Costco Car Rental: How Costco Travel Rates, Perks, and Booking Work
A Costco car rental is booked through Costco Travel, which gives active members access to negotiated rates with major rental brands. You reserve online, usually pay at the counter, and can cancel an online reservation before pickup without a cancellation fee. One of the most valuable included perks is often a waived additional-driver fee at participating locations.
For members planning a trip, Costco Travel is worth checking alongside direct rental-company websites and other comparison platforms. Its price may be lower, but the best choice depends on your exact dates, location, vehicle class, driver profile, and any extras you need.
What Is Costco Car Rental?
Costco does not operate its own car-rental fleet. Instead, Costco Travel acts as the booking platform, offering member rates through partner agencies including Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise.
The site’s Low Price Finder searches available partner rates, discounts, and coupons based on the details entered by the traveller. This can make Costco Travel a useful place to compare rental options without checking each participating company separately.
The rental agreement, vehicle collection, and on-the-road service are handled by the selected rental company. Costco Travel’s role is primarily to provide the member booking channel, negotiated rates, and applicable reservation benefits.
Who Can Book a Rental Car Through Costco?
An active Costco membership is required to access Costco Travel rental-car savings.
The primary driver should be a Costco member and should be prepared to show their own valid Costco membership card at the rental counter. If the required membership cannot be verified, the Costco Travel discount may not apply.
A Costco member can make the reservation, but the person listed as the primary driver needs to meet the membership requirements at pickup. Additional drivers do not necessarily need to be Costco members, although they must satisfy the rental company’s age, driver’s-license, and counter-check requirements.
- Read more: Costco Car Rental
Costco Car Rental Benefits at a Glance
| Benefit | What it means for travellers |
| Member-only rates | Costco Travel offers rates negotiated for eligible Costco members. |
| Pay at pickup | Online reservations generally have zero upfront cost, with payment made at the rental counter. |
| Free cancellation on online bookings | Eligible online reservations can generally be cancelled before pickup without a cancellation fee. |
| One additional-driver fee waived | Available at participating locations, subject to partner, country, and driver requirements. |
| Executive Member reward | Eligible Executive Members may earn the Costco 2% Reward on qualifying purchases, subject to the program’s terms and exclusions. |
The waived additional-driver fee can be particularly useful for couples, families, or road-trip groups sharing the driving.
At participating U.S. locations, Costco Travel says the benefit applies with Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. In Canada, the benefit applies with Alamo and Enterprise. The additional driver must still meet the rental company’s requirements and may need to appear at the rental counter with a valid driver’s license.
Benefits can vary by rental company and location, so check the terms attached to your specific reservation.
How to Book a Costco Rental Car
Booking is completed through the Costco Travel rental-car search tool.
- Sign in to your Costco Travel account.
- Select the rental-car booking option.
- Enter your pickup and drop-off locations, dates, and times.
- Compare available vehicle classes and partner-company prices.
- Confirm the primary driver’s details and review the rate conditions.
- Complete the reservation and save your confirmation.
- Bring the required Costco membership card, driver’s license, and payment card to pickup.
Costco Travel does not generally require a credit card simply to reserve an eligible car online. However, the rental company generally requires a valid payment card in the renter’s name when the vehicle is collected.
The rental company may place a temporary authorization or security hold on the payment card to cover incidentals. The amount and requirements vary by company and location.
What the Costco Rental Price May Not Include
The headline rental price is not necessarily the final amount you will pay.
Costco Travel’s terms state that rental rates can exclude items such as fuel, optional insurance, certain taxes and surcharges, and other charges that depend on the rental. Some fees may be collected by the rental company at pickup rather than prepaid through Costco Travel.
Before finalizing a booking, check for:
- Airport concession or facility fees
- Local taxes and surcharges
- Underage-driver charges
- One-way drop-off charges
- Fuel charges
- Optional protection products
- Child-seat, GPS, or other equipment fees
- Tolls and toll-administration fees
- Additional charges associated with the vehicle or rental location
For example, a five-day rental may appear cheaper through one provider, but a one-way fee or airport surcharge can change the final cost.
The safest comparison is to use the same:
- Pickup location
- Return location
- Rental dates
- Vehicle category
- Driver age
- Mileage terms
- Optional equipment
- Insurance or protection choices
Comparing only the advertised daily rate can give you the wrong picture.
Is Costco Car Rental Always the Cheapest?
No.
Costco Travel can offer competitive rental rates, but it is not guaranteed to be the cheapest option for every trip. Rental-car prices change based on demand, vehicle availability, location, season, and travel dates.
Before booking, compare Costco Travel with the rental company’s direct website and other legitimate comparison options.
The comparison should be based on the total price and included benefits, not just the daily base rate.
