Will using your Costco card to rent a car really save you money?
Many of us have memberships to the warehouse store Costco. But did you know that while picking up your bulk toilet paper, you also can book your next vacation? Access to Costco Travel is included in your annual Costco membership. You can book everything from a complete vacation package to a simple car rental. I decided to try it out to see if I could really save money on renting a car.
Available cars & costs
The first thing to know is that Costco deals only with Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. If you’re a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards member, you’re out of luck.
When booking through Costco Travel, you can add a second driver for free, saving you $11 to $13 per day on the additional driver fee as compared to other rental companies.
Also Costco members are allowed to reserve a vehicle without a credit card guarantee. However, if you know that you’re not going to cancel the reservation, you could save yourself more than $100 with another car rental company’s advance payment. Just know that if you cancel, you won’t get a refund. There is typically no cancellation fee through Costco Travel.
Look for other discounts
Check out the featured coupons on the Costco Travel website for additional savings on car rentals. The online system allows you to enter dates and compare prices between the different companies and different types of vehicles available.
Get rewarded
There’s another bonus to booking through Costco Travel. If you’re an Executive Member, you’ll receive an annual 2% reward for any travel purchases made through Costco. That’s free money, people!
Extra insurance may not be needed
Check with your auto insurer in advance, but you typically can safely opt-out of the extra rental insurance.
Travel with your Costco card
If you book a deal on a rental car through Costco Travel, be sure to travel with your Costco card. You might be asked to show it when you pick up your vehicle.
Another bonus of traveling with your Costco card is that you’ll have it with you in case you end up getting vacation groceries at Costco. One time we forgot our waterproof camera and we were able to run into the nearest Costco to buy another one. Having our Costco card with us made it quick and easy.
Search for the best deals
Rather than solely relying on Costco Travel, I’ve found that it’s best to use the service as a jumping off point in your search for the least expensive rental. I saved about $5 per reservation for my most recent trips. However, don’t assume that the Costco discount is always the best deal. I also found examples where the same rental with the same company was actually cheaper when booking directly on that company’s website, especially if you opt for the pay-now feature.
Bring your own child seat
Another way to save money is to bring your own car or booster seat. You can always rent one onsite; however, it adds an additional daily fee and sometimes the seat may not be up to your standards of cleanliness. I’ve also found that it can add time to the pick-up experience because the rental car employees often have to locate an available car seat. Airlines do allow you to check a car seat free of charge when you’re traveling with a child. For older kids who use a booster seat, there are some safe and affordable travel booster seats on the market. They pack up small and can fit into a backpack. We recently reviewed two of the most popular brands: BubbleBum and mifold. Read our review here.
Bottom Line
Costco Travel isn’t always the cheapest option. You’ll still need to do your homework to get the best deals on rental cars.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re traveling internationally, the rules of the road can be very different. We’ve recently driven in Ireland and Finland and have some advice if you’re renting a car and roadtripping in those countries.
Holly Thiel is lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters. KyAnn Lewis also contributed to this article.
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