Quick answer: AAA is worth it for members who want lockout help bundled with roadside service, but a local locksmith is faster for a full car key replacement and can help with home and business locks too. This guide compares AAA and a locksmith for Indianapolis drivers. For example, GEICO roadside assistance covers a lockout locksmith up to $100, though not the cost of new keys.
Both can get you back into a locked car. The right choice depends on whether you are a member, what is locked, and whether you need new keys.
What AAA Offers for a Lockout
AAA is a membership club, so lockout help is a member benefit. AAA dispatches pre-screened local providers to its members when you are locked out of a vehicle.
A lockout counts as one of four roadside events per year. AAA also covers drivers, not specific vehicles, so the benefit follows you in any car.
Reimbursement depends on your membership tier:
- AAA Classic Members receive $50 locksmith reimbursement for vehicles
- AAA Plus Members receive $100 locksmith reimbursement for vehicles
- AAA Premier Members receive $150 locksmith reimbursement for vehicles and homes
Members can submit a locksmith reimbursement request if they call their own locksmith. So AAA can pay part of a locksmith bill even when it does not send someone.
What a Locksmith Service Offers
A locksmith is a service you call directly, with no membership needed. A professional locksmith unlocks the car, and can also cut and program new keys on the spot.
Locksmiths offer residential, commercial, and automotive services. That means the same locksmith who opens your car can also rekey your house or fix a business lock.
AAA can open a locked car, but it does not make car keys. If you lost your keys, a locksmith is the one who cuts and programs a replacement, so the car actually starts.
A locksmith service is available for a car lockout, a house lockout, or a business lockout service. The lockout service is fast, and the same locksmith service also covers new keys, rekeys, and lock repair.
Because a locksmith service is a direct call, there is no membership to buy and no yearly limit on how often you use the service. You pay per job, and the locksmith gives a free estimate before the service begins.
AAA vs Locksmith: The Key Differences
Both open a locked vehicle, but they are not the same service. Here is how AAA and a locksmith compare for an Indianapolis lockout.
Speed: a local locksmith often arrives faster, since AAA routes the call through a dispatcher to a third-party provider. Cost: AAA lockout help is included for members, while a locksmith charges per job but gives a free estimate up front.
Keys: AAA only unlocks the car, but a locksmith unlocks it and makes new keys. Reach: AAA covers vehicles only, while a locksmith covers cars, homes, and businesses.
When AAA Makes Sense
AAA is a good fit if you already pay for a membership and want lockouts, towing, and jump-starts in one plan. For a simple car lockout, using your member benefit is a smart, low-cost move.
Just remember the yearly limit and that AAA does not make keys. If you are close to your four service calls, save the AAA benefit for a tow and call a locksmith for the lockout service.
AAA works best when you are locked out of a car and are already a member. For a member, a bundled lockout service alongside towing is convenient and low cost.
When to Call a Locksmith Lockout Service Instead
Call a locksmith when you lost your keys, need a spare, or the lockout is at your home or business. A locksmith gives quick service and makes new keys the same visit.
Non-members should call a locksmith directly, since there is no membership to buy first. Chief of Locks serves Indianapolis 24/7. Call (317) 671-7873 for a fast quote. You can verify a locksmith through the Associated Locksmiths of America. Consumer Reports offers independent advice on locks and car keys.