 ocean view, and 2 balcony. She informed me she could not reserve any cabins. She sent me the information for the cruise with the prices and I forwarded to the family. I gave them a deposit deadline of Sept 30th. Some members of the family wanted to extend it out to 11/1. I informed Jennie and she informed me the price may increase so I let the family know. In the meantime I asked her about using a credit from the cruise line to use a deposit for the cruise. She informed me that could not be done. The bottom line is this, that is not true, neither is the fact that she couldn't hold any cabins for us. The family is now working with a different Triple A in another state. This representative was able to reserve 10 cabins for us and by the way I was able to use the cruise credit to reserve a cabin on this cruise. Maybe Jennie just started, didn't know she could reserve cabins or use a cruise credit to book another cruise, I don't know but she is one representative I wouldn't recommend. The next trip I plan will not be with this Triple A if this is the type of employees they having working for them now. read more

Really great customer service. I came here for a trip tik for my trip to the Adirondacks. I was set up with numerous maps, tour guide books and tips for where my AAA membership will get me discounts locally, as well. I walked away glad that I have a membership and look forward to renewing it. read more

Road service for Triple-A has deteriorated substantially in recent years. Had a flat tire in the City of Buffalo a couple days ago and it took an hour and a half for them to arrive. Basically what I was told that is how long it takes. That is the standard. It used to be an hour and a half in the middle of a snowstorm. At this point even in an emergency you cannot depend on them . read more

Love aaa I work here so you know it's an amazing place :) there great for all your travel and road service needs.. We've been around since 1902 .. Must be doing something right ! read more

They screwed up the birth dates on our reservations. As if I don't have enough to do the day before our vacation, now I have to either schlepp to the airport at 4 am or spend hours dealing with this. You would think they would be aware of what us required....... read more

Booked a trip for a family funeral in Washington at Arlington national cemetery then recently I went to get insurance from them and they gave me a very good price and coverage well worth the membership price read more

I have been a member of AAA for 49 years now, and have ALWAYS had superior service from roadside assistance, to getting maps, Triptiks, and guide books. But then it got even better. My husband and I first met Maureen Talavera, AAA Travel Consultant, in early 2002, when we were contemplating going on our first overseas trip to the UK. Hearing our budget, she suggested a coach tour with Trafalgar for us, and our world travels began. Every year since, Maureen has arranged all of our travels, but so much more than that. In July, 2005, we were nearing the finish of our Ireland coach tour, intending to fly on to London for a week. Then the bombing attacks on the London Tube occurred 2 days before our scheduled flight. When we returned to our hotel room in Dublin, we got a phone call from Maureen. She offered to arrange a flight home from Dublin for us if we were uncomfortable going on to London. We assured her we were very comfortable, and the week was uneventful. But Maureen's caring for our welfare and ease was something we weren't expecting from a travel agent. For the past 13 years, Maureen has arranged a mother/daughter cruise for me and my now 93 year old mother, and as Mother has aged, Maureen has arranged for all necessary services, and delighted Mother by surprising us with wine, cake, and specialty restaurants. All these years of about 20 coach tours, several independently arranged tours, and about 20 cruises, Maureen has attended to every detail from booking, to providing us with travel tips and information. She has helped us with visas, all travel documents in a clear order with important information highlighted, and compensation for medical expenses incurred overseas. We always have delightful conversations a week after we return to share concerns, but mostly my raving enthusiastically about the latest trip as I tell Maureen detailed anecdotes. We have been the envy of many people we have met all over the world, whose travel agents haven't come close to Maureen's expertise or ability to find the most affordable trips, add-ons, and accommodations to meet our needs. Nor have we expected little surprises like hors d'oeuvres and champagne in our hotel room or ship cabin over the years. These touches have just added a special glow to already fantastic trips. We have two future trips already mapped out with Maureen, and we just booked the biggest and longest trip of our lives with her. Her response to that has been generous and overwhelming. We are SO fortunate to have found Maureen Talavera at AAA 17 years ago! She is clearly the role model for every travel agent. read more

For WNYers, AAA as you'll experience it has a dual identity: the sharp, knowledgeable employees at the Amherst/International Drive office and the courteous but not-nearly-as-capable staff at AAA's call center in Liverpool, NY (near Syracuse). On a positive note: The ladies at the front desk at the Amherst International Drive office are fast and helpful when it comes to providing AAA Tourbooks and maps and the travel agent I most recently dealt with was friendly and very knowledgeable about my destination. If this review were only for the Amherst/International Drive office, I'd happily give four or five stars. Membership, towing and other services for WNYers used to be handled by the competent, on-the-ball staff at the Amherst International Drive office. Nowadays these services, at least by phone, are handled by AAA's Liverpool, NY call center and the level of service has declined. Towing services, especially, have declined. I should know -- I've been a member for more than 30 years. The most recent example: Yesterday I called for a tow. The Road Assistance dispatchers for Western and Central NY are located in Liverpool (near Syracuse), know nothing about the Buffalo area, and they tend to be extremely slow and ignorant. After waiting a very, very long time to be connected with a dispatcher and after a lengthy conversation involving the dispatcher's having to enter every last thing about my membership and vehicle into the computer system, I was informed that I would have to wait 3 HOURS FOR A TOW. Are you kidding me -- 3 HOURS FOR A TOW in mid-June? What kind of service is that? This isn't the first time in recent memory that towing services have been unacceptable. Two calls ago (again, via the Liverpool dispatch center), when I requested that my vehicle be towed to a dealership -- which has a couple of locations in the Buffalo area -- AAA's dispatcher in Liverpool had my car towed to the WRONG location, even though I had clearly specified the correct address. When I called about the problem, another dispatcher in Liverpool refused to help get my car towed to the right location (citing AAA's "one tow per incident" policy) and I had to escalate the call to a supervisor in order to get the matter resolved. Also, in a recent call to Membership Services, the associate appeared to be helpful but she made a big mistake that required yet another call to correct. When you call AAA, even with a phone number that begins with (716), you're likely to get a person at the Liverpool office, so here are some tips on getting quality customer service: Unless you have a towing issue, insist that the call be transferred to someone (anyone) at the Amherst/International Drive office or call 716-630-3799 and ask for a rep at the Amherst office and you'll be connected directly to the Amherst International Drive office. Believe me, you'll be glad you did. ***6/22 Per Jerry H's comment, I just called 800-836-2582, which connected to the Liverpool call center, and asked to speak with Member Relations. The call center agent said he didn't know what that was and he didn't know where to transfer the call. Point made. read more