How To Use the Costco Travel Portal for Cheap Trips

Savvy shoppers know you can find great deals at Costco, for everything from toilet paper to protein bars to wine. 

But Costco sells a lot more than food, drinks, and household goods. A Costco membership also gives you access to travel deals.

You can buy digital gift cards through Costco if you know you're going to take a particular trip — such as a $500 Southwest gift card for $429.99. And you can also book trips directly through the Costco Travel portal if you're a Costco member. 

This travel portal is a bit more limited than broad ones like Expedia and Kayak, but it's easy to use and you can find bargains, especially on vacation packages that include multiple components, like flight, hotel, and rental car. 

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How Does Costco Travel Work?

Costco Travel is a website that can be used to search for and book travel, including flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and even some specialty items like theme park passes. 

While anyone can use the Costco Travel portal to browse prices, you need a Costco membership to actually book anything through the platform. 

In many cases, Costco Travel prices are cheaper than if you booked the same trip elsewhere, especially if you're booking a full package. 

Sometimes you get direct savings, such as through lower base prices or the waiving of resort fees. Other times, the advantage comes from perks like a Costco gift card.

What can you book through Costco Travel?

There are deals for a variety of U.S. and international destinations. However, there aren’t as many options as you’d find through more agnostic travel platforms, in part because the offerings are largely based on Costco negotiating deals.

To that point, Costco Travel leans toward bundled trips. You can't book flights on their own, though you can add airline tickets to vacation packages. 

Also, hotel bookings often include airport transfers or rental cars as part of a packaged deal, even if you forego flights. 

That said, you can book cruises or rental cars on their own through Costco Travel.

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How To Book a Vacation Package Through Costco Travel

Go to CostcoTravel.com and log in with your Costco account (you can also enter your membership information at the booking stage). 

On the homepage, you'll see a search option similar to what you'd find on other travel websites. Choose the type of travel you want to book and where.

For vacation packages, you must book a hotel but then have the option to add a flight or car (though many packages include some form of transportation).

After clicking search, you'll see hotel results and the total price of the vacation package, including taxes and fees (with a few exceptions). 

However, the price could end up being higher or lower depending on the specific options you choose as part of the package. Different destinations will have varying flexibility. 

For example, the recommended flight might be more expensive than other available options, but you can choose an alternative to lower the cost of the total package. 

Once you select your hotel, you'll see your flight options and how that affects pricing.

After selecting your flight, you'll be taken back to your hotel selection to choose the room type, which again can affect the total pricing.

Lastly, you'll choose the transportation you want. 

Shared airport transfers are generally included in vacation packages, or you might be able to choose a private transfer or rental car, with costs varying based on your choice.

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Once you choose your transportation, you'll finish with a booking page. 

Costco also clearly shows your cancellation options, which can vary by vacation package.

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How To Book Other Travel Options Through Costco Travel

If you don't want a full vacation package, you can still book some travel through Costco Travel, but not flights on their own. 

You can see options for hotels (though often with transportation included, which could affect the price compared to other sites), cruises, and rental cars by simply changing the tab at the top of the search menu.

From there, the process is similar to booking a full vacation package, and you'll see results showing the all-in price for the trip, as opposed to, say, a per-night hotel room charge. 

This can make it easier for budgeting, since you won’t be caught off-guard by taxes and fees that jack up the price.

Costco also offers search tools for planning a trip if you need some guidance. 

Rather than entering destination details directly into the booking platform, you can browse the top menu to see popular destinations or learn more about particular travel brands. 

FAQs

Does Costco Travel use points?

No, Costco Travel does not use any sort of points system for booking trips. 

However, Costco Executive members booking through Costco Travel can earn 2% back toward their Annual Reward (up to $1,250 per year), which is effectively like a Costco gift card. 

Plus, Costco Citi cardholders can earn 3% cashback on Costco Travel purchases.

Does Costco Travel price match?

No, Costco Travel does not price match. 

However, if the price drops on Costco Travel after you've booked but before your trip, you can contact customer service. You may be able to cancel and rebook, depending on the timeframe.

Does Costco Travel count towards rewards?

Some trips booked through Costco Travel count towards rewards programs for various travel brands, such as hotels or cruises, but it depends on the company.

TL;DR: Is Costco Travel Worth It?

If you're just looking for flights, Costco Travel isn't the place to go, but if you're booking a full vacation from scratch (flights, a hotel, and a rental car), then you can often find big savings through Costco. 

Costco Travel is also often worth it for rental car bookings on their own.

While Costco Travel doesn't have every destination, it's usually worth at least looking at Costco Travel to see if they have any travel options that work for you. 

Even if you don't currently have a Costco membership, buying one (starting at $65 per year) is often worth it just for the travel savings if you were planning to book a trip anyway. 

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