Is Costco Travel a Good Deal? Here’s What You Need to Know
Costco’s affordable pantry staples, bulk buys and famously cheap food court have been feeding a deal-hungry fan base for nearly 50 years. Beyond the affordable food, beverages, home goods and gifts they’re known for, the big-box brand also offers Costco vacation deals. But is Costco Travel a good deal?
“If you’re already a Costco member, you should at least check their travel deals before booking elsewhere,” says Ravi Wadan, a personal finance and travel content creator and the cofounder of Drive Match. Ahead, Wadan and three other Costco Travel experts—including frequent travelers and Costco influencers and bloggers—share their experiences and offer tips for booking a Costco vacation package.
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What kinds of vacation deals does Costco Travel offer?
The Costco Travel booking platform offers a variety of vacation deals to popular destinations that include North America, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Europe, Fiji, Tahiti and South Africa. Travelers can choose from vacation packages or build their own from a selection of hotels, cruises, all-inclusive resorts and rental cars. Costco packages often include airport transfers and other perks such as free breakfast, resort credits and Costco Shopping Cards. Current Costco vacation deals include:
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Hawaii: Complimentary upgrade, airport transfers and a resort credit of up to $200 when booking the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort
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Mexico cruise: A 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise starting at $1,019 per person. Includes a Costco Shop Card and round-trip flights from Los Angeles.
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Tahiti: A 5-night Tahiti vacation starting at $3,699 per person. Includes an interisland flight and round-trip flight from Los Angeles, an overwater suite, daily breakfast and a stocked minibar.
Is Costco Travel a good deal?
Costco Travel is generally a good deal, offering savings on hotels, rental cars, cruises and more—in addition to free perks such as airport transfers. “Costco travel packages are significantly cheaper than putting the package together yourself or even booking as a package through other platforms,” says Marie Clark, a Costco member of 22 years, a Costco influencer and the managing editor of CostContessa, a blog that shares Costco tips, finds and deals. “I have compared the pricing multiple times on every major platform and I have never beat the Costco price.”
Is Costco Travel a good idea for your next vacation? Here are some of the benefits to consider.
Convenience
On the Costco Travel website, you can book in one place with the option to add on rental cars and flights. “Costco Travel’s bundled packages, which include extra benefits, simplify the planning process while saving money,” says Grace Carter, a frequent traveler, a Costco member and a writer at Academized.
Savings
All of the experts we spoke with confirmed they’ve saved hundreds (and occasionally thousands!) of dollars by booking through Costco Travel. “I check other booking platforms such as Expedia and direct [booking] options, but Costco Travel consistently offers the best total value for my travel arrangements,” Carter says. “When I booked a five-night all-inclusive Cancun resort package with flights through Costco Travel, I saved approximately $300 compared to separate bookings.” In addition, Carter says the package provided a $200 resort credit and a room upgrade.
Wadan has also saved money when booking through Costco Travel. “I’ve personally compared Costco Travel prices to booking directly with hotels and airlines, and the savings can be significant,” he says. “For example, I once booked a five-night stay at a luxury resort in Mexico through Costco Travel and saved over $600 compared to booking directly. Plus, I received a $200 Costco Shop Card and they arranged for a driver to pick me up and take me to and from the hotel to the airport.”
While helping friends plan a Mexico family vacation, Clark compared pricing for packages from Costco Travel and American Express Travel. The difference? A savings of $2,300 when booking through Costco—plus the Costco package included meals for kids under 12 and complimentary airport transfers.
Transparent pricing
Not only is Costco Travel a good deal, but the website is also very clear about pricing. “I appreciate the transparency—there are no hidden fees,” Wadan says, “and the package prices are straightforward.”
Rental car pricing
All of the experts agree that Costco Travel is a top choice for rental cars, often significantly cheaper than other platforms. “I use Costco Travel to book my rental cars 7 to 10 times a year,” Wadan says. “They have great prices, I can add an additional driver for free and I can cancel the reservation at any time for free. So much flexibility and I love it!”
Extra perks
Costco Travel often throws in freebies. These vary depending on the package you’re booking but may include breakfast, Costco Shop Cards and waived resort fees. “I’m drawn to the additional value Costco packages provide by including perks such as resort credits, room upgrades or free breakfasts—which direct bookings cannot guarantee [at the same price],” Carter says.
Another valuable perk of booking a Costco vacation deal? Airport transfers. “The Costco price includes hotel transfers while other packages generally don’t, and the Costco price has still always been less,” Clark says. She appreciates the ease that these pre-arranged transfers create, especially when traveling with kids. And if you don’t want to take shared transportation, Costco offers optional private car service upgrades.
Trusted brands
The hotels, resorts and theme parks on Costco Travel tend to be well-known brands, which can instill confidence when booking. “The fact that Costco evaluates properties and services makes me feel secure about my travel choices,” Carter says.
Customer service
Costco has a good reputation for its customer service, and its travel platform is no exception. “Costco Travel provides a level of service that you can’t put a price on,” Wadan says. For example, when he booked a Costco Travel package to Mexico for his parents last year and they missed their flight due to reasons beyond their control, Costco came to the rescue. “At first, I was going to call the airline and try to get their flight rescheduled. Instead, I called Costco Travel and they rescheduled the entire itinerary—free of charge. It was incredible and saved us so much time and money.”
