Everything you need to know about Costco Travel — and why I love it for saving money
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Costco is known for more than just bulk toilet paper, affordable fuel, cheap hot dogs, and gift cards. It is also a platform where you can book excellent vacations.
I admit that at TPG, we generally advise against using third-party travel sites because of the potential drawbacks compared to booking directly. However, I have become a major fan of the travel savings I can secure through this service in recent years.
When my best friend and I were planning our annual beach trip in 2022, she sent me a few links for all-inclusive Mexican resorts found on Costco Travel. I initially dismissed the idea, suggesting we would be better off booking directly—and neither of us even held a membership at the time.
However, after comparing the pricing and perks at several resorts, I realized my initial assessment was incorrect.
I ended up purchasing a Costco membership specifically to book the trip, as the membership fee was significantly lower than the savings we gained. We saved roughly $300 on a three-night stay at TRS Coral near Cancun, which is one of TPG’s top-rated all-inclusive resorts in the area. This savings was in addition to the free hydrotherapy spa circuit and a $241 Digital Costco Shop Card included with the package.
All Costco members have access to the Costco Travel booking platform, where you can search for and reserve a wide variety of trips, including vacation packages, hotels, cruises, and rental cars. You can even book theme park packages for Disney and Universal or specialized excursions like an African safari.
Once you sign in to Costco Travel, you can look for specific travel dates and <a t settled on a specific location.
Trips reserved through Costco Travel are frequently discounted or include extra perks that you might not receive when booking directly or through other portals. Most packages booked through this platform also include a Digital Costco Shop Card of varying value, which functions like a store gift card.
What travel can you book through Costco Travel?
You can reserve hotels, cruises, rental cars, and vacation packageseals to comprehensive bundles that include airfare, lodging, and rental vehicles. You also have the option to build your own custom package
However, it is important to note that you cannot book standalone flights. If you only need airfare, you should visit a site like Google Flights to compare options and book.
You can book Costco Travel offers either online or over the phone.
Do you have to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel?
Yes. Costco Travel is a service reserved exclusively for members.
There are two personal membership tiers: Gold Star and Executive. The Gold Star membership is $60 per year, while the Executive membership is $120. The standard membership provides access to all services, including travel, while the Executive level adds a 2% reward on all Costco and Costco Travel purchases.
I have found that the travel deals alone justify the $60 annual Gold Star fee, even though I do not use Costco for my regular grocery shopping.
You might want to check sites like Groupon for discounted memberships, as you can sometimes save on the initial fee or receive a gift card that helps cover the cost.
Is Costco Travel worth it?
Costco Travel has both advantages and disadvantages, but there are certainly instances where it provides great value.
For example, consider a five-night stay in Maui in early April. At the time of this writing, Costco is offering a hotel and rental car package for Hotel Wailea, a Relais & Chateaux property and one of TPG’s favorite Maui hotels.
Here is a cost comparison between the Costco Travel package and booking directly:
Costco Travel package
Booking directly
Hotel Wailea (garden-view suite for two adults)
$4,482.46 ($896.50 per night)
$4,595.78 ($919.16 per night)
Alamo intermediate car (Toyota Corolla or similar)
Included in the total package cost
$323.13 ($64.63 per night)
Additional perks and benefits
$306 Digital Costco Shop Card
Daily $60 breakfast credit per suite
Fifth night free at Hotel Wailea
Total cost
$4,482.46 ($896.50 per night)
$4,918.91 ($983.78 per night)
Even without factoring in the extra benefits, you are saving more than $400. When you include the daily breakfast and resort credit—which represents over $1,000 in value if fully utilized—you are looking at $1,442.45 in total savings compared to booking directly.
Because Hotel Wailea is not part of a major hotel loyalty program, booking through Costco does not result in missing out on elite night credits or other loyalty perks.
Here is another example, this time for a Universal Orlando theme park trip from June 4-6 for one adult and two children traveling from Houston. The total cost when booking each component (hotel, tickets, and airfare) separately came to $2,701.35, whereas the package deal was cheaper.
That is a significant amount of savings that could be spent on frozen butterbeer or a new wand at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Flights on United round-trip from Houston to Orlando (tickets for three)
Included in the total package cost
$1,188.57
Two-night stay at Hyatt Place Across from Universal Orlando Resort
Included in the total package cost
$402
Two-day, park-to-park tickets, including two bonus days (tickets for three)
Included in the total package cost
$1,110.78
Total cost
$2,400.50
$2,701.35
When is Costco Travel not worth it?
Not every offer on the Costco platform is a good deal.
For one thing, you may not find the same availability as you would elsewhere. For instance, flights booked through Costco might have limited seat inventory, and certain hotel dates may be blocked out. Furthermore, not every rental car company is available through the platform (such as Hertz, which is my preferred provider due to perks from my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card).
Additionally, some hotels have minimum stay requirements. If you are planning a quick weekend trip, you might not be able to utilize certain Costco Travel offers.
Even when you find availability, you should always compare prices against booking directly or through your credit card travel portal and hotel loyalty programs.
After our successful trip to TRS Coral, I looked into booking through Costco again in 2023 for our annual beach vacation.
While Costco had an offer for the same resort, we happened to be booking during a Mother’s Day sale held by the resort chain for direct bookings. We were able to try a different TRS property, TRS Yucatan, and saved more than $100 on a superior suite compared to the Costco offer, even after accounting for the value of the Digital Shop Card.
Another factor to consider is loyalty program rewards and elite status. Many hotels available on Costco Travel are part of major loyalty programs like Hyatt Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, or IHG One Rewards. However, booking through Costco—much like using other third-party services like Expedia—means you likely will not earn loyalty points, elite night credits, or receive elite status benefits.
You will also need to rely on Costco customer service if you encounter any issues, rather than dealing directly with the travel provider. This is particularly important when booking packages that include flights, given the increased risk of delays or cancellations.
Why I love Costco Travel
I am usually a strong advocate for booking directly, but Costco Travel is an exception. I have found that the benefits I receive by booking certain trips through Costco outweigh the minor inconveniences of using their customer service or occasionally missing out on elite night credits.
Digital Costco Shop Cards
My favorite aspect of booking through Costco Travel is the Digital Costco Shop Card I receive after the trip. The value varies based on the package price, but it can provide hundreds of dollars to spend at Costco.
These digital cards can be used for warehouse purchases—which is a major help given the impact of inflation on grocery prices—but they can also be applied toward future Costco Travel bookings. Remember that Costco sells more than just bulk groceries; you could use the credit for a new television, outdoor patio furniture, or even pharmacy prescriptions.
While I don’t shop at Costco for groceries often because buying in bulk isn’t ideal for a single person, I have used these shop cards to help fund Christmas gifts and future vacations. I have even considered using my most recent card toward a new pair of AirPods and a TV mount.
Deals on non-points <a t decided on a specific <a t make sense to use points.
Costco Travel packages offer a way for us all to save money and make the process of narrowing down <a t dismiss Costco Travel as just another standard online travel agency.
If you know where to look and are willing to compare prices, you can save a significant amount of money using Costco Travel deals. I have personally had great success booking getaways for friends to popular destinations like Mexico. Using the service has also helped me offset other expenses thanks to the Digital Costco Shop Cards I have received with my bookings.
For me, the $60 annual membership fee has been well worth it to gain access to Costco Travel.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through Dec. 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.