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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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The 6 best Visa cards for Costco purchases — plus a Mastercard ideal for Costco.com shopping
Ethan's been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember, from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he served as TPG's eyes and ears for all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy."
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
also contributed to this story
February 13, 2025 • 8 min read
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.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Costco accepts only Visa credit cards in its warehouses, while Costco.com also allows Mastercard for payment.
Most cards do not offer bonus rewards specifically for warehouse club purchases, but some provide strong returns on everyday spending or select categories.
Certain cards offer valuable purchase protection benefits for big-ticket items bought at Costco, covering theft or damage for a limited period after purchase.
Some cards allow you to transfer rewards to travel partners, potentially increasing the value of your rewards if you hold compatible products.
What to consider
Reward rates and redemption options vary significantly by card and may depend on holding additional products from the same issuer family.
Some cards are not available to new applicants, and eligibility for bonus categories may require activation or have spending caps.
Mastercard and other non-Visa cards are only accepted for online purchases at Costco.com, not in physical warehouses.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of which payment options maximize rewards and protections for both in-store and online Costco purchases.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Many people love Costco because of its wide variety of products (and the free sample stations you can pick from while you shop!) However, some don't like the retailer's restrictions on payment options.
For most purchases, Costco only accepts Visa credit cards — meaning you can't use a Mastercard or Amex to pay. An exception to this rule is Costco.com purchases, which allow for Mastercard to be used.
Let's review which Visa cards are the most rewarding ones to use the next time you check out at Costco.
5% cash back on gas purchased at Costco warehouse locations worldwide and 4% cash back on other eligible gas and EV charging purchases (on the first $7,000 in combined purchases per year and then 1% cash back thereafter)
3% cash back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases worldwide
2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
1% cash back on all other purchases
The sweet spot for this card is gas purchases, although note the cap of $7,000 applies to gas purchases made at both Costco warehouses and other gas vendors.
Unfortunately, the card doesn't offer a welcome bonus, but because it doesn't charge an annual fee (with a paid Costco membership), you can rack up cash rewards with no out-of-pocket cost.
The cash back earned on the card is redeemed once a year as a reward certificate that comes after your February billing statement closes. Once you have the reward certificate, you can redeem it for merchandise or cash.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
Since most cards don't offer bonus categories specific to warehouse clubs like Costco, your best bet is often to use a card that offers a strong return on everyday spending. Among all the Visa cards, none is better in this category than the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see ). This no-annual-fee card offers 1.5% cash back on purchases with no cap.
This could definitely be worth considering, especially if you're interested in redeeming for awards rather than only receiving straight cash back. With this card (provided you also have another Ultimate Rewards-earning card in your wallet), you have the option to transfer rewards to a variety of travel partners.
Although this card is no longer open to new applicants, it's sometimes confused with the Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex® (see ). Where the Chase Freedom® differs from other cards in the same family is its earning structure — otherwise, it has the same welcome bonus, redemption options and no annual fee.
With the Chase Freedom, you'll earn 5% back on your first $1,500 spent on rotating quarterly bonus categories (activation required), and 1% on all other purchases. Wholesale clubs like Costco normally appear on the bonus calendar at least once a year, giving you the opportunity to earn up to 5% back during this time frame.
The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Annual fee: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
Due to its wholesale prices, Costco is a go-to for many shoppers looking to buy big-ticket items such as TVs and jewelry. If you plan to make a large purchase at this retailer, you might want to consider using this card due to its purchase protection policy.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you're covered for theft, damage or "involuntary and accidental parting" on eligible items for up to 120 days after you made the purchase (charging it to this card, of course). The policy will replace, repair or reimburse you for up to $500 per claim, with a maximum of $50,000 per account.
Even if you don't need this coverage, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card could be worth using on Costco purchases since it earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points. However, you'll only get 1 point per dollar spent at this retailer.
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
This pick may be surprising to some, since it doesn't offer any bonuses on spending at Costco. Still, the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card earns solid rates in specific categories including:
Unlimited 3 points per dollar spent on eligible Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines purchases
Unlimited 2 points per dollar spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming and local transit purchases
Unlimited 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
According to TPG's September 2026 valuation, TPG values these points at 1.55 cents apiece.
From free stopovers on one-way awards to competitive premium cabin flights on Cathay Pacific and Starlux, Atmos Rewards is an incredibly valuable program, and shopping at Costco can help you rack up miles quickly.
Citi Double Cash Card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome bonus: Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
The Citi Double Cash® Card (see ) has a straightforward earning structure. Cardholders earn a total of 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay for your purchases. There are no bonus categories to worry about or caps on how much cash back you can earn.
Keep in mind that the Double Cash card is a Mastercard and, therefore, will only work when used for purchases at Costco.com. Cash back is earned in the form of Citi ThankYou points, so if you also hold a Citi card that has transfer partners such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see ), earning 2% cash back can be a great way to rack up rewards toward travel.
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee the first year, then $95 after.
Welcome bonus: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business isn't currently available to new applicants. So, you can't apply for this card and earn a welcome bonus.
THE POINTS GUY
For business owners, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business (no longer available) is a great option for Costco.com purchases. The card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases plus 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel. For business owners who often shop at Costco, opt for online shopping as this card is a Mastercard and can help you rack up your Capital One Miles.
The card also offers employee cards at no additional cost, so you maximize your earning power via employee spending as well. Best of all, miles earned can be transferred to Capital One's 15-plus transfer partners.
The information for the Spark Miles for Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Picking the right card to use at Costco can be a challenge, between the general lack of bonus categories and the Visa-only policy — with the exception of Costco.com allowing for Mastercard. Still, you can maximize your Costco spending by using the right card to earn cash back, points or miles each time you check out.
