I have been a loyal Costco member for many years now because the Costco membership benefits are worth it! Even when I was more or less broke while raising four growing kids, I still made room in our budget for a Costco membership. The money it saved us always exceeded the cost of the membership, making it worth paying that upfront cost.
I’m definitely not buying as much food these days as I did back then, but I still get a lot out of my membership. In fact, it seems as though the more I learn about the services that my Costco membership offers, the more I get out of it! I’ll be sharing 11 of those great lesser-known member benefits with you in this post.
Related: 7 Surprising Costco Tips You Need To Know About
Note: Just to clarify, this post is NOT sponsored by Costco, and I’m not associated with Costco in any way outside of the membership I pay for. The goal of this post is simply to provide information that can help Costco members get the most value from their membership!
11 Hidden Costco Benefits And Membership Perks
1. Travel Deals
One of the Costco membership perks is that they partner with hotel chains, car rental companies, and cruise lines to offer great deals on travel. They find great group discounts and bulk savings and pass the deals on to their members, and they even have travel experts who will work with you to plan your perfect trip. And when you’re quoted a price for a travel deal, they include taxes and fees, so there are no surprises when it comes time to pay.
I’ve had great experiences renting cars through Costco, including for a family vacation to Hawaii a couple of years back. After a friend recommended that I look into options for car rentals through Costco, I was delighted to see that Costco’s price was less than half of what I was being quoted elsewhere online.
2. Prescription Drugs
Costco members can take advantage of the Member Prescription Program to get discounts on prescription medications. This is a great option for people who are uninsured or don’t receive prescription benefits through their health insurance. For more information about their Member Prescription Program, check out the Frequently Asked Questions page.
3. Hearing & Vision Exams
You can get an eye exam for a competitive price through Costco Optical. (The actual price varies by location, so call the Optical Department at your local Costco for current pricing information.) And, every Costco Hearing Aid Center offers hearing tests, follow-up appointments, and check-ups for free.
4. Discounted Gift Cards
Buying gift cards at Costco can save you quite a bit of money. It’s not unusual to see bulk deals on them, like two $50 gift cards for $79.99 or four $15 gift cards for $44.99. These deals make it affordable to stock up on gift cards to movie theaters, theme parks, performances, activities, and more to have on hand for quick Christmas or birthday gifts.
5. Insurance
Costco has partnered with CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, to offer discounted rates on home, auto, renters, and specialty insurance. These policies often offer additional benefits for Executive Members too, like roadside assistance, lockout assistance, and more. Get a free quote for CONNECT insurance policies through Costco at this link.
6. Gas & Tires
Many Costco locations have a Fuel Center where members can fill up their cars for a lower price than most gas stations. The fuel is rated as Top Tier, meaning it meets a high-quality standard and contains detergents that help keep your engine clean.
Costco members can also take advantage of the Tire Center. They frequently offer discounts and rebates on sets of four new tires, so if you ever need a complete set, make sure to check out what Costco has to offer. Their five-year Road Hazard Warranty is hard to beat, and it’s included on all tires they sell.
7. Tech Support
Costco Concierge Services offers free technical support on any kind of gadget you can buy at Costco. This includes laptops, printers, monitors, home theater systems, tablets, TVs, and even major appliances. For more information on Costco’s tech support services, click here.
8. Quality Meat & Seafood
If I ever need to buy an expensive cut of meat, like our traditional Christmas prime rib for instance, I head to Costco to get it. I know that in terms of quality, I’m always going to get the most bang for my buck from their Meat & Seafood departments, and I’ve found that the associates are always willing to answer my questions or help me with any requests I have.
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(And if you aren’t already aware, Costco’s $5.99 rotisserie chickens are consistently one of the best deals available in the entire store. It’s one of my go-to easy and affordable dinner shortcuts!)
Related: 20 Quick Recipes You Can Make With Rotisserie Chicken
9. Floral Delivery
You may have already bought flowers at Costco, but did you know you can get them delivered as well? Prices start at just $42.99, including delivery fees! Check out Costco’s floral offerings here.
10. Quality Clothing
In addition to clothes from its own Kirkland Signature line, Costco also offers items from notable brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Birkenstock, etc. for surprisingly great prices. Well-known brands like these will bring their unsold merchandise to Costco, which then sells them in stores and online at a more reasonable price point.
11. Global Access
Did you know your Costco membership is valid at any Costco around the world? This perk could be especially handy if you’re traveling and staying somewhere with a kitchen you can cook in. While shopping for groceries, you could also check out any discounted gift certificates they have for local restaurants or movie theaters!
BONUS: Do Member Benefits Differ By Membership Tier?
The basic membership option is a Gold Star Membership with a $60 annual fee, while the upgraded option, the Executive Membership, has a $120 annual fee. The main difference between these two tiers in terms of member benefits is that Executive Members earn an annual 2% Reward on qualifying Costco purchases, while Gold Star Members don’t. Otherwise, the benefits are largely the same!
