Before you finalize your travel plans through Costco Travel, here’s what you should be aware of.

When you think of Costco, you likely picture a bustling store with oversized packages of household goods and snacks. However, apart from the product-filled aisles, Costco offers a lesser-known service – Costco Travel, an in-house travel agency that allows you to secure outstanding vacation deals.

Discover what awaits you when you opt for Costco Travel to arrange your upcoming getaway.

What Exactly is Costco Travel?

Costco Travel serves as Costco’s internal travel agency, accessible to all Costco members. However, it requires a dedicated Costco Travel account for booking. While the Costco Travel website is open for anyone to explore, only members have the privilege to access pricing details and proceed with travel reservations.

Functioning like other online travel agencies, Costco Travel enables members to book comprehensive vacation packages, hotels, cruises, rental cars, and theme park tickets. It’s important to highlight that individual flight bookings are not permitted; they must be included as part of a comprehensive travel package.

Is a Costco Membership Essential for Costco Travel?

Yes, a Costco membership is a prerequisite for utilizing Costco Travel. Two membership levels are offered: the Gold Star membership, available at an annual fee of $60, and the Executive membership, which is priced at $120 per year.

The Executive membership proves advantageous for frequent Costco spenders, offering a 2% cashback on qualifying Costco purchases, including those made through Costco Travel, up to $1,000 per year. Opting for the Executive membership becomes a more economical choice than the Gold Star membership if your annual spending at Costco surpasses $3,000.

Executive members enjoy additional perks on select vacation packages, such as a $100 spa credit, a $100 resort credit, a $100 shipboard credit, a private beach lunch, and more. Frequently, these perks exceed the cost differential between Gold Star and Executive memberships.

Booking Options with Costco Travel

Hotels

While Costco Travel facilitates hotel bookings, the choices are limited unless the hotel is part of a vacation package. Some destinations, like Maui, Cancun, and Punta Cana, do not offer standalone hotels through Costco Travel. It’s crucial to acknowledge that reserving hotels affiliated with loyalty programs might not accrue points or elite night credits.

Cruises

Costco Travel provides cruise options from 11 cruise lines, including popular brands like Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian, and Princess. Although the prices may be similar to those on other cruise booking websites, Costco Travel frequently provides additional benefits like drink packages and complimentary Costco shop cards.

Theme Parks

Costco members can purchase Disney (U.S. locations only) and Universal Orlando vacation packages through Costco Travel, complete with hotel accommodations and theme park tickets. Extra benefits might encompass early park admission, transportation, waived resort fees, or a credit for food and beverages.

Rental Cars

Booking a rental car through Costco Travel is straightforward, with options from Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. Even though the search results are presented in a grid format for user convenience, it’s important to note that Costco Travel may not consistently offer the lowest prices as it excludes certain rental car companies.

Vacation Packages

Costco Travel provides vacation packages that include a hotel with either a flight a rental car, or both. These packages span destinations across North America, the South Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Specialty vacation packages are also available through select companies, offering significant savings and additional perks like airport transfers and Costco shop cards.

Although Costco Travel can represent a cost-effective choice, particularly for vacation packages, it is recommended to compare prices across multiple websites to secure the best deal tailored to your specific requirements.