costco travel cash card

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card review: Members earn cash rewards for future Costco spending

If your idea of a perfect Saturday morning is shopping for freezer goods and pantry staples at Costco, a Costco credit card could be a great addition to your wallet. It has rewards designed to help bring down the price of your next Costco haul, plus no annual fee.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a solid cash-back credit card with a ton of potential savings for members of the wholesale club. Here’s everything you need to know before you apply:

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

Annual fee : $0

Welcome offer : N/A

4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging (up to the first $7,000 spent per year, then 1%)

3% cash back at restaurants

3% cash back on eligible travel purchases

2% cash back on other Costco and Costco.com purchases

1% cash back on all other spending

The Costco Anywhere Visa has a variable 20.49% APR. That’s slightly lower than many other cards today, but it’s still a high APR. Carrying any balances with this card could lead to high-interest debt if you spend more than you can afford.

There is also no intro APR offer, so the regular APR will kick in for any balances not paid by the due date.

There is no annual fee for the Costco credit card. However, you will need an active Costco membership to be approved.

Annual personal memberships cost $60 for Gold Star Members and $120 for Executive Members. The Executive membership tier offers a 2% annual reward (up to $1,000) on Costco spending, which applies in addition to any rewards you earn with your Costco credit card.

Your Costco membership will auto-renew onto your Costco Anywhere Visa card (if you’re not already enrolled in auto-renewal) and you’ll earn rewards on the fee.

Welcome offer

This Costco credit card has no cash welcome bonus offer for new cardholders.

Rewards rate

These are the rewards categories the Costco credit card offers — which extend even beyond Costco purchases.

4% cash back on eligible gas and electric vehicle charging (including Costco gas stations; up to $7,000 spent per year, then 1%)

3% cash back on eligible travel purchases (including Costco Travel)

1% on all other purchases

How to earn rewards

You’ll earn cash-back rewards every time you make an eligible purchase with your Costco credit card. There are some exceptions to eligible bonus spending, though — for each of the non-eligible purchases below, you’ll earn only 1% cash back.

4% cash back does not apply to gas purchases at non-Costco superstores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs. Gas not used for cars is also excluded.

3% cash back at restaurants does not apply to bakeries, and may not apply to restaurants or cafes inside of department stores, grocery stores , or warehouse clubs.

The 3% cash back travel category has some select exclusions: timeshares, campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, train tickets, and other commuter travel purchases.

In addition, non-purchase transactions earn no rewards. These include cash advances, balance transfers, interest and fees, lottery tickets, and fraudulent charges.

How to redeem rewards

Unlike many cash-back credit cards , the Costco Anywhere Visa offers little flexibility in how you redeem and use your rewards.

Each year, you’ll receive the previous year’s cash back as a rewards certificate with your February billing statement. You can use the certificate like cash at Costco warehouse locations, but there are some important restrictions:

You must use your rewards certificate by December 31 the year you receive it

You can only use your rewards at a Costco warehouse in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) — not online or at Costco gas stations

You must redeem your rewards certificate in a single transaction

You may also use your rewards to purchase a Costco Shop Card, which works like a store gift card. This is a useful option if you have more rewards than you can spend in one trip or you’re unable to use your rewards before the December 31 deadline. Unlike the rewards certificate, you can also use the gift card online or at Costco gas stations.

Additional benefits

Aside from rewards, there aren’t many additional benefits you’ll get from a Costco credit card. The benefits you will get are fairly standard amongst rewards cards . These include no foreign transaction fees, travel and emergency assistance services, travel accident insurance, and roadside dispatch.

Who is the Costco Anywhere Visa best for?

Not only does the Costco Anywhere Visa offer a great return on several everyday categories — even outside of Costco spending — but it’s also one of the only card options for bonus rewards at Costco.

Many credit cards with grocery or supermarket rewards categories exclude wholesale clubs like Costco from eligibility. If you shop at Costco regularly, this card is one of the only ways to maximize what could potentially be one of your biggest monthly budget items.

Plus, it also offers a ton of additional savings.

Let’s say you’re a regular Costco shopper and pay $120 for annual Executive Membership. Each month, you do the majority of your family’s grocery and household spending at the wholesale club, totaling around $500. Over a year, that’s about $6,000. You also spend about $120 on gas each month and another $200 on dining out — both of which you charge to your card.

Here’s a look at what rewards you could earn over a year:

If you already think your Costco membership is worth the annual cost, you may not consider the fee cost in your rewards calculation. But the amount you spend at Costco each year and the membership tier you choose can affect your net rewards.

You’ll pay less for Gold Star membership, but Executive members earn an added 2% in annual Costco rewards. If you spend enough with Costco each year, that could be enough to wipe out the fee altogether (like in our example above). On top of that, your Costco Anywhere Visa card rewards total nearly $250 more in cash back, and you could earn even more depending on your spending outside of these categories.

Before you apply, make sure to look back at your spending and budget to determine the right options for you.

Costco Anywhere Visa pros

Everyday savings: Not only can you earn Costco rewards with this card, but more everyday bonus categories can help you save on your regular spending at restaurants, gas stations, and even on travel.

No annual fee: Outside of Costco membership, this card has no annual fee. If you already use a Costco membership for savings with the wholesale club, you won’t pay any extra to earn additional rewards with this card.

Combine with Executive Membership rewards: If you have the $120/year Executive Membership from Costco, you may already earn 2% rewards on your Costco spending. With a Costco Anywhere Visa, you’ll earn those rewards plus 2% credit card rewards on your Costco spending.

Costco Anywhere Visa cons

No added benefits: Beyond rewards, this card has few added benefits for cardholders. If you’re looking for annual credits or partner perks, consider more general rewards credit cards .

Limited redemptions for rewards: Inflexible rewards are one of the Costco card’s big drawbacks. You’ll only receive rewards once per year and must use them in a single transaction at U.S. Costco store locations. For more flexibility, you may want to look at regular cash-back credit cards or rewards credit cards.

Where can you use your Costco credit card?

You can use the Costco Anywhere Visa with any retailer that accepts credit card payments. It’s a co-branded card between Costco and Citi and runs on the Visa network, one of the most widely accepted credit card networks worldwide.

If you don’t have a Visa credit card already, this could be another incentive to consider the Costco credit card. Costco accepts all Visa credit cards (plus non-credit card payments including cash, debit cards, and checks).

