Good Sam's vs. KOA
Which card gives the best value?
Forum Discussion
KOA rewards program is worthwhile if you like to stay at KOA. My wife liked KOA, so she kept it up while she was still alive. While KOA is a franchise, and parks are independently owned, the KOA card and rewards program is good only at KOA. KOA parks may also do discounts for other programs and affinities (including Good Sam).
We were Good Sam members from the beginning, so we could buy the Emergency Road Service. The discount is nice, but often a RV park giving a GS discount would be giving same discount for AARP or AAA or some other affinity.
My experience is that discount offers are discounts from standard price, what the hospitality business calls the "rack rate." Just as with hotels, there will be a range of prices for the same facility, depending on state of the business. The park may have group rates lower than the going rate for the day, discount card will usually not discount the group rate, may not even discount the going rate for the day, only discount the standard rate.
For discounts at private parks, Passport America is probably best, often 50% discount for at least one night, if business conditions allow discounts.
Since my wife died, I tend to use public campgrounds rather than RV parks. So I let the KOA lapse, have kept the GS membership going (for ERS) but don't think I've used the discount because all of my visits to Good Sam parks have been for group activities and I've taken the group rate so group gets use of group facilities.
We were Good Sam members from the beginning, so we could buy the Emergency Road Service. The discount is nice, but often a RV park giving a GS discount would be giving same discount for AARP or AAA or some other affinity.
My experience is that discount offers are discounts from standard price, what the hospitality business calls the "rack rate." Just as with hotels, there will be a range of prices for the same facility, depending on state of the business. The park may have group rates lower than the going rate for the day, discount card will usually not discount the group rate, may not even discount the going rate for the day, only discount the standard rate.
For discounts at private parks, Passport America is probably best, often 50% discount for at least one night, if business conditions allow discounts.
Since my wife died, I tend to use public campgrounds rather than RV parks. So I let the KOA lapse, have kept the GS membership going (for ERS) but don't think I've used the discount because all of my visits to Good Sam parks have been for group activities and I've taken the group rate so group gets use of group facilities.