More Tips For Bulk Buyers And Warehouse Shoppers
What’s your favorite Costco service or product?
Please please please don’t buy the rotisserie chicken. The chickens Costco buys are crammed on the floor of growout houses in filth, and are moved to slaughter using a sweeper that shoves them over the top of one another, scared to death. It’s ugly, brutal and inhumane, but the poultry industry is built on efficiency. Costco sold 117 million rotisserie chickens just last year.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great info, but Cosco is a lot further away from our house than Sam’s, so that’s where our membership is. I would love a similar column on Sam’s Club.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The Costco rotisserie chicken in Oregon is only $4.99 like Arizona. And the carcass makes delicious soup base with carrots, onions and celery. Two for one!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I dont know about America , but the Costco I went to in Queensland Australia was pathetic.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love Costco. And I love their rotisserie chicken which is only $4.99 here in Arizona!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee,
I used to shop at Costo UK when I lived there and bought a wide variety of products from all their ranges.
Having bought the fresh meats regularly (as I know many other UK Costco members did) leads me to my question; do you know if the fresh chicken and rotisserie chicken is chlorinated?
Many people in the UK are concerned about this but probabbly forget that Costco chicken comes from the USA.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My boyfriend gets gas, hearing aids,over counter meds, meats, veg and fruits. Many years now. The best.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would like to thank you for the info and add something that I didn’t know was a for sure. Your Costco membership is good world wide so take it with you when you travel if you want to stock up on some food while you are away. As for the car rental my Husband tried it for Hawaii ( I laughed when I saw that comment) we are going and he found it way cheaper through the rental agency on his own. It just took some time and he watched the prices a lot and even got a discount back when the price dropped lower than what we had been ready to pay.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Never again will I use Costco for prescriptions unless there is no other option. I tried twice to fill my Rx and both times it was wrong and I had to make a return trip. My Dr recommended checking goodrx dot com, I was pleased to find a local grocery store pharmacy had the same Rx for just $1 more than Costco. And it’s a full service pharmacy with online refill orders, notifications, better hours, better parking, better staff, everything. Moved my Rx there and haven’t looked back.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t forget also the benefit of having a Citibank Costco Visa Card. You save even more when you book rental cars and travel using the card to get cash back as well as other things. The cash back you receive every year pays for your membership dues and more!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just got my annual “reward” — $186 ! That’s $126 profit on things that I would buy anyway. Costco Anywhere Visa® gave me cash back on gas at most stations (some restrictions – read the fine print!), Costco purchases, travel, and other purchases. (I use a different 2x reward card for shopping at other stores.)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Costco has the most amazingly liberal return policy on electronics – 90 days on iPad, for example.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have bought two vehicles through Costco. The Subaru salesman who handled my transaction said he joined Costco because he got a better deal the he got through Subaru
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We’ve used Costco’s car buying service twice now. They were quick to respond with a price and connected us with each car dealer (though we had to travel a bit to get to their designated dealer). We felt good about the deal we got; however, we should have tried to negotiate “extras” prior to committing. tbtrfg On the negative side, both car dealers dragged out the paperwork signing process and kept us waiting for hours.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this article! I love Costco, but was not aware of a number of the services you mentioned. Great info – thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In 2016 we bought a Hawaii vacation package through Costco Travel. It included air fare, hotel room and a rental car with unlimited mileage. It was outstanding and the price was just about exactly what we had in the budget. We’re hoping to go back again later this year.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh, forgot to mention that Instacart delivers groceries from Costco. Be still my beating heart, no more struggling through mobs with a shopping cart the size of a tank. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are 2 other good deals at Costco that we like to take advantage of. One is the take-out pizza from the snack bar at the front of the store. A large pizza is hot & ready to go for $10 and you can call ahead to order. Also, in the prepared foods cold bins by the fresh meat we find rotisserie leg/thigh combos for $4.99 a package and there are 8 pieces. If you like the legs & thighs this is actually more meat than you get on a whole chicken.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t forget the free refills of lens cleaner solution. You buy a bottle & microfiber cloth set and then you can refill the bottle for free forever.
I pretty sure you don’t have to be a member to use the pharmacy at Costco or get an eye or hearing exam.