How to make a Costco Anywhere Visa payment

The Costco credit card is issued by Citi, so you’ll make all of your payments through your online Citi account (not through Costco). Here are your options from the issuer:

Online payment through your Citi account

Phone: 1-855-378-6467

PO Box 78019

Phoenix, AZ 85062-8019

Costco Anywhere Visa customer service info

Phone number: 1-855-378-6467

Costco Anywhere Visa card login page

Alternative cards to consider

If you’re not already a Costco member or looking for more flexible cash rewards, here are a few more cash-back credit cards to compare:

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Why we like it : The Blue Cash Everyday from Amex is a no annual fee cash-back card ( see rates and fees ) with a $200 cash welcome bonus you can earn when you spend at least $2,000 within the first six months. Ongoing rewards include 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on U.S. online retail purchases, and at U.S. gas stations — each up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%. Every other purchase earns 1% cash back. There’s also an introductory 0% APR offer and added annual benefits via partner brands.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Why we like it : Chase Freedom Unlimited is a cash-back credit card with no annual fee that offers a flat 1.5% back on all non-bonus spending. But you can also earn 5% cash back on travel bookings through Chase Travel and 3% cash back at drugstores and on dining (including eligible delivery). As a new Chase Freedom Unlimited cardholder, you’ll earn an additional 1.5% back on every purchase — even spending in bonus categories — up to the first $20,000 spent in the first year, for a potential $300 in added cash back.

Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®

Why we like it : Walmart may be a superstore rather than a wholesale club, but the Walmart Rewards Mastercard is another co-branded card that offers a lot of savings on groceries. You’ll earn 5% cash back on Walmart.com; 2% cash back at Walmart stores, Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations, restaurants, and on travel; and 1% cash back on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee and for the first year, your Walmart in-store purchases earn a boosted 5% cash back when you use Walmart Pay with your card.

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers.

Costco Anywhere Visa Card review: A great option for Costco lovers

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card overview

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (see rates and fees ) is one of the best store credit cards on the market. If you already have a Costco membership, this card is a solid way to earn rewards across a wide range of purchases, including eligible gas, restaurants, eligible travel and at Costco — both in-store and online. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

While plenty of cards earn transferable currencies offering rewards on groceries , wholesale clubs such as Costco are almost always left out of the rewards category.

While you typically won't find the best value from most store credit cards — as they rarely have a great rewards structure or benefits — the Costco Anywhere Visa is an exception. With a solid rewards structure that covers more than just Costco purchases, it's a viable option if you regularly shop at Costco.

Unlike some store credit cards, you're earning rewards across more than just Costco purchases — the highest bonus categories on the card are actually eligible gas stations and electric vehicle (EV) charging. Factor in the long-term savings potential of Costco Travel , and this card is quite valuable for families and beginner travelers who aren't looking to add multiple points and miles cards to their wallets.

Do keep in mind that you need a Costco membership to apply for the card. If you already have one or plan on getting one, this card is essentially a no-annual-fee card . If you don't shop at Costco enough to make a yearly membership worth it, you should look at other card options.

Related: Is the Costco Anywhere Visa worth it?

Costco Anywhere Visa welcome offer

Sadly, the Costco Anywhere Visa doesn't currently have a welcome offer. But it offers long-term benefits that still make the card worth it for many, especially since it charges no annual fee for those with a Costco membership.

Related: The best limited-time offers and promotions for credit cards

Earning cash back on the Costco Anywhere Visa

The earning structure is where this card really stands out. You'll earn 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases (on up to $7,000 per year; then 1%), 3% back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases, 2% back on in-store and online Costco purchases, and 1% on everything else.

If you're maximizing gas purchases alone, that's $280 in rewards each year just for that bonus category alone. However, it's worth pointing out that you'll earn just 1% back (not 4%) on gas and EV charging purchases from superstores, supermarkets, convenience stores and warehouse clubs other than Costco or on fuel purchases that aren't for automobiles (such as jet or boat fuel).

Costco offers two levels of consumer membership — Gold Star ($60) and Gold Star Executive ($120). If you shop at Costco frequently throughout the year, combining this card with an Executive membership will earn even more rewards. Executive members earn 2% back on the first $50,000 spent each year at Costco (up to $1,000 in additional rewards), Costco.com and Costco Travel. Those rewards are stackable with the Costco Anywhere Visa . That means you can earn up to 5% on Costco Travel and 4% on other Costco in-store and online purchases (though the 2% Executive earning does not apply to Costco gas purchases).

If you aren't shopping at Costco enough throughout the year to justify an Executive membership, the additional 2% back likely won't make it worth purchasing the higher level. But if you already shop at Costco enough to have the Executive membership, this no-annual-fee card is an excellent addition to your wallet.

Redeeming cash back on the Costco Anywhere Visa

Costco cash back is redeemed once per year in the form of a reward certificate. You'll receive your reward after your February billing statement closes. Once you have the reward certificate, you can redeem it for merchandise or cash at a Costco location. Depending on the cash back amount and which Costco you redeem at, you might receive your redeemed cash back in the form of a check or electronic transfer instead.

This redemption method is a bit more restrictive than your typical cash-back card , but it's rare for a store card to offer rewards that can be used on anything besides merchandise. While waiting for an entire year to get your cash-back rewards can be inconvenient, you can redeem them for cash that can be used on anything you want.

You can also use the Costco Travel portal, which offers significant savings if you are more interested in finding lower prices than earning elite credits .

Costco Anywhere Visa benefits

Aside from the perks you get from being a Costco member, the Costco Anywhere Visa offers purchase protection , which will cover repairs or a refund if eligible purchases made with your card are damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase (90 days for New York residents).

There are also no foreign transaction fees.

Which cards compete with the Costco Anywhere Visa?

Even though you're earning a solid return across multiple categories with the Costco Anywhere Visa , that doesn't make it the right card for everyone. If you don't shop at Costco regularly, or if you are looking for a card that earns rewards you can use throughout the year, you may want to look at other options:

• If you want more cash back on gas and groceries: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is an excellent option. You'll earn 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 spent per calendar year; then 1%) and on select U.S. streaming services ( including Disney+ ), and 3% on transit and on gas at U.S. gas stations , with a $0 intro annual fee for first year, then $95 (see rates and fees ). Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. For more information, read our full review of the Blue Cash Preferred .
• If you want a simpler earning structure: Consider the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees ). With up to 2% earnings on all purchases — 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off — it's difficult to beat this no-annual-fee card. Plus, you can convert your cash-back rewards into fully-transferable ThankYou points with another card. For more information, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash .

For additional options, check out our full list of the best cash-back credit cards .

Read more: The 5 best Visa cards for Costco purchases

Is the Costco Anywhere Visa worth it?

