Introduction
Costco Travel is Costco’s own travel booking service, available only to Costco members. Think of it like Expedia or Booking.com but with special prices and perks negotiated through Costco’s bulk buying power.
When you use Costco Travel, you can book:
- Vacation packages that bundle flights, hotels, and sometimes tour or dining credits.
- Cruises on major lines, often with onboard credits.
- Discounted rental cars with free additional driver options.
- Theme park packages with tickets and hotel stays.
What makes Costco Travel stand out is that it’s not open to the general public — you need a paid Costco membership to access the deals. Because of this feature, Costco can negotiate lower rates and additional benefits for members.
It’s a service designed for busy travellers who want convenience, savings, and confidence in the booking process. Everything you see on Costco Travel is pre-screened, meaning hotels, resorts, and cruise lines are selected for quality and reliability.
In short, Costco Travel is Costco's way of extending its "buy in bulk, save more" philosophy to the travel industry - giving members extra value without having to spend hours shopping.
2. Types of Travel Services Offered
Costco Travel is more than just booking flights - it's a complete travel service with different categories designed to suit different vacation styles and budgets. Here's what they offer:
1. Vacation Packages
These bundles include flights, hotel stays, and sometimes extras like airport transfers, resort credits, or free breakfasts. They're ideal for travellers who want an all-in-one booking without having to bundle everything together separately. Costco often works with leading hotels and airlines, so you get quality at a discounted rate.
2. Cruises
Costco partners with major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Carnival to offer competitive fares. Many bookings come with onboard credits (money you can spend on food, drinks, or excursions onboard) or free upgrades to better cabins.
3. Rental Cars
Through partnerships with companies like Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Alamo, Costco members often get lower daily rates. Another big perk? You usually get a free additional driver, which can save you money if you’re sharing driving duties.
4. Theme Park Packages
For families, Costco offers bundles for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Universal Studios that combine park tickets with a nearby hotel stay. Some packages also include extra perks like meal vouchers or early park admission.
In short, Costco Travel is designed to be a one-stop shop whether you want a week-long Caribbean cruise, a road trip with a rental car, or a family vacation to Disney.
3. How to Access Costco Travel Deals
Booking through Costco Travel is easy, but there’s one important requirement — you need to be a Costco member.
Here’s how it works step by step:
- Get a Costco Membership
- Sign up for a Costco membership.
- You’ll need either a Gold Star or Executive membership.
- Gold Star is the basic plan that gives you access to all of Costco Travel’s deals.
- Executive membership costs more annually but comes with added benefits like 2% cash back on Costco Travel purchases.
- Visit the Costco Travel website.
- Visit www.costcotravel.com (or your country’s Costco Travel site).
- Sign in using your Costco membership number and the email associated with your account.
Browse available deals.
You can search by destination, type of trip (vacation packages, cruises, rental cars, theme parks), or special promotions.
Each listing will show the price, what’s included, and any member-only extras.
Book directly online or by phone.
Most tours can be booked directly through the website.
For more complex tours or group travel, Costco also has customer service agents you can call for assistance.
Confirm and get your documents.
After booking, you’ll receive confirmation emails and any necessary vouchers or tickets.
Have your Costco membership card handy, as some vendors may require it at check-in.
💡 Pro tip: If you’re not ready to book yet, you can still check prices and deals on the Costco Travel site — but you’ll need to log in to see the actual member-only rates.
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