Christina

John, are you sure that the AAA card has ATM fees? I'm sure Amex probably does, they soak you for everything, but I know when AAA first introduced that card, they said it had no ATM fees until you used up the minimum withdrawal number you are allowed (which as I recall was high enough for the average traveler). This was one advantage over your own ATM card. Other than that, I think its main advantage was for unusual situations where people didn't have an ATM card (buying one for kids or other people, etc). As I recall, there were no fees to buy the AAA card and no ATM withdrawl fees, either (up to some limit).

I myself was skeptical about the exchange rate they gave you for a foreign currency, but the article I read claimed there wasn't any surcharge over bank rate. I wasn't sure I believed that, as then it would truly be a service with no revenue and I can't believe they'd do that. I was going to get one to try it out as I am a AAA member, but never got around to it.