If you have a Costco membership and shop at Costco regularly, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is a worthwhile card to consider. With a solid rewards structure covering many purchases, including gas, restaurants, travel, and Costco, this card offers good value, especially for families and beginner travelers. The card offers no annual fee, and additional rewards for Executive members, making it a useful addition to your wallet if you shop at Costco regularly. Do keep in mind restrictions around how you can redeem your cash back, though.

Bottom line

While the Costco Anywhere Visa 's redemption restrictions can be frustrating, it does have a solid earning structure and rewards for Costco loyalists — and you can always use the yearly cash-back check as an unofficial travel fund for the expenses that points and miles can't cover.

Application link: Costco Anywhere Visa

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Stella Shon.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred, please click here .

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How to Make the Most of the Citi Costco Credit Card

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If you spend a lot on gas, restaurants and travel, then it’s hard to beat the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi , which offers a high rewards rate in all of those categories. The big drawback is the way rewards are redeemed: once a year, and in the form of a certificate that you typically have to redeem at a physical store.

That will feel a little too old-fashioned for some consumers. But if you can deal with the paperwork hassle, there are plenty of ways to leverage the card to your advantage. Here’s how to make the most of the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi .

» MORE: Full review of the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

As of September 2022, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi earns 4% cash back on eligible EV charging purchases, as well as gas, for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter.

Leverage bonus categories

When you’re buying gas, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a good card to use because it earns 4% cash back on gas and EV charging purchases on up to $7,000 of spending a year (1% after that). That’s an impressive rate, even when compared with the best gas credit cards on the market. Assuming you max out the annual cap, you'll earn $280 per year on gas alone, not including the 1% back on any purchases in the category beyond that.

Using the card for your restaurant and travel spending is also a solid choice because it earns 3% back in both of those categories, with no spending cap. That's also a hard deal to beat, even among the best credit cards for restaurant spending .

Oddly, your returns for using the card at Costco or Costco.com aren't as generous. You'll get 2% cash back on those purchases, which certainly isn't bad by any means. But other store credit cards — like Amazon's Prime Visa or the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard® , for instance — offer as much as 5% back when you shop within the brand.

And if you typically do your grocery shopping at Costco, consider that many of the best credit cards for groceries earn far more than 2% back on those kinds of purchases — as long as you buy them at a supermarket and not a wholesale club.

Whatever card you're using on actual Costco purchases, make sure it's earning you the most cash back possible.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has an annual fee of $0 , but you can't get the card unless you're a Costco member. Store memberships start at $60.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best rewards credit cards

Use a different card if you’re only going to earn 1% back

If you have a separate flat-rate cash-back card that earns 1.5% back or 2% back on all purchases, then you’ll want to use that one for your spending outside of the bonus categories offered by the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi , which will earn you just 1% back on those expenses.

You may also want to switch to that flat-rate card once you hit the annual spending limit on gasoline with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi because at that point your rewards rate with the Costco card also drops down to 1%.

And if you have a different credit card that earns 5% back in rotating bonus categories , it may change your calculus a bit more. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ , for example, earns 5% back in rotating bonus categories on up to $1,500 per quarter (activation required; 1% back on everything else). Its previous bonus categories have overlapped with some of those offered by the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi — but Chase has also traditionally included bonus categories that the Costco card doesn't: home improvement stores, streaming services, grocery stores and Amazon, for example.

Keep an eye on your bonus calendars to ensure you're earning the most you can.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best cash-back credit cards

Take advantage of perks and protections

For a cash-back card, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi makes for a really solid travel buddy. It charges no foreign transaction fees, for starters, and as a Mastercard you'll enjoy widespread international acceptance.

The card also comes with worldwide car rental insurance, travel and emergency assistance and roadside assistance service.

As for shopping, the card also has your back with damage and theft purchase protection (if items purchased with the card are damaged or stolen within 120 days), and fraud protection that makes the card easy to turn on or off.

The card also offers Citi Entertainment , which can grant you early access to tickets for things like concerts and sporting events.

» MORE: Full benefits of the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

How to redeem rewards on the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Redemption with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi takes an unusual form: Cardholders receive a cash-back reward certificate once a year when the February billing statement closes. Then, they can redeem that certificate at any Costco store, which makes it especially useful for big-ticket items. But the certificate isn't redeemable online. Although, in 2022 Costco added an option for cardmembers who have earned $500 or more in rewards. They could choose to redeem their rewards certificate as a direct deposit into a bank account.

While the redemption process will likely seem inconvenient and clunky to people who prefer online shopping and monthly (or even immediate) reward redemption, it does offer some flexibility: You don’t have to redeem your coupon for purchases; you can also turn it into cash at the customer service counter.

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The Complete Guide to Using Costco Travel to Save Money

Janice Moskoff

August 7, 2023

11 min read

You may already be familiar with Costco for rock-bottom pricing on favorite bulk grocery items, household goods, and gas. However, you may not be aware that Costco offers equally great deals on car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages.

What does Costco know about travel? It turns out a lot. They have been in the travel space for over 20 years, since 2000, bringing the same highly selective group purchase practice to vacations that they deliver to their warehouse aisles. 

Think of Costco Travel as an easy-to-use online travel agent offering a limited selection of quality trip options with enviable rebates and perks—depending on your membership level. While it's not typically the best deal for independent travelers, those looking for one-click booking on package trips will get value out of it. And it's hard to beat Costco's rates on car rentals.

And yes, you must be a Costco member to use Costco Travel.

How much does a Costco membership cost?

Costco has two membership categories with two levels of perks and pricing under each. 

The first membership type is a Personal Membership. Anyone can purchase either the Gold Star Personal Membership ($60) or the Executive Personal Membership ($120) with a 2% annual reward. 

The second type of membership is a Business Membership. The two levels within the Business Membership are the Business ($60) and the Business Executive ($120). 

Which membership should you buy? The one that best fits your budget. However, the Executive Membership with its 2% reward, maxing out at $1000 each year, could save you a lot of money. 

Consider one $3,000 trip booked with Costco Travel using an Executive Membership at 2% generates a $60 reward. Additionally, Executive Members are eligible for extra travel perks and upgrades, depending on the trip. And keep in mind the 2% reward applies to all Costco purchases—except gas and a handful of other items. 

View a sample earning table for the 2% Executive Membership reward below to see how your savings might build. 

Costco Travel flights

Costco Travel does not sell standalone flights. Costco members can only purchase flights when bundled with a lodging or travel package purchase. There are a few benefits to doing this.

• ‍ Time savings and less hassle. Find and book all of your travel needs, including your airfare, in one place. Receive one itinerary, including flight details, to keep track of it all ‍
• Accrue frequent flier mileage. Continue to earn frequent flier mileage on your favorite carriers. Enter your mileage membership numbers during booking.
• ‍ Rewards. Executive Members earn a 2% reward on all non-taxable Costco Travel, including airfare.

