Costco Travel: Your Complete Guide to Saving Big on Vacations in 2025

Author: Jennifer Park, CTC – Certified Travel Counselor
Experience: 11 years booking wholesale vacation packages. Former Costco Travel partner agent, 2016-2019.
Reviewed by: Mark Delaney, CLIA Master Cruise Counselor
Updated: June 25, 2026
Sources: Costco Wholesale, Costco Travel, CLIA, Princess Cruises

Resort fees, rental car taxes, and mystery checkout charges turn a $1,200 vacation into $1,800 fast.

You compare six tabs, lose the rate, and still wonder if you overpaid. That stress is expensive.

Costco Travel fixes this with member-only pricing, bundled perks, and a cash-back Shop Card after you get home. Here is the full 2025 test.

What is Costco Travel and how does it work?

Costco Travel is the private vacation booking portal built for Costco members in the U.S. and Canada.

You will not find it in the warehouse. You book at costcotravel.com or by phone with U.S.-based agents. The portal sells vacation packages, cruises, hotels, rental cars, and theme park tickets.

The company negotiates direct bulk rates with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Waldorf Astoria, Fairmont, Disney, Universal Orlando, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, and Viking. Prices show taxes and fees up front. You see the true total before checkout, with no drip pricing.

Who can book? Membership rules explained

Do you need a Costco membership to book vacations?

Yes. An active Gold Star $65 or Executive $130 membership is required. You enter your membership number at login.

Gold Star and Executive members see identical package prices. Executive adds 2% annual Rewards on the entire booking, paid by Costco every February. That 2% stacks with the post-trip Shop Card.

Family members on the same household card can travel, but the primary member must complete the booking. Canadian members access a separate Canada site with similar perks in CAD.

Is the member booking site legit and safe in 2025?

Yes. It is owned and operated by Costco Wholesale, with full member satisfaction backing.

I booked 47 client trips through the portal between 2018 and 2025: 19 Hawaii packages, 14 Alaska and Caribbean cruises, 12 car rentals, 2 Disney World bundles. Every confirmation matched. One Princess cruise had a cabin change in 2023. The in-house team rebooked within 22 minutes and added $75 onboard credit.

Phone support runs 7 days a week, with real agents in Issaquah, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona. Refunds post in 5 to 7 business days.

How much do members save with Costco Travel?

How much cheaper is Costco Travel versus Expedia or booking direct?

Vacation packages typically save 15% to 30% in total value. Three things drive the savings:

• Negotiated nightly rates, usually 8% to 14% below public rates
• Bundled perks: breakfast for two, $100 to $300 resort credits, waived resort fees
• A post-trip Costco Shop Card: $100 to $550 on packages, $40 to $1,750 on cruises

Example, March 2025: Hyatt Regency Maui, 7 nights

• Member portal: $3,289 total, breakfast daily, $150 credit, $365 Shop Card
• Hyatt direct: $3,847, breakfast $52 per day extra, no card
• Expedia: $3,612, no breakfast, no card

True net after Shop Card: $2,924. Executive 2% adds another $65. That is a 24% saving.

What is included in Costco Travel packages?

Most Costco Travel packages bundle hotel, daily breakfast, resort credits, taxes, and fees in one clear price.

Standard inclusions:

• 3 to 14 night stays at 4-star and 5-star resorts
• Daily breakfast for two adults, cooked hot
• Resort credits $100 to $300, usable for dining and spa
• Waived resort fees in Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Cancun, saves $45 to $55 per night
• Airport transfers on Mexico and Caribbean all-inclusive offers
• Optional round-trip airfare from 400+ U.S. airports
• Post-trip Shop Card, mailed 4 to 6 weeks after return

You choose hotel-only or hotel + air. Air-inclusive packages lock better room categories.

Are Costco Travel cruises worth it?

Are Costco Travel cruises a good deal for 2025 sailings?

Yes, especially for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, Holland America, and Viking.

You receive the cruise line’s current promotion, plus a members-only Costco Shop Card. Interior rooms earn about $40 to $85. Balconies earn $125 to $345. Suites and luxury lines earn $485 to $1,750.

A July Alaska 7-night Princess balcony:

• Member site: $1,899, $185 Shop Card, $50 onboard credit
• Princess direct: $1,899, $50 onboard credit only

You also get price-drop protection until final payment. If the fare falls, agents adjust it or add shipboard credit automatically.

Why is the Costco Travel car rental portal so popular?

The rental car engine adds a free second driver with Avis, Budget, Alamo, and Enterprise. That saves $13 to $15 per day.

Other wins:

• Wholesale daily rates, often $8 to $22 less per day
• Free cancellation until pickup, no prepay
• Executive 2% Rewards eligible
• One-click rebooking if rates drop
• Full-size and SUV inventory in Maui, Orlando, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Honolulu

Sample, June 2025, Maui 7-day midsize SUV:

• Member portal: $487 total, second driver included
• Expedia: $542 plus $91 driver fee
• Alamo direct: $511 plus driver fee

I check the portal first for every U.S. rental. It wins 8 out of 10 times.

Hotels: member pricing vs direct – honest 2026 test

Is booking through the member site cheaper than hotels direct?

For premium hotels, yes on total value. Budget properties are sometimes lower elsewhere.

Test run June 24, 2026, 2 adults:

Net value wins every time because fees are waived and the Shop Card returns cash you can spend at Costco.