For example, a Costco reservation that costs slightly more could still provide better overall value if it includes a waived additional-driver fee or more flexible cancellation terms.
On the other hand, a direct rental-company promotion could sometimes produce a lower total price.
The best strategy is to compare the same vehicle, dates, location, and driver details across the available options.
Cancellation and Changes
Eligible online Costco Travel car reservations can generally be cancelled through your account before pickup without a cancellation fee.
The basic process is:
- Open your Costco Travel account.
- Go to your current reservations.
- Select the rental-car reservation.
- Choose the cancellation option.
- Confirm the cancellation.
- Keep the cancellation confirmation for your records.
Once a reservation has been cancelled, it cannot normally be reinstated. If you change your plans again, you will generally need to make a new reservation.
Changes are often best handled by making a new reservation and then cancelling the original one, particularly when you want to take advantage of a lower available rate.
However, do not assume every reservation has identical terms. Prepaid or phone-booked rates can have different change or cancellation conditions. Always review the specific terms attached to your reservation before confirming it.
Drivers Under 25
Drivers younger than 25 can still use Costco Travel, but the rental company may impose an underage-driver fee or other restrictions.
The amount of the fee can vary by rental company and location.
Costco Travel advises drivers under 25 to contact the rental company by phone because special age-related rules may apply.
Do not assume that the standard online rate represents the complete cost for a younger driver.
Before booking, ask for the full price, including any applicable underage-driver surcharge and other age-related requirements.
Insurance: Check Before You Decline Coverage
A Costco Travel reservation does not automatically provide rental-car insurance.
Costco’s rental-car terms state that insurance is the responsibility of the renter, while optional protection products may be offered by the rental company.
Before declining a collision damage waiver or another protection product, check:
- Your personal auto-insurance policy
- Your deductible
- Whether your policy covers rental vehicles
- Whether coverage applies at your destination
- Your credit card’s current rental-car coverage
- Exclusions for certain vehicle types
- International rental exclusions
- Maximum rental periods
- Coverage for additional drivers
- Security-hold requirements
Coverage varies between insurers, credit cards, rental companies, and countries. Your insurer or card issuer can provide more reliable information about your specific coverage than general advice online.
Also remember that rental-car protection can cover different risks. Collision damage coverage, liability insurance, personal accident coverage, and roadside assistance are not necessarily the same thing.
Where Can You Rent Through Costco Travel?
Costco Travel offers rental cars in the United States and several international markets.
Its rental-car program includes destinations such as:
- United States
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Spain
- United Kingdom
Availability varies by destination, rental company, vehicle category, and travel dates.
The benefits can also change depending on the country and rental company. For that reason, do not assume that a benefit available in the United States will automatically apply to an international reservation.
Always review the conditions displayed for your specific destination and rental company before booking.
Is Costco Car Rental Worth It?
For an existing Costco member, Costco Travel is worth checking before booking a rental car.
The biggest advantage is not necessarily that Costco will always have the lowest advertised price. The value comes from combining a potentially competitive member rate with benefits such as:
- No upfront payment for eligible online reservations
- Free cancellation for eligible online bookings
- One waived additional-driver fee at participating locations
- Access to multiple major rental companies through one booking platform
- Potential Executive Member rewards on qualifying purchases
The additional-driver benefit can make a meaningful difference for families and couples who plan to share driving.
However, Costco membership should not be purchased solely because of one rental unless the overall membership provides enough value for your household.
If you already have a Costco membership, checking Costco Travel before every rental is a sensible comparison step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Costco membership for Costco car rental?
Yes. Costco Travel rental-car savings and member benefits are intended for eligible Costco members. The primary driver should be prepared to provide a valid Costco membership card when required at pickup.
Which rental companies are available through Costco Travel?
Costco Travel’s rental-car program includes Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. Availability can vary by location and travel dates.
Can I cancel a Costco car rental for free?
Eligible online Costco Travel rental-car reservations can generally be cancelled before pickup without a cancellation fee. Prepaid or phone-booked reservations may have different terms, so review the conditions for your specific booking.
Does Costco car rental include a free additional driver?
One additional-driver fee is waived at participating locations, subject to the applicable rental company’s requirements. The benefit varies by country and rental company.
Do I pay when I book through Costco Travel?
Eligible online rental-car reservations generally have zero upfront cost, with payment made at the rental counter. The rental company will typically require a valid payment card in the renter’s name at pickup.
Can a driver under 25 use Costco Travel?
Yes, but an underage-driver fee or other restrictions may apply. Drivers under 25 should check the requirements and contact the rental company for the applicable rate before booking.
Does Costco Travel provide rental-car insurance?
No. A Costco Travel reservation does not automatically include rental-car insurance. Your personal auto policy, credit card benefits, or optional rental-company protection may provide coverage depending on the circumstances.