Alternatively, there are a handful of downsides to buying your flight from Costco Travel. They are: 

• Cancellation fees. Your flight may be subject to cancellation fees. View the example below to see cancellation fees set to $200 per person for a Costco Travel roundtrip flight from Chicago to Cancun. This same flight booked directly with the carrier is not subject to these fees. 
• Pricing: Compared to the prices Going finds, Costco's fares are pretty average. In comes cases, the price might be lower if you book your flights independently of the package deal you find on Costco. ‍
• Limited choice. Costco Travel does not work with all airlines. A notable exception for US travelers is Southwest Airlines.  ‍
• Seat selection hassle. Costco Travel users regularly report seeing limited seating choices or finding seating maps unavailable when booking flights. As a workaround, enter your flight confirmation number from your Costco Travel booking into the carrier’s website to pick from a wider selection of non-discounted seats.  ‍
• No frequent flier mileage redemption. You cannot purchase flights with frequent flier mileage on Costco Travel.  ‍
• Costco Travel is your customer service. If an issue arises with your flight, you must contact Costco Travel for changes or resolution. Many Costco members report frustration with recent overly long hold times.

How to book a flight with Costco Travel

To book a flight with Costco Travel, go to the Costco Travel homepage to use the main search form. 

If using the form to search for a Vacation Package, enter the Destination and Region you would like to travel for your dates.  Alternatively, you can also search for a flight with a hotel stay or cruise. Keep in mind, you can only buy a flight from Costco Travel when bundled with a travel package.

Next on the form, select your departure airport in the Flying From field, as well as your flying class. Also, if you are traveling with kids, enter the ages of all children to get accurate package pricing. Click Find My Vacations to view your travel options. 

Based on the search terms in this example, there are 16 matching packages. The lowest price is Occidental at Xcaret ($4,968). This package includes four roundtrip flights from Chicago to Cancun, lodging, and other extras.

To book the package, click View Details & Customize. And then review, checkbox, and click I Understand on the Travel Advisory. Now you can view your flight options. You will see Included Flights at the top of the page. These are the flights Costco Travel selected as the most convenient and affordable for your package.

Scroll down the page to view Additional Flights Available or use the filter to narrow your search. For this trip, there are more than 200 matching flights. 

If a cheaper flight appeals to you, click Select and then Accept when Costco Travel displays a notification screen confirming the price change and your new flight selection. 

However, if you want to stick with the included flight, click Continue to Hotel in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to complete your booking.

Are Costco Travel Flights a good deal?

Avid Costco Travel fans swear they get better deals on flights bought as part of a Costco package. However, it is best to research comparable flight prices before you book. 

Because Costco Travel does not itemize travel package pricing, it is hard to know how much a flight costs without extra effort. To compare your Costco Travel flight, you need to compare package pricing with and without the flight. Unclick the Flying From box to do this.

For example, from our Xcaret trip from above, the cost for a weeklong Costco Travel package that includes airfare to Cancún for a family of four to stay at an all-inclusive resort is $4,968. This same Costco Travel package without the airfare costs $2,849.

The price difference is $2,119, or the cost of the airfare. 

Can you get a better price for a similarly well-timed roundtrip non-stop flight to Cancún? Most likely. 

A search on the carrier’s website for the same flight showed the cost for four tickets at $2,305, or $186 more than the Costco Travel price. But a week later on the Google Flights page , a similar flight was down to $1,924. That works out to $481 roundtrip per person, which is roughly the average airfare for a flight to Cancún. 

But Going doesn’t find average airfares. In fact, we’ve frequently found deals under $200 roundtrip to Cancún like $170 roundtrip from Chicago, $157 roundtrip from Austin, or $189 roundtrip from Denver—all on nonstop flights. 

How to use Costco to book flights with Going

The best way to use Costco Travel and Going together is to receive Going alerts to stay informed on the best fares. When you see a flight price you love, go to Costco Travel’s website to explore packages to that location. 

Once you find a package you like, price it for the dates you can travel—with airfare and without—to know your flight cost. 

If the price looks better on Costco Travel and you are okay with the potential cons of booking your ticket through them, then jump on the deal. Otherwise, you can book the flight directly with the airline or an OTA and still buy the land-only package from Costco Travel.

What airlines does Costco travel use?

• Aegean Airlines
• Air New Zealand
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Air Transat
• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Bahamas Air
• British Airways
• Cayman Airways
• Delta Air Lines
• Fiji Airways
• Hawaiian Airlines 
• Olympic Air
• Sky Express
• United Airlines 
• Virgin Atlantic

Costco Travel car rentals

Costco Travel regularly offers some of the best deals on rental cars. Expect better models for lower prices from the industry’s most reputable car rental agencies. 

The pros of renting a car with Costco Travel are many. They include: 

• Pricing. Costco Travel generally offers the lowest prices from the highest quality vendors.
• Booking a car with a reputable agency. Costco Travel does not work with low-cost carriers.
• Free additional drivers. Additional drivers, which can often cost $10 or more per day, are included with every booking. 
• No upfront payment. Reserve Costco Travel rental cars with no deposit or prepayments.
• Free cancellation. Cancel a car rental with zero penalties.  
• No hidden fees. Costco Travel rental car pricing includes taxes. Expect no surprises at the rental counter.
• Easy comparisons. The Costco Travel website shows car rental options in an easy-to-view grid, making it simple to find the best deal across vehicle types.
• Earn loyalty program points . Enter your preferred loyalty program number at booking to earn points.
• Rebates. Some rentals include a Costco Shop Card.
• Rewards. Executive Members earn a 2% reward on all non-taxable car rental bookings.

There is one major con to renting a car through Costco, it is:

• Limited choice. Costco Travel only works with four rental car agencies. You will not be able to rent from major players like Hertz, or discount agencies like Sixt, Fox, or Payless, among others. 

Are Costco car rentals a good deal?

How do Costco car rentals stack up against other booking sites? Let’s compare a springtime week-long car rental in Honolulu to find out. 

The cheapest car available on Costco Travel from the Honolulu airport costs $610 for a week, including all taxes and an additional driver. This price and same vehicle type are available from both Alamo and Enterprise. 

A quick search on CarRentals.com tells us the cheapest car in Honolulu for the same period is from ACE Rent a Car and costs $577, including tax. 

On the surface, the ACE rental looks like a better deal. 

