Traveling is typically expensive, which is why people often go the extra mile to secure the best prices. Since Costco is known for its bargains, that can make Costco Travel look like a strong option. If you’re wondering, “Is Costco travel a good deal?” here’s what you need to know.
What Is Costco Travel?
Costco Travel is a travel booking and purchasing service that’s available to Costco members. Members can explore a variety of travel booking options, including hotel reservations, attraction tickets, curated packages, rental cars, and more. The service is accessible online as well as over the phone.
How Do You Book with Costco Travel?
Booking a trip through Costco Travel is generally straightforward. You begin by entering details about your trip, such as your destination and desired travel dates, as well as whether you need flights and your preferred departure city. Next, you conduct a search to see the available packages.
Once you see a package, you can adjust specific parts of it to ensure it meets all of your needs. Just be aware that changes can alter the price. After making the various selections, review the summary, log into your Costco account, and then provide traveler information and payment details to finish the booking process.
Is Costco Travel a Good Deal?
Generally, Costco Travel can offer good deals on travel. The company is able to leverage its buying authority to help secure lower prices. Then, it’s able to pass any savings the company captures on to Costco members. Often, that can mean there are savings to be had when compared to booking a similar trip on your own.
However, Costco Travel focuses primarily on allowing members to create full vacation packages. Typically, that means flights and accommodations, with rental cars or prepaid activities potentially being in the mix. If you only need airplane tickets, then Costco Travel isn’t going to work well, as purchasing flights alone isn’t an option.
It’s also critical to note that Costco Travel doesn’t offer flights from every airline, including some low-cost carriers, such as JetBlue. Since it only has flights available through specific airlines, it’s possible it won’t present you with the cheapest option to get to your destination when compared to what’s available through non-partnered airlines.
Similarly, you may be able to find lower-cost accommodations through resources that aren’t accessible through Costco Travel. For instance, you may find a better deal through services like Airbnb or Vrbo, or simply by exploring hotels that aren’t listed on Costco Travel.
Still, if the flights and accommodations through Costco Travel are ones you’d have selected on your own, Costco Travel usually leads to savings. Just make sure to comparison shop a little before booking, just in case a better discount is available elsewhere.
Have you used Costco Travel and want to tell others about your experience? Do you think that Costco Travel is a good deal, or do you prefer to go a different route when booking vacations? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Read More:
- How to Travel Cheap
- Want to Build a Career and Life of Travel? Here’s How
- 7 Things You Should Know About Traveling in Retirement
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Tamila McDonald is a U.S. Army veteran with 20 years of service, including five years as a military financial advisor. After retiring from the Army, she spent eight years as an AFCPE-certified personal financial advisor for wounded warriors and their families. Now she writes about personal finance and benefits programs for numerous financial websites.
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