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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.
Guides
Costco Travel: Don't discount this portal when booking your next trip
Daisy is a credit cards editor at TPG. Her expertise spans earning and redeeming rewards across rotating categories on multiple cards.Prior to this, she wrote news stories, how-to guides and tested and reviewed gear for Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated, Bicycling and Runner's World.
October 3, 2025 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
Costco Travel offers exclusive deals on hotels, cruises, rental cars and vacation packages to active Costco members, often including perks like resort credits or waived fees.
Booking through Costco Travel can yield significant savings compared to booking directly, but it's important to compare total costs and read all terms and conditions.
Executive members receive additional benefits, such as a 2% annual reward on most purchases and estimated cash back displayed during booking, while Gold Star members have more limited rewards.
Some travel bookings may also earn Costco Shop Cards, which never expire and can be used for future purchases at Costco.
What to consider
You must have an active Costco membership to access Costco Travel, with Executive members eligible for higher cash back rewards.
Booking through Costco Travel typically does not earn hotel or airline loyalty points or elite status benefits.
Cash back rewards are issued annually as certificates, which may not suit those seeking more frequent redemptions.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of specific vacation package savings and a step-by-step guide to maximizing rewards with different Costco membership tiers.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
There's a lot to love about Costco, the free samples and quality goods at wholesale prices being chief among the perks.
I love that Costco is a one-stop shop for basics like groceries, dog food, car tires, office supplies, furniture and so much more.
Like most travel booking platforms, Costco Travel allows you to book hotels, cruises, rental cars and travel packages. However, Costco advertises competitive rates and additional perks or deals. For example, if you book a stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort through Costco Travel, your vacation package would include a daily breakfast buffet (valued at $48 per person), a $300 resort credit and waived daily resort fees (valued at $55 per day).
However, when looking at these deals, it's important to read the terms and conditions. Some packages require you to book and/or travel by a certain date, or the resort fee may only include certain amenities.
But, no matter how good the "deal" may seem, we always recommend crunching the numbers and checking to see what it would cost if you booked the exact hotel or vacation package on your own, and not through Costco Travel.
For example, I compared the cost of booking a Universal Orlando theme park vacation in mid-November via Costco Travel and on my own. To book two queen beds at the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista from Nov. 13-16, plus two-day park tickets to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and a one-day ticket to Epic Universe for two people, it would cost $1,280.84 on Costco Travel.
COSTCO TRAVEL/THE POINTS GUY
Now, if I booked the same hotel stay and park tickets on my own, it would cost, $1,561.90 (cost $418.10 for the room and $1,143.80 for the park tickets for two people). Therefore, I would save $281.06 by booking this vacation package through Costco Travel.
Though I am saving money on this vacation package, it's best to be diligent and make sure you crunch the numbers yourself and compare the out-of-pocket cost of booking through Costco's platform versus on your own.
Plus, for those who value earning points or elite status benefits or credits, you typically won't get any when booking through Costco Travel.
Other Costco Travel perks
Aside from possibly saving money on your travels, booking through Costco Travel could give you additional perks.
If you’re anything like most of us at TPG, you get a thrill anytime you earn credit card rewards. With Costco Travel, you’re in for a serotonin boost when you book a trip since some reservations, like cruises, earn you a Costco Shop Card, which functions like a gift card, except they never expire.
These are reloadable and can be earned in several ways:
Signing up for a Costco membership during a promo period
Purchasing services through Costco (think solar panel installations and other home improvement projects)
Booking certain travel
You can also purchase Shop Cards as a Costco member in any denomination.
Note that while it’s possible to earn Shop Cards when booking via Costco Travel, you cannot redeem Shop Cards for Costco Travel purchases.
Why you'll want to get the Costco Anywhere Visa card for travel purchases
You can opt for two types of Costco memberships: Gold Star or Executive (a Gold Star membership is $65 annually, whereas an Executive membership costs $130 annually).
Gold Star gets you access to the clubs, while Executive does the same but also provides a 2% cash back Executive Reward in the form of a once-yearly certificate, which you typically receive about two months before your membership renewal date.
Let's discuss why Executive is worth it over Gold Star and how it helps you earn even more cash back when coupled with the Costco Anywhere Visa.
Booking Costco Travel with an Executive membership
As an Executive member, I especially love that some travel deals estimate how much cash back you could net before you confirm your trip, thanks to that 2% reward for this membership tier (up to $1,250 annually). Plus, you'll see the value of any Shop Cards you'd earn with that specific booking.