However, the ACE rate does not include an additional driver. The fine print on the ACE Rules and Restrictions page tells us that adding a driver costs $11 per day. Across eight days, this fee increases the ACE rate by $88, making the Costco rental the better deal for those who plan to have more than one person drive. 

Which car rental companies work with Costco?

Costco Travel only works with four rental car agencies. They are:

• Enterprise 

How to book a car rental with Costco

On the Costco Travel homepage, start a car rental booking from one of two places—the Rental Car tab in the main search box or from Rental Cars in the main menu. 

To search car rentals, enter your Pick-up and Drop-off Locations, Dates, and Times. For roundtrip rentals, your Pick-up and Drop-off Location will be the same. For one-way rentals, click Drop-Off At a Different Location to enter a different Drop-off location.

Once you set your search details, click Find My Car to view your rental options. See below for a search results table for a one-way rental from LA to San Diego in April. The cheapest rental costs $621.

From the search results grid, click on any price to show more detail for the rental car, as is shown above.

Once you see a price and vehicle you like, click Continue to book it. You will now have a chance to select optional equipment for your rental, such as booster seats, Wi-Fi, and more. After making your selections, click Continue at the bottom of the screen. 

You now have one more chance to upgrade your vehicle. If you like your original price and vehicle, skip the upgrade and click Continue.

After this step, you must log in to book the rental. Once logged in, enter contact information and accept the terms and conditions. Then click Finalize Booking.

Costco Travel Packages

Costco travel packages typically include lodging and may also include airfare, airport transfers, and car rental, as well as activities—depending on the trip—for some of the best pricing in the industry. 

Costco separates travel packages into four main categories. They are: 

1. Vacation Packages which include stays at resorts or hotels, as well as airport transfers and some extras. Package pricing usually defaults to include airfare, though you can buy a package without the flight. Or you can build your own package by selecting any combination of hotel, airfare, or car rental. 

2. Specialty Vacations are for African safaris and guided vacations booked with outside providers that are priced exclusively for Costco members. 

3. Cruises are available on 12 different cruise lines for some of the best value and rebates in the industry.

4. Theme Parks include discounted stays bundled with admission tickets at Disney or Universal properties.

Costco Travel will sometimes assign one of three value labels to their travel packages. These labels are: 

Kirkland Signature. Expect the most extras and the best rooms at the lowest prices. View Kirkland Signature Vacations here . 

Buyer’s Choice. Typically one tier below Kirkland Signature trip value. Find Buyer’s Choice trips on the Costco Travel home page or here .

Limited-Time Deals. Members must book these trips by a set date to take advantage of savings and perks. Find Limited-Time deals here . 

There are many pros to booking a travel package with Costco Travel. They are: 

• Pricing. Costco Travel's package bundling can save hundreds of dollars on your vacation.
• Time savings. By shopping for pre-vetted vacation providers and entering all of your traveler details only once in one place, you will simplify your trip planning and save time. 
• Travel advisories. Costco Travel will alert members to travel advisories and important visitor information during the booking process.  
• Partial payments. To secure your booking, Costco may require only a partial payment.
• Price reductions. If you see a price reduction on the land portion of your Vacation Package, you can call Costco Travel customer service to ask them to pass on the savings. 
• Rebates. Earn rebates on many packages in the form of a Costco Shop Card valued at 5-8% of lodging costs.
• Rewards and extras. In addition to earning a 2% Reward on all non-taxable travel spending, Executive Members are eligible for perks, such as room upgrades or resort credits—depending on the trip.

The main con to booking a Vacation Package through Costco Travel is:

• Limited choice. Costco only works with a limited number of lodging vendors to set destinations. If you do not see a hotel or resort you like for a place you want to visit, you will need to search elsewhere.

Are Costco vacation packages a good deal?

Like with flights or car rental bookings, it is best to research pricing to ensure your Costco Travel package offers the best deal. 

Let’s consider the same Xcaret package we used above. The total cost for this package, which includes roundtrip airfare for a family of four to stay at an all-inclusive resort, is $4,968. 

Pricing this same trip without airfare, we discovered tickets cost around $1,900 when bought from the carrier at an average price. Add this to the room bought directly from the resort, which costs $2,422.

How does this stack up? The total for our independently booked trip is $4,336, or $622 less than the Costco Travel package. Also, considering the resort offers free airport transfers for stays longer than six days, there is no added value to this extra in the Costco package.

But, when you add the $229 Costco Shop Card that comes with this package and the 2% Executive Member rewards, higher-tier members can expect to see a return of over $300, making the price difference only $300. For some travelers, the convenience of being able to book everything at once may be worth it. For more price-conscious travelers, booking separately—especially if you can score a deal from Going that cuts your airport in half—it's smarter to book everything on your own.

Cruises on Costco Travel

Some of the most experienced travelers who love cruises claim Costco Travel is their first and last stop when planning a cruise due to its hard-to-beat pricing, rebates, and rewards.  For example, the cost for a five-night Western Caribbean Disney cruise for a family of four in the most affordable room on Costco Travel is $7,303, including tax and a $595 Costco Shop Card.

This same trip costs $7,358 on the Disney Cruise website. Considering the rebate and 2% Executive Member rewards—Costco Travel offers a better deal. 

Costco Travel works with 12 cruise lines. They are: 

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Celebrity Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America Line
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises 
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Royal Caribbean
• Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

The pros of booking a cruise with Costco Travel include: 

• Pricing. You will find Costco Travel offers highly competitive pricing on cruises, even before taking rebates and rewards into account.
• Value labeling. Kirkland Signature and Buyer’s Choice cruises offer the best value for members.
• Price reductions. Members can track cruise price drops to get a better deal and contact Costco to honor price reductions.
• Rebates . Most cruises offer a 5-8% rebate on non-taxable cruise costs in the form of a Costco Shop Card. 
• Rewards and perks. Executive Members earn a 2% reward on all non-taxable cruise spending and are eligible for extras such as room upgrades, shipboard credits, and more—depending on the trip.

The cons of booking a cruise with Costco Travel are:

• Limited choice. Costco does not work with all cruise lines, including many higher-end ones, such as Windstar, Viking, and Oceania, among others. 
• Rebates instead of shipboard credits. Instead of offering shipboard credits as most travel agents do, Costco offers cruisers rebates on a Costco Shop Card. Although the cards generally offer a higher value, cruisers have to wait four to six weeks after the trip to receive them.
• No one is tracking price drops for you. Costco does not proactively track cruise prices and share price reductions in the way a travel agent might. Cruisers must do this themselves and request Costco Travel for the adjustment.
• Less hand-holding. Costco Travel customer service agents are not cruise specialists. First-time cruisers with questions may prefer booking directly with a dedicated specialist.