Great tips, thanks Peggy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We don’t get free refills on lens cleaner anymore where we go-stopped several years ago :(
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love Costco, but I’ve been severely disappointed with their cartridge refill quality and service.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband and I cruise a lot. We often book a cruise while on a cruise to get more perks from the cruise line. After I have booked with the cruise line I transfer the booking to Costco. How soon you need to do this depends on the cruise line. Depending on the cruise line Costco will either give us on board credit or a cash card when we return from our cruise. If you have OBC from Costco that you don’t use while on your cruise you will get a credit back on your credit card.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The rotisserie chicken is actually $4.99.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It is $5.99 in Florida
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It varies from state to state :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, and what a great treat. We have to travel a bit to our Costco, so we make a day of it to go to all the others stores and save Costco for last.We get our groceries and household items, can’t beat the prices!!! Then we pick on up a chicken to have for dinner. No cooking!!! Cheaper & bigger than other places.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also, you don’t need a receipt to return an item at Costco, they just need your membership card. Their return policy is quite good.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband and I love our Costco run. I, too, saved more than half on my hearing aids – and the savings on the batteries over a year pays for the membership! We buy their large prime tenderloin steaks and cut them down – filet mignon for about $5/meal! The savings on over the counter meds pay for our membership over and over. We’ve not had good luck with printer cartridge refills, though. We even shop at Costco in Canada!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I rent cars through Costco travel and get consistently good deals. Costco stands behind their service and has intervened when the rental company failed to honor their reservation promises. Also note, once you’ve booked a rental, check back often — as the dates get closer to your pickup time, rental car rates seem to drop considerably. If so, you can rebook and cancel the more expensive rental.
BTW, our membership fees are more than offset by the cash back on Costco credit card gas purchases.
BJs vs Costco – for customer service and value, no contest here — Costco wins.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the tip about re-booking rental cars – I had no idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.you’re welcome. : )
thanks for all *your* helpful tips.
A ps to my comment about declining rental rates. This apparently works well in some areas (Florida, for one). However, we recently booked a rental in the LA area and that was not the case. Leading up to our visit, I rechecked the prices and they had almost doubled by the time we got closer to the rental pickup date. As an aside, you can use AutoSlash.com to monitor rates once you’ve booked.
I have a prescription filled at Costco and I learned something interesting this past weekend. You do not need to be a member to use their pharmacy. however the prescription program that Jillee is referring to is different.
additional information for all of you: Please check out Good RX. you can receive most any medication at a discount rate from many of your area pharmacies. My insurance denied a medication for me until I tried a cheaper compound. But fortunately GoodRx covered it and at a tenth of the price!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I really like Good Rx
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try Retail Me Not for discount coupons on prescription drugs.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I thought these were helpful,however, not being a member of Costco, can you investigate BJs Wholesale clubs to see what they offer? Thank you.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That would be nice. Oddly we don’t have a Costco around here; NE Ohio area, Canton. We do have a BJ’s and a Sam’s club.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We can attest to the value of the hearing center. After obtaining a hearing test and a set of tester aides from another establishment we tried Costco. Same type hearing test, same results and a set of equally performing hearing aides for less than half the price. $7000 vs $2900! Excellent service on them and great warranty. Well worth the money. My husband sings their praises.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the Pharmacy-but I use the home delivery. I put my monthly prescriptions on auto refill. They send me a reminder a couple of days before shipment. They tell me when there are no refills left and ask in an email if I want them to contact physician and than fill it. Plus shipping is free. So convenient and great prices.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Misprint in previous message: should have read: there would be addional charges if it didn’t arrive as scheduled and the funeral was delayed.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The is going to sound odd. My brother recently pass away after a long battle with cancer. Medical bills for such a long illness had depleted all his funds. So the family had to come together and pay for the funeral. I purchased his casket from Costco! It arrived in two days. It was a very nice casket. We saved over $2000.00 compared to a similar one at the funeral home. The funeral home advise against ordering on line saying, they would have to reschedule everything and there would be additional charges if that happened. I called their 800 number (listed on the casket ordering page) and they assured us of the delivery date. It arrived a day early. The funeral director couldn’t believe the quality of it. The cost on line includes shipping and handling.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m so sorry about your brother, but I have to admit, this info is fascinating. I never, ever would’ve guessed it. Thank you for posting it, and I hope you and your family are doing better.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We have friends that were in the buying caskets direct business. They moved from another state where it is big business. In an old article they said people are way overcharged for caskets because of their need to find one fast. You can also buy them in advance if someone is dying and save lots of money. They are also good quality caskets.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oops. Sorry about your loss. I had heard that before about Costco selling Caskets wholesale. Most funeral homes take advantage of the fact that people are in shock . They sell the Caskets for more than their wholesale value to make a profit. Most people don’t realize it.
Funeral homes do take advantage of people at this time of crisis. They make you feel that if you don’t buy the Cadillac coffin, your showing an injustice to your family member. It’s disgusting.
I’m glad the casket subject came up. When my dad died I purchased a Costco casket and had it delivered directly to the mortuary. A man at the mortuary tried to put up a fuss about “no outside caskets” then I reminded him about the federal law that allows “outside caskets” and he didn’t say another word. Don’t let them bully you!!! We saved 6k and I know my Depression-era father would have approved ;)