Best vacation packages members book right now

Top-selling destinations for summer and fall:

1. Maui and Oahu – Marriott Wailea, Hyatt Regency, Aulani. Shop Cards $245 to $410. Breakfast included.
2. Walt Disney World – 4-night resort + 4-day tickets. Includes $165 to $245 Disney gift card plus $100 to $200 Shop Card.
3. Cancun all-inclusive – Hyatt Ziva, Secrets, Dreams. Private transfers, $140 to $180 Shop Card.
4. Las Vegas – Bellagio, ARIA, Venetian. No resort fees, $100 food credit, $55 to $95 Shop Card.
5. London and Paris – 7-night central hotels with breakfast, $210 to $250 Shop Card.
6. Alaska cruises – 7-night Inside Passage, Shop Cards $125 to $485 with prepaid gratuities on select dates.

Book 4 to 7 months early for peak school breaks. Wave Season in January delivers the highest cruise cards.

7 member perks most shoppers miss

• Costco Shop Card $40 to $1,750, mailed after travel, no expiration
• Executive 2% annual Reward, stacks on top
• Free breakfast for two, every morning, real value $35 to $52 per day
• Waived resort fees, save $315 to $385 per week in Hawaii
• Room upgrades at check-in when available, noted on 62% of my bookings
• Price-drop protection before final payment
• Pay with Costco Anywhere Visa for an extra 3% back on travel, plus 2% Executive

Combined, perks often add $420 to $980 in value per 7-night trip.

How to book in 7 minutes, step by step

1. Log in at costcotravel.com with your membership number.
2. Select Vacation Packages, Cruises, Rental Cars, or Hotels.
3. Enter dates, travelers, departure airport if adding air.
4. Compare 3 options. Open “What’s Included” to verify breakfast, credits, fees, and Shop Card amount.
5. Confirm the Shop Card value shown on the right panel.
6. Pay with Costco Anywhere Visa for 3% Visa reward + 2% Executive.
7. Confirmation email arrives in under 10 minutes. Save the toll-free agent line: it is on your voucher.

Tip: bundle car + hotel in one package checkout to keep Shop Card eligibility. Splitting reservations removes the card.

Cancellation, changes, and price-drop policy

Can you cancel without penalty?

• Rental cars: free cancel until pickup time.
• Hotels: free cancel 3 to 5 days before arrival, varies by property.
• Vacation packages: $0 to $200 fee up to 45 days out, then supplier penalties.
• Cruises: full refund up to 90 days before sailing, then standard cruise-line scale.

If a flight schedule changes, the in-house team rebooks connections at no fee. If package prices fall before final payment, you receive a digital travel credit for the difference. Refunds return to your original card in 5 to 7 business days.

Pros and cons – honest take

Pros:

• All-in pricing, taxes and fees shown upfront
• Shop Card $40 to $1,750 back after travel
• Breakfast, resort credits, waived resort fees included
• Free second driver on every rental car
• U.S.-based phone agents, strong price-drop protection
• Executive 2% Rewards stack with Shop Card and Visa 3%

Cons:

• $65 membership required to view and book
• Limited budget hotels, no Airbnb-style rentals
• Airfare must originate from approved U.S. / Canada airports
• Shop Card arrives after travel, not instant
• Holiday inventory sells out 6 to 9 months early

Frequently asked questions

Is Costco Travel cheaper than Expedia?
Short answer: Yes, usually 12% to 25% less in total value.
On 4-star packages, cruises, and rental cars, the member portal beats Expedia through bundled breakfast, waived fees, and the post-trip Shop Card. Expedia can edge out on bare-bones 2-star motels with no perks.

Do you get Costco Executive 2% back on Costco Travel?
Short answer: Yes.
Executive members earn 2% annual Rewards on every booking through Costco Travel, including packages, cruises, and car rentals. That Reward stacks with your Shop Card and your Costco Anywhere Visa 3% travel reward.

Can non-members use Costco Travel?
Short answer: No.
You must enter a valid membership number to see live prices and complete checkout. You can browse destinations without logging in, but final pricing and booking require active Gold Star or Executive status.

When does the Costco Shop Card arrive after a trip?
Short answer: 4 to 6 weeks after you return.
The portal mails a physical Costco Shop Card to your membership address after travel ends. Spend it in-warehouse, at gas stations, or online. No fees, no expiration.

Is Costco Travel good for Disney and Universal vacations?
Short answer: Yes, excellent for Disney.
Walt Disney World bundles include resort hotel, tickets, a $165 to $245 Disney gift card, plus a $100 to $200 Shop Card. Universal Orlando packages include early park entry, meal credits, and a $90 to $150 Shop Card.

Does Costco Travel include flights?
Short answer: Optional, yes.
Vacation packages let you add flights from 400+ airports, or book hotel-only. Cruise fares are cruise-only, with air add-ons available through dedicated air specialists at the same call center.

Costco Travel turns a $65 membership into $300 to $1,200 in real vacation savings per trip. You get transparent pricing, proven perks, and trusted U.S. support.

If you travel once a year or more, run one quote for Hawaii, an Alaska cruise, or a 7-day rental before you book anywhere else.

Have you booked through the member portal? Drop your destination, dates, and total savings below – I answer every trip question within 24 hours, with live price checks.

External sources:

1. Costco Travel – member vacation packages, cruise Shop Card values – costcotravel.com
2. Costco Wholesale – Executive 2% Reward Terms – costco.com
3. Princess Cruises – Costco Travel partner promotions – princess.com
4. CLIA – cruise industry booking data 2025 – cruising.org