Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.
If you’re anything like money expert Clark Howard, you’re probably used to getting almost everything — from clothes to food to tires and home goods — at Costco. But have you ever thought about booking your getaways through Costco Travel?
In this article, we’ll take a look at how Costco Travel works and talk about the pros and cons of booking your trips through the warehouse giant.
This article was updated in April 2024 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
Costco uses its bulk-buying power to negotiate discounted rates for its members on travel packages (including airfare and hotel), car rentals, cruises and more for members at CostcoTravel.com. You can also access the service by phone at 866-921-7925.
So just how much can the warehouse club save you on your trip?
Our in-house travel expert Clara Bosonetto compares Costco Travel to the AAA discount you may be familiar with. Members may see a 10% savings overall through booking with Costco.
With that in mind, here are some other things you need to know before booking a trip through Costco Travel.
Just like many other travel websites, Costco lets you book an entire vacation online. This appeals to people who like to have all the moving parts of planning a trip (airfare, accommodations, activities, etc.) handled in a neat, organized way.
But the cookie-cutter approach can have its downsides.
“Costco hotels and resorts tend to be the big box type vs. boutique or off-the-beaten-tracks properties,” Clara says. “Due to volume bookings, these preferred hotels often throw in a dining credit, an activity or a room upgrade: small perks that can mean a big difference to some.”
Clara also notes that you’ll probably never get the same Costco Travel representative twice if you’re booking over the phone. “Customers can call to speak with a rep, but they will get a different one each time versus working with a local agent,” she says.
Check out Costco Travel packages here.
All the hotel prices at CostcoTravel.com provide upfront pricing — including taxes.
Costco works with a variety of brand-name hotels including:
Book a hotel through Costco here.
You can rent a car through Costco Travel. The site works with popular rental car brands including:
In addition booking a car in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, you can rent a car through Costco Travel for use in Canada, France, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Spain, and England.
One of the nice features of renting a car through Costco is that the additional driver fee is waived.
While Costco Travel is a great resource to shop for deals, make sure you follow our step-by-step guide to finding a deal on a rental car.
Costco partners with a variety of mainstream cruise lines to offer deals to members. They include:
According to Clara, Costco is a great place to book last-minute cruises because you’ll often get perks such as onboard credits.
And, here’s another nice feature: If you don’t use all the onboard credit you’re given, you can get a partial refund before disembarking.
Book Costco cruises here.
Costco Executive Members ($120 annual fee) earn an annual 2% reward on Costco Travel purchases (up to $1,000).
On top of this 2%, you can earn 3% back on travel expenses if you use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi. So as both an Executive Member and Costco Anywhere Visa® Card-holder you could earn 5% back on purchases made through Costco Travel!
However, certain expenditures are excluded from this offer:
If convenience is king for you, you may want to give Costco’s travel offerings a try.
However, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys boutique travel or hunting for travel bargains, you’re likely to be better off booking without the help of the warehouse club.
“I still believe in booking airfare and accommodations separately for the lowest vacation price,” Clara tells us. “But again, some don’t want to spend the time to do this. As you know, it’s a lot of work!”
Have you used Costco Travel to plan your vacation? Tell us about your experience in our Clark.com Community!
This post was last modified on April 16, 2024 10:20 am
Are you looking for a way to earn 2% back on every purchase you make…
You're not alone if you're running a balance on your credit cards. Collectively, Americans are…
A big part of saving money comes down to knowing how to comparison shop. But…
If you work for a big company as a full-time employee, chances are you have…
Are you a Peacock subscriber? You soon will have to pay more to watch NBCUniversal's…
If you’re shopping for a cheaper cell phone plan, you may have come across US…