Theme parks on Costco Travel

Costco works with the following theme parks: 

• Walt Disney World
• Universal Orlando
• Disneyland Resorts

For example, a one-week trip for a family of four that includes five-day Park Hopper tickets staying at The Art Of Animation in Walt Disney World costs $5,139 on Costco Travel. This same package booked directly on Disney's Art Of Animation website costs $6,985. The Costco Travel savings here are huge. 

The two major benefits of booking a theme park package with Costco Travel are better pricing and reward earnings for Executive Members.

The significant con in buying from Costco Travel is that theme parks visits can be confusing. Inexperienced or first-time visitors may find it helpful to book with a dedicated theme park travel agent who can answer questions, such as how to reserve rides, make dinner reservations, or get tickets to special events.

Costco Travel hotels

Costco Travel works with a limited number of pre-selected hotel brands so expect only a few lodging choices for any given destination. 

However, if it turns out Costco Travel has lodging that you like for a place you plan to go, expect to get a better price, as well as perks, rebates, or rewards unavailable elsewhere. 

The pros of booking a hotel through Costco Travel include: 

• Time savings. For travelers who suffer decision fatigue, sorting through a smaller list of pre-vetted options is a welcome change.
• Pricing. Costco Travel nearly always offers a better price for rooms with their vendors. Even before considering potential extras. 
• Partial payment. Costco Travel may only require a deposit to secure a hotel booking—depending on the property and travel date. 
• Price reductions. If you see a price reduction on your hotel booking, you can call Costco Travel customer service to ask them to pass on the savings.
• Rebates . For some bookings, Costco Travel may offer a rebate valued at 5-8% of lodging costs in the form of a Costco Shop Card.
• Extras. Regardless of membership level, extras—such as airport transfers or late checkout—may be included at no cost. Executive Members may be eligible for additional perks. 
• Rewards . Executive Members earn a 2% reward on all non-taxable hotel spending.

The cons of booking a hotel through Costco Travel are: 

• Limited selection. Costco works with four major hotel brands, some of which only have middling ratings. Travelers looking for exemplary service or boutique lodging may have to look elsewhere. 
• Not many family-friendly accommodation options . Many families appreciate having space to spread out while traveling, such as separate bedrooms within one unit. Costco generally does not provide this kind of lodging, nor does it offer an easy way to search for properties that have it.

Are Costco hotels a good deal?

Even before assigning a value to the rebates, rewards, and extras, Costco Travel will nearly always offer a better price on hotel stays for the properties it sells.

For example, Costco Travel prices a 7-night stay in a San Juan, PR hotel for a family of four at $3,621. This room for the same period costs $3,900 on the hotel website. 

Coming in nearly $300 less, Costco Travel offers better hotel pricing.  And Costco further sweetens the San Juan hotel package by providing complimentary roundtrip airport transfers, a $235 Costco Shop Card, and an Executive Member benefit of a $15 resort credit per day.  

Which hotel companies work with Costco?

Costco Travel works with four major hotel brands. They are: 

• IHG Hotels & Resorts. This includes 15 different hotel brands like the Holiday Inn, the InterContinental, and the Kimpton Hotel, among others.
• Hyatt. This includes 11 Hyatt brands across North and South America.
• Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
• Swissotel Hotels & Resorts

How to book a hotel with Costco

To book a hotel with Costco Travel, use the main search form on the Costco Travel home page. Click on the hotel icon to conduct a hotel-only search.

Or, browse hotel brands from Costco Travel’s main menu dropdown. Select your preferred brand, and you will arrive at a page with the same search box, though you can scroll down to view that brand’s featured properties.

When using the main search box to query hotel stays, fill in your destination, travel dates, number of rooms requested, and number of travelers. If you are traveling with children, enter that here. Their ages may affect lodging pricing. Once you submit your travel details, click Find My Hotel to view options.

From this hotel snapshot, you can see several things, including the total price for your stay, included extras, property photos, and reviews from other Costco Travel members. To continue with the booking, click View Details & Customize. Read through and agree to the Travel Advisory.  You will now arrive on your hotel detail page. On this page, you can click to Learn More about the property, including the on-site dining options, room types, and member reviews. You can also review rate details, cancellation policies, and additional information regarding included extras. 

You can also explore other room options from this page by clicking Modify Room. If you want to keep your original room, click Keep Current Selection. 

Also, note the Total Price of your hotel package in the upper right-hand corner of your screen, as well as the Amount Due Today—the deposit required to secure the reservation and make the booking. 

Once you have reviewed all details and are ready to book, click Continue To Transportation—if transportation is part of your package. Otherwise, select Continue to Recap to log in and the booking.

The perks of booking with Costco

• Pricing. Costco Travel will offer the most competitive pricing on many of the products it sells, even before considering rebates and rewards.
• Rebates. Many Costco vacation packages and some hotel bookings include a complimentary Costco Shop Card, or gift card, calculated up to 5-8% of the lodging value. Members receive the card in the mail four to six weeks after the trip.
• Rewards. Executive Members earn an additional 2% reward on all non-taxable trip costs. All 2% Rewards accrued for the year are paid in one certificate approximately three months before membership renewal. 
• Credit card savings. Pay for a trip with a Costco Anywhere Visa card and get an additional 3% cashback on travel. Combine this benefit with a Costco Shop Card and an Executive Membership, and you could tally a 10% return on your travel spending. 
• Extras. Some trips sold on Costco Travel offer extras such as late checkouts or complimentary airport transfers regardless of member status. However, Executive Members get additional perks that could include complimentary meals, spa credits, room upgrades, or VIP airport experiences, among others. 
• Price reduction pass-through. Costco Travel will pass on lodging price reductions . Travelers who see a price drop on the land portion of their trips can call Customer Service to request the savings.
• Stay informed . Booking on Costco Travel will keep you informed about travel advisories, as well as government taxes and fees for international trips. 
• No surprises. Costco Travel package pricing includes all taxes and fees—except for departure taxes and other local taxes and fees collected by local governments.
• Convenience . All of your travel documents and bookings will be from one vendor in one place. 

Costco Travel insurance

Costco Travel does not directly sell travel insurance. Instead, it offers member-only rates through their preferred travel partner, Zurich Travel Insurance. 

Members have the option to buy plans through Zurich that could include any of the following coverages: 

• Trip Cancellation
• Trip Interruption
• Travel Delay
• Baggage Loss or Delay
• Emergency Medical Expense, including those related to Covid-19
• Rental Car Damage, including due to accidental collision, theft, and vandalism

Costco Travel contact info

• Main Customer Service For Questions Or Bookings: 1-866-921-7925
• Main Customer Service Hours: Mon - Fri: 7A to 7PM; Sat - Sun: 8A to 5PM (PST)
• Customer Service While Traveling: 1-866-317-4711

Frequently asked questions about Costco Travel

Can i use costco travel without being a member.