For example, a seven-night Holland America cruise starting at $919 per person would earn me at least $18.38 cash back.
PRINCESS CRUISES
As I move through the booking process, I also get notified that the current sailing I’m considering would earn me a $25 Digital Costco Shop Card, which I can use as payment at Costco warehouses and on Costco.com.
The beauty of a Costco Shop Card is that they don’t expire, whereas your annual cash back reward certificate (delivered via mail each February) expires on Dec. 31 of the same year.
The same cruise itinerary booked directly with Holland America Line starts at the same price (and like the Costco sailing, includes the taxes and fees per person), but booking directly doesn't offer the bonus perks you'd get when booking via Costco Travel, like the 2% cash back and the Costco Shop Card.
But if you don't have the premium membership, booking through Costco's travel portal may not offer you much value — so keep this in mind if you're considering a Gold Star or Executive membership.
Booking Costco Travel with a Costco Anywhere Visa
It's true that you can get a Costco membership without needing to get the Costco Anywhere Visa, but if you're always looking to maximize your reward-earning strategy, you need the cobranded store card.
SCOTT OLSEN/GETTY IMAGES
First, the Costco Anywhere Visa is an open-loop card, meaning you can use it anywhere Visa cards are accepted, not just at Costco clubs. Another plus? This card doesn't charge an annual fee, but you do have to have a Costco membership to get it. If you're a frequent Costco-goer, this shouldn't be an issue. Remember, you'll also need a store membership to access Costco Travel.
One of my favorite perks of being a Costco Anywhere Visa cardholder is the generous up to 5% cash back rate on Costco Travel purchases (the rate is cumulative; more on this in a moment).
Before you start a Costco Visa application, though, you should know two things:
You need an Executive membership to earn the 5% cash back rate on Costco Travel bookings. This is because Executive members earn 2% cash back across almost all Costco and Costco Travel purchases in the form of an Executive Membership Reward (which usually arrives via mail and does not expire like the annual cash back reward certificate). Gold Star members do not earn any cash back with their membership.
The Costco Anywhere Visa earns 3% cash back on eligible travel, including Costco Travel purchases, which also arrives via mail (in February) in the form of a cash back reward certificate.
To maximize your travel cash back earnings with a Costco membership and the Costco Visa, you'll need to get the Executive membership. Ideally, your cash back certificate will be enough every year to offset the cost of the $130 membership.
Aside from earning up to 5% cash back on travel bookings, this card is great for travelers, as there are no foreign transaction fees.
I've previously referred to the Costco Anywhere Visa as a cash back workhorse because it's a solid earner in key spend categories that I frequently use. In addition to groceries and other Costco-specific purchases I make, the Anywhere Visa earns me 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first combined $7,000 per year, then 1% thereafter.
PRAMOTE POLYAMOTE/GETTY IMAGES
I added my partner as an authorized user to my account because he commutes to work daily. His gas fillups equate to faster cash back accrual, and we like that we can visit Costco stores independently of each other since we both have our own memberships and credit cards.
Why Costco Travel and the Costco Visa might not be for you
If you don’t have a Costco membership and don’t care to pay for one, you won’t get access to book through Costco Travel. This travel portal could save you hundreds of dollars, highlight last-minute getaway deals or offer resort benefits like on-property credits or waived booking fees.
But when booking through this third-party site, you won't typically earn points, elite status credits or benefits. Plus, if your vacation goes awry, such as a flight being cancelled, you will likely have to chat with the customer service team at Costco Travel first, instead of the airline directly. For some, this may be a bit off-putting, especially if you are requesting a refund or compensation for travel disruptions.
As for the cobranded store card, if you're a frequent Costco shopper, this no-annual-fee card could save money on everyday purchases. Plus, if you opt for the Executive membership, you can earn 2% cash back on qualified purchases (up to $1,250 per year) and earn 3% cash back on Costco Travel purchases with this premium membership tier and rewards card.
However, your cash-back rewards can only be redeemed once per year in the form of a reward certificate. Therefore, those looking to see cash back statements hit their account more frequently may not want this particular card.
Bottom line
If you feel like you've exhausted your options when planning a trip and would like to see what Costco Travel has to offer, get a membership.
If you’re feeling noncommittal and simply want to test drive the portal, you can access it with a $65/year Gold Star membership. However, those looking to maximize cash back earnings — and get access to perks offered by Costco Travel (like Shop Cards and waived resort fees) — should consider the Executive membership. It’s well worth the investment.
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.
