3 Unexpected Benefits of Booking Your Next Vacation Through Costco

The general convention at Costco is that whether you’re shopping for groceries, paper towels, clothing, or electronics, you’re usually looking at a pretty good deal. That’s why members are willing to pay $65 or $130 a year for a membership.

As you might imagine, Costco’s reputation for helping people save money extends to its travel services. You can book a ton of vacation packages through Costco, from resorts to cruises to theme parks. And if you shop around, you might find that Costco’s vacation package prices are hard to beat.

But that’s not the only reason to book your next vacation through Costco. Here are a few lesser-known benefits you might enjoy.

Costco doesn’t just offer low prices on travel. Many of its packages include additional member benefits that you wouldn’t get if you were to book your own travel.

For example, you might get free drinks on a cruise or free resort credit at an island that you can redeem for spa treatments or room service. In some cases, you might get a Costco Shop Card (a store gift card version) for booking your trip, which could cover your next shopping trip or, depending on the amount, a few weeks of groceries.

2. Access to customer service at any time

When you book your trip through a travel agent, they’re there to support you every step of the way — or at least the good ones are. When you book your trip through Costco, you get the same benefit.

Not only can a Costco Travel consultant help you find the right itinerary, but Costco is also ready to support you if your plans change or something goes wrong. If you have to cancel your vacation, for example due to a change in your personal life, you can call Costco and they will help you sort out your options. And if your trip is canceled due to circumstances beyond your control, Costco will step in to make sure you get a refund — and help you find a suitable alternate itinerary.

3. Cashback with Executive Membership

There’s a reason why an Executive membership at Costco costs twice as much as a Gold Star membership ($130 vs. $65). An Executive membership gives you 2% cash back on purchases at Costco.

You might think that vacation packages are exempt from this benefit. But you can actually earn cash back on your travel the same way you can on grocery purchases. If you book a trip for $5,000, that’s $100 in your pocket, which only increases your savings.

Costco offers travel deals to a wide range of destinations, so it’s worth browsing the site or calling customer service to see if any of the packages seem appealing to you. You can enjoy benefits that go beyond the basic savings on your trip. And you could end up with a unique trip that you can only experience when booking through Costco.