Cashback
Not only can Costco Travel save you money, they might even give you some back! “If you have the Executive Membership, you might earn 2% cashback on your travel bookings, adding to your savings,” Wadan says. “And if you have the Costco credit card, you can get an additional 3% cash back.”
Are there any downsides to Costco vacation deals?
While Costco Travel is overall a good deal, there are a few potential disadvantages to Costco vacation packages, such as the limited selection of hotels and destinations. Here are some things to consider.
Limited hotel and destinations
“Costco Travel doesn’t always have the widest selection of hotels, airlines or destinations compared to other booking platforms. They tend to focus on well-known brands and resorts rather than boutique or budget-friendly options,” Wadan says. So if boutique or budget travel is more your style, Costco Travel might not be a fit for you—at least not yet.
Wadan notes that they have been steadily expanding their reach. “I started using Costco Travel well before they had many options. I remember when it was just Mexico and a couple of other places,” he says. “Now they offer vacation packages to places like Costa Rica, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Europe.”
Missing out on points
When you book through third-party platforms like Costco Travel, hotels typically won’t award loyalty points. If hotel loyalty programs and points are important to you, Clark recommends checking with the hotel before booking through Costco Travel.
Flight selection and restrictions
Carter says travelers may find limited flight options and inconvenient departure times or layovers when booking flights through Costco Travel. And, Wadan notes, flights booked through Costco Travel may have more restrictive change and cancellation policies than if you book directly with the airline.
Slow response times
While Costco Travel’s customer service generally receives praise, Carter says she has encountered some delays when trying to make changes to her Costco Travel bookings.
What should you keep in mind when booking?
When booking your vacation through Costco Travel, you should always compare prices with other platforms and directly with your preferred hotels and airlines. Here are some other expert tips for getting the most out of Costco vacation deals.
Keep an eye out for deals
Shannon Fong, a Costco influencer and the founder of costco.so.obsessed where she shares her Costco finds, says that Costco Travel offers deeper discounts or travel deals at different times of the year. If you’ve got a destination in mind, keep an eye on the Weekly Hot Deals and Hot Buys. And, if you find one you love, snatch it up. “Book your Costco Travel vacation packages promptly because top deals disappear rapidly, particularly for sought-after destinations,” Carter says.
Read the fine print
“Carefully review package details to learn about included amenities like resort credits and meal plans,” Carter says, “while noting any restrictions or blackout dates.”
Select your room when booking
When you reserve a room directly with a hotel, you may be able to change your room type or request an upgrade at check-in. But when booking a Costco Travel package, Clark says that’s usually not the case, so it’s best to choose the room you want at the time of booking.
Shop around
“Costco travel cannot be the only search engine for your travel,” Fong advises. “It helps to compare with other search engines.” Wadan also suggests checking Costco Travel and direct booking options to see which provides the best overall value. “I don’t exclusively use Costco Travel,” he says. “I also book directly with airlines and hotels when I find better deals, and leverage travel credit card rewards to maximize value.”
Check for extra perks
When running a cost comparison, don’t forget about Costco’s freebies. “Look at what additional benefits Costco is offering, like resort credits, Costco Shop Cards or waived resort fees,” Wadan says.
Read reviews
Clark says that while Costco does a good job of including well-loved resorts and hotels on the platform, the descriptions tend to be basic. She recommends visiting the hotel’s website for additional details and reading reviews elsewhere before committing. Carter also suggests perusing reviews on the Costco Travel website to learn from other Costco members’ experiences.
How do you book a vacation through Costco?
To book a vacation through Costco, visit the Costco Travel website and search for your destination and dates. You can opt for an all-inclusive vacation package (including airfare and a rental car), build your own package, or search for just a hotel, cruise, or rental car pricing.
Do you have to be a Costco member to use this travel service?
Yes, you must be a Costco member to book through Costco Travel. However, if you’re not a member, you can visit the site, check out deals, and compare costs before purchasing a Costco membership.
Bottom line: Is Costco Travel worth it?
It’s unanimous; all of the experts we spoke with (and Reddits we perused) agree that Costco Travel is worth it. Carter says the combination of low prices, extra perks, streamlined planning and Costco’s quality assurance make it a valuable and compelling option. Wadan says this is particularly true for cruises, rental cars, and Costco all-inclusive vacations where Costco’s pricing and perks tend to provide the best value. “Costco members should always compare Costco Travel packages before they book a vacation,” Clark says. “They’ll be shocked by the savings they’ve been missing out on!”
About the experts
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Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece, Sunny Fitzgerald tapped her experience as a longtime travel writer and frequent traveler to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Ravi Wadan, frequent traveler, Costco member, personal finance and travel content creator and the cofounder of Drive Match
- Marie Clark, a Costco member of 22 years, a Costco influencer, and the founder and managing editor of CostContessa, a blog that shares Costco tips and deals
- Grace Carter, a frequent traveler, Costco member and a writer at Academized
- Shannon Fong, a Costco influencer and the founder of costco.so.obsessed
- CostContessa: “Costco Travel Package Price Comparison“
- Costco: “About Us“
- Costco Travel: “Weekly Hot Deals“
- Costco Travel: “Limited Time Deals“
- Reddit: “Costco Travel: Is it worth it?“
- Reddit: “Costco Travel packages“
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