Unfortunately, you cannot use Costco Travel without being a member. You can browse the Costco Travel website as a non-member. However, you cannot book any travel unless you log in. 

How does Costco Travel work?

Similar to their warehouse stores, Costco Travel offers a limited selection of travel products from a small number of pre-vetted providers. Costco members can book travel at resorts, on cruises, at theme parks, as well as reserve car rentals, all at significant discounts. 

Members reap savings in terms of lower prices, generous rebates, Executive Member rewards, and other extras that regularly exceed the value of what the competition can offer.

Should I book my flight with Costco?

You can only book your flight with Costco Travel when you purchase it in combination with a travel package.  

The major benefit to buying your flight with Costco is that if you are an Executive Member, you will earn a 2% reward on the non-taxable portion of your fare. The biggest downsides to purchasing your flight with Costco are that you may be subject to cancellation fees, and you must resolve all issues with Costco Travel customer service, which has recently suffered from extended hold times. Plus, you may find cheaper rates elsewhere.

What are the Costco Visa travel benefits?

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card provides excellent cash back rewards, including 3% on travel. See the table below to view cash back percentages earned across different spending categories

Where can I login to Costco Travel?

Log in on Costco Travel from any booking login prompt or the Login icon in the upper right-hand corner of the site. Enter your Costco Travel membership number and password.  Your Costco Travel membership number is different from your Costco membership number. You can create your Costco Travel account from the link on this screen using your membership number.  If you do not have a Costco Travel account and still want to book a trip, select Continue without an account during the booking process, where you can enter your Costco membership number to book the trip.

Freelance Writer

Published August 7, 2023

Last updated December 21, 2023

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A Costco Shop Card was included in my reservation. When will I get it?

• For Cruises and Vacation Packages, digital cards will be emailed approximately 10 days after the start of the cruise or vacation
• For Rental Cars, digital cards will be emailed approximately 3-4 weeks after travel is completed

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I Cut My Hotel Price in Half Using Costco Travel and Still Earned Solid Travel Rewards

Brett Holzhauer

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Costco Travel Remains a Staple in My Toolbelt

Booking through costco travel, booking through marriott, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

When you’re a seasoned points and miles fan, it can become a ritual to simply book all your flights and hotel directly through the airline or hotel brand. This is typically more beneficial than not, as you earn loyalty status and also get direct customer service if something goes wrong.

But occasionally, I’ve found it to be beneficial to book through Costco Travel. Although I typically use this service for rental cars only, I’ve found some solid value in the last few months by using Costco’s all-in-one travel portal.

Here’s what you need to know about how I saved money through Costco Travel for my upcoming Mexico trip.

It’s shocking to me when I tell people about Costco Travel since many people don’t even know it’s a benefit. While it’s not always the best route to go, it’s a great resource to keep in mind when you’re looking for the best deal for your next trip.

On the platform, you can book hotels, rental cars, cruises, and theme park-related getaways, and you don’t need a membership to look through the website to see the available deals. However, you do need a membership (or a friend with a membership) to book through Costco Travel .

If you find a Costco Travel deal worth booking and aren’t a member, simply ask a friend or family member with a Costco membership for their login. I’ve booked rental cars, cruises, and hotels for friends and family through Costco Travel plenty of times with no issue at all. The entire booking can be in someone else’s name, and if you have an Executive Membership, you will earn 2% back to your yearly membership reward.

Regardless of how or where you travel, Costco Travel is worth playing around with, as there can be some great deals.

How I Saved Money Through Costco Travel

Although I recently wrote about how travel prices really haven’t jumped all that much when adjusted for inflation , seeing larger numbers never sits well psychologically. To add insult to injury, I’ve been pretty “points broke,” so I found myself using cash rather than credit card rewards for my recent travels.

When an opportunity came up to book a nice 5-day getaway in Cancun (a short 1.5-hour flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida), I jumped right at it. But wow, some of these hotels are charging absurd prices. So I did some digging and found an incredible deal through Costco Travel. Here’s how the numbers shake out for a 5-night stay at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and how much it would be if I booked directly through Marriott.

For a 5-night stay for 2 people at the JW Marriott Cancun, I paid $1,905.71, or $381 per night. It was still a bit pricey, but there’s more to take into account.

When booking travel through Costco Travel, you will likely see several promotions or discounts that further incentivize you to book through their portal. And this deal was no different.

For this deal, I’m getting the following perks:

• A $112 Costco gift card
• Private transportation to and from the airport
• $50 daily resort credit during the stay
• $50 spa credit

For the sake of this example, I won’t be counting the resort and spa credits, as booking through Marriott offers the same benefit. But I figure that a $112 Costco Gift Card is essentially a cash rebate. And since I have a Costco Executive Membership, I will earn 2% back on the purchase price, or $38 back. So my out-the-door cost for this stay is $1,755 .

For the $1,905 purchase, I used my Ink Business Preferred ® Credit Card , which earns 3x per $1 spent on travel (and select business categories up to the first $150,000 spent each year), netting me 5,715 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. At a 2 cents per point valuation , that’s an additional $114 in value for my next trip.

The way I see it, I paid $1,755 for this trip and earned some valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards along the way.

Here’s the sticker shock if I were to have booked through Marriott directly for the same room. For the same 5-night stay when booking direct, I would have paid double — $4,036.

This is for the Transportation Package in Cancun , and while it may say $3,315 for the stay, it slyly adds in the government taxes and fees at checkout, bringing the total to just over $4,000.

This package comes with roughly the same benefits that Costco Travel was offering, with resort and spa credits and transportation to and from the airport. However, it doesn’t come with the Costco gift card.

But, if I were to book directly with Marriott, I would earn 10 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 — earning me 40,360 Marriott points. And if I used my Ink Business Preferred card for this purchase as well, I would earn 12,108 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. With our points valuation , this would be $282 and $242 in earned value, respectively.

So, with all factors considered, including the rewards I would earn booking the trip, I would have paid $3,512 — double what I paid going through Costco.

The only benefit I would get booking through Marriott and not Costco Travel is earning toward Marriott elite status . But as I rarely stay at Marriott properties and don’t have status, it wasn’t part of my consideration.

Like any purchase you make today, it’s worth shopping around to see if there are better deals out there. Although it may pain you to make a third-party booking where you can’t take advantage of your loyalty status benefits, your wallet will thank you later. With all that money saved, you can definitely afford an extra hot dog on your next trip to Costco.

