{"id":2271,"title":"Costco Car Rental Member Rates: Benefits, Fees and What to Know Before Booking","slug":"costco-car-rental-member-rates-benefits-fees-and-what-to-know-before-booking","lang":"en","description":"Two rental-car quotes can show similar daily rates and still lead to very different total costs once fees, included benefits and booking terms are taken into account. For Costco members, that makes it worth looking beyond the quoted price to benefits such as an additional-driver fee waiver and booking flexibility when comparing rental options.","content":"

How Costco Car Rental Member Rates Work

Costco Travel’s Low Price Finder compares member rental options from Alamo, Avis, Budget and Enterprise. Members can review available vehicles and rates for their selected itinerary, then reserve an eligible rental through Costco Travel.

Costco Travel currently promotes several features with its rental-car bookings, including exclusive member rates, one additional-driver fee waived at qualifying locations, booking now and paying at the counter, and no Costco cancellation fee.

These features are part of the Costco rental-booking structure, while the actual rate shown for a trip can vary depending on the details of the reservation.

What Determines a Costco Car Rental Rate?

There is no single Costco car rental rate that applies to every trip. The price shown through Costco Travel can change based on factors such as pickup location, travel dates, rental length, vehicle class and current vehicle availability.

For example, an economy car rented from a city location may be priced differently from an SUV picked up at an airport during a busy travel period. Rates can also change as rental inventory and demand change.

For this reason, comparing rates for the same dates, location and vehicle class provides a more useful picture than relying on a general daily-price estimate.

Benefits That Can Affect the Total Rental Cost

One Additional Driver Fee Waived

One of the more practical Costco rental-car benefits is the waiver of one additional-driver fee at participating locations.

At U.S. locations, Costco Travel currently lists this benefit with Alamo, Avis, Budget and Enterprise. In Canada, the published benefit applies to Alamo and Enterprise.

The primary driver must be a current Costco member. Additional drivers do not need their own Costco membership, but they must meet the rental company’s requirements and be added to the rental agreement.

This benefit can be particularly relevant for couples or families planning to share the driving. However, other driver-related charges or restrictions may still apply, especially for drivers under age 25.

Booking Flexibility

Costco Travel’s standard rental-car booking path generally allows members to reserve now and pay at the rental counter. Costco also states that rental-car reservations booked through its online system do not carry a Costco cancellation fee.

That flexibility can matter when travel dates are not completely settled or when a traveler wants to compare rates again before pickup.

Changes made to a reservation may affect the rate, and payment or cancellation terms can be different when using other booking channels or prepaid rental offers.

Executive Member 2% Reward

Executive Members can earn toward Costco’s annual 2% Reward on qualifying Costco Travel purchases after travel has been completed.

Not every rental expense qualifies. Costco excludes items such as taxes, surcharges, upgrades and rental-car equipment from the Reward calculation. The annual Executive Reward is currently capped at $1,250.

This should be viewed as a membership benefit rather than an immediate reduction in the rental price shown during booking.

Fees and Conditions Still Worth Checking

Member benefits are only part of the rental cost. Before deciding which quote works best for a trip, check expenses and conditions that may sit outside the advertised rate.

Important items can include:

Driver age: Additional fees or restrictions may apply to younger drivers.
Taxes and surcharges: These can vary by rental location.
Fuel: Prepaid fuel and refueling policies differ by rental company.
Optional equipment: Child seats, GPS and other equipment can add to the total.
Insurance: Optional rental coverage is generally separate from the member rate.
Mileage: Many rentals include unlimited mileage, but this depends on the location and rental company.
One-way rentals: Different pickup and drop-off locations may affect the rate.
Vehicle class: Economy cars, SUVs and minivans can produce very different totals for the same trip.

The most useful comparison is therefore not simply the lowest daily rate, but the price and conditions attached to the complete rental.

How to Compare Costco Car Rental Rates

Start by comparing rentals using the same pickup and drop-off locations, dates, times and vehicle class.

Then look beyond the headline rate.

If two adults will share the driving, check the additional-driver policy. If travel plans may change, compare booking and cancellation terms. For longer trips, mileage rules, fuel policies and one-way conditions may become more important.

A practical way to think about the comparison is:

Quoted rental cost + required fees + optional extras − applicable member benefits

That provides a more complete picture than comparing daily prices alone.

Costco vs AAA, USAA and AARP Rental Benefits

Costco is not the only membership program that can provide rental-car benefits. Travelers who already qualify for another program may want to run the same itinerary through more than one option before booking.

Membership program	Benefit worth checking	When it may matter
Costco Travel	Member rates, one qualifying additional-driver fee waived and flexible booking	Couples or families sharing driving and travelers who value reservation flexibility
AAA	Hertz member pricing, qualifying additional-driver benefits and young-renter fee waivers for eligible members ages 20–24	Trips involving a younger driver or travelers already using Hertz benefits
USAA	Rental discounts and qualifying underage- or additional-driver fee benefits at participating U.S. locations	Eligible USAA members comparing driver-related fees
AARP	Member offers with Avis and Budget that can include an additional driver at no extra cost and different Pay Now or Pay Later options	AARP members comparing rental pricing and included benefits

These programs use different rental partners, eligibility rules and offer structures. A benefit that matters on one trip may have little effect on another, so there is no need to assume that one membership program will always produce the better rental option.

Before Booking a Costco Rental Car

A short comparison can help make the quoted rate easier to evaluate:

Confirm the pickup and drop-off locations and times.
Compare the same vehicle class across different quotes.
Identify everyone who may need to drive.
Check age requirements and possible driver fees.
Compare the total rental cost rather than only the daily rate.
Review mileage and one-way conditions when relevant.
Check fuel, equipment and insurance separately.
Review the current cancellation and payment terms before booking.

Understanding the Value of a Costco Member Rate

Costco car rental member rates are most useful when considered as a combination of price, included benefits and booking flexibility.

For a trip with two drivers, the additional-driver benefit may be especially relevant. For another trip, vehicle availability, driver age or cancellation flexibility may matter more.

Looking at the complete rental terms makes it easier to understand what a Costco member rate actually includes and to compare it with other eligible rental options before making a reservation.

Disclaimer: Rental rates, vehicle availability, membership benefits, driver requirements and fees vary by rental company, location and travel dates and may change over time. Review the current reservation terms and rental-company requirements before booking. This article is for general informational purposes and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Costco or the rental companies or membership programs mentioned.

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