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About Brett Holzhauer

Brett is a personal finance and travel junkie. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, he’s had over 100 credit cards and earned millions of credit card rewards. He learned the tricks of the trade from his mom, and has taken many steps forward. He wasn’t exposed to much travel as a kid, but now has a goal of reaching 100 countries in his life. In 2019, he sold all of his possessions to become a digital nomad, and he says it was one of the best decisions he ever made. He plans to do it again at some point in his life.

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Grab Your Costco Membership Today and Score Up to $40 in Store Credit

Grab the Gold Star or Executive Gold Star membership and get money back via a Costco gift card with this StackSocial deal.

Most of us are looking for ways to keep our budgets in check these days, and buying in bulk is a great way to save. An investment in a Costco membership can help you save big in the long run. Right now when you sign up for one of Costco's annual memberships, you'll not only gain access to a ton of excellent member benefits, but you can also get Costco gift cards that can essentially score you about 33% of your money back. 

There are two different levels that you can choose from with this StackSocial deal. You can snag a one-year Gold Star Costco membership for $60 , and you'll get back $20 worth of Costco credit. While you will pay the original $60 up front, the gift card value means you'll be getting the one-year membership for just $40. You can spring for the Executive Gold Star Costco membership for $120 and get back $40 worth of Costco credit, which means the one-year membership at the higher tier will essentially cost you just $80. 

StackSocial doesn't list a specific date for when this deal will end, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later if you want to take advantage of this offer. Keep in mind, this offer is only available only to new customers, or those whose memberships have expired for more than 18 months. If you've been thinking of picking up an annual Costco membership, this is a great way to keep more cash in your pocket. 

Read more:   How to Get the Most Out of Your Costco Membership

With a Costco Gold Star subscription, you'll get one membership card for your household. It allows you to shop at any Costco warehouse worldwide, as well as online at Costco.com. While Costco is a great place to save on groceries and other everyday essentials, it offers a lot more. A Gold Star membership also means you can use Costco's gas stations and pharmacies, as well as Costco's optical and hearing aid centers. Costco frequently has seasonal plants, decor, furniture, electronics and other products as well.

If you sign up for a Costco Executive Gold Star membership, you can take advantage of all of the features of the regular Gold Star subscription. Plus you'll experience additional benefits and greater discounts on select Costco services. You'll also earn an annual 2% reward up to $1,000 on qualified purchases. 

After you sign up, you'll receive your bonus shop card via email. The card can be used both in-store and online, so you can use it right away. It's also worth noting that after you pay for membership through StackSocial, you'll have until June 30 to redeem the membership, or you may not be able to take advantage of the deal.

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Costco gold bars are a hit with millennials? Not so fast

For those of you who don’t work in the media business, I’ll let you in on a little secret: Editors love trend pieces. These are stories that call attention to a new fad in clothes or dating or whatever. They are easy to write—just find an example or two of someone doing something mildly surprising, and frame it as part of a larger trend in culture or society. And if your evidence is a little thin, well, it doesn’t really matter: Readers will gobble up the story all the same. Here’s a case in point from the Wall Street Journal , which has a trend piece about the popularity of Costco’s one-ounce gold bars among younger consumers:

“Craig Beauregard and Julia Edwards were at Costco shopping for groceries in December when they spotted a deal that was too good to pass up: a one-ounce bar of gold. Beauregard, 33 years old, checked his phone and saw the bar’s retail price of $2,069 was $3 below its on-the-spot price in financial markets. They threw it in their shopping cart next to a seven-pound bag of frozen chicken and a carton of Kirkland eggs. Americans can’t get enough gold.”

It’s a great story—millennials are so worried about the future they’re throwing gold into their shopping carts with the eggs!—but, as they say, the plural of anecdote is not data. To be fair, the Journal does make a half-hearted effort to show that Craig and Julia are not just prone to impulse buying, but part of an honest-to-goodness trend. The paper not only quotes two other thirtysomething buyers of Costco gold bars (three examples and you have a trend!) but also cites a State Street study that finds the “average millennial allocates 17% of their investments to gold…while Gen X and baby boomers invest 10% of their portfolio in the metal.”

Hmm. I’m not a millennial, but I know plenty of them and I would be very surprised if they are putting 17% of their wealth into gold. I poked into that study to find the methodology , and here’s where that number comes from: an online poll conducted by a gold ETF of 1,000 people who had $250,000 in investments of which 25% were millennials. In other words, that 17% figure is based on 250 affluent people who opted to take a gold company’s survey.

That’s the sort of thing that gets you an F on a statistics paper but, fortunately, this is a trend piece so it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is the Journal story is fun fodder for debate about whether you should buy gold in these uncertain times. And, since this is nominally a column about crypto, whether you should buy Bitcoin instead.

I can see the appeal of gold—it looks cool and has been a store of value across nearly every culture for thousands of years. And if all the banks collapse, well you can always dig up the Costco gold bars you buried in the backyard and try to barter your way through the surrounding anarchy. But there are drawbacks: It’s hard to spend, hard to sell, and, if you live in a state like mine, you’re down over 7% right away because of sales tax. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is easy to divide and more liquid—but it’s been a store of value for barely 15 years and its network has yet to be tested in true Mad Max conditions.

There’s also the question of volatility. Bitcoin fell nearly 80% in its last swoon while, in recent times, the most gold has fallen is around 30%. But more recent, ahem, trends show gold is up around 12% while Bitcoin is up 58% and that no one who has bought and held Bitcoin for three years has suffered a loss. None of this is investment advice, so you’ll have to decide for yourself. For my part, I’m looking forward to the day Costco sells Bitcoin so I can write a trend piece of my own.

Jeff John Roberts [email protected] @jeffjohnroberts

DECENTRALIZED NEWS

A jury sided with the SEC and found Do Kwon and his company liable for civil fraud related to the stablecoin Terra, which collapsed after its peg to the U.S. dollar proved illusory. ( Bloomberg )

Galaxy is raising $100 million of outside money for a new venture fund that will invest in early-stage crypto startups. ( CoinDesk )

The FTX estate sold two-thirds of its $2.6 billion Solana hoard at a massive discount to Galaxy and Pantera , angering small creditors. ( Fortune )

Pantera Capital ’s $300 million Liquid Token Fund finished the first quarter with a 66% return. ( Bloomberg )

The crypto industry is responding to recent court losses in New York by suing the SEC in Texas as part of a strategy to force a circuit split to tee up a case for SCOTUS. ( Bloomberg Law )

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