Costco Travel rental cars: what to compare before you book
How a Costco Travel rental booking differs from booking direct: membership and driver rules, pay-at-counter terms, the additional-driver waiver and what to check.
A Costco Travel rental quote can look lower than the rental company’s own price for the same car. Before you book it, check whether the difference comes from the rate itself or from the extras that come with the booking, and whether you actually qualify for those extras.
This guide covers Costco Travel’s US rental car bookings. It’s based on Costco Travel’s public rental pages and FAQ, read November 8, 2026. We didn’t log in, run a member search or make a booking.
Who can use it
You need a Costco membership; Costco Travel asks for a valid membership number to book. The main driver also needs their own membership card. Costco Travel’s FAQ says the rental agent may ask to see the main driver’s membership card at pickup.
You can book for a friend or relative, but only if they have their own card to show. If the person driving isn’t a member, the Costco rate isn’t meant for them.
The online search assumes drivers are 25 or older. Younger renters must book directly with the rental company through the number in Costco Travel’s FAQ; an underage-driver fee may apply.
Worked example (invented quotes)
Two adults share the driving on a four-day trip. They pick up and return an intermediate car at the same airport location. Every price below is invented to show what to compare. These are not Costco or rental-company prices. Assume the direct quote has no other applicable second-driver waiver, such as a spouse, status or account benefit. The $60 driver charge is an all-in assumption; no extra tax on it or other unlisted charge is assumed. These travelers are already Costco members, so membership cost is excluded. If you would join just for the rental, include that cost in your comparison.
| Rental company’s own site | Costco Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate, 4 days | $220.00 | $205.00 |
| Taxes and fees | $68.40 | $63.70 |
| Additional driver (invented $60 total) | $60.00 | $0.00 if the location participates |
| Total | $348.40 | $268.70 |
The $79.70 difference has two parts:
- $19.70 from the rate and its taxes: $15.00 lower base and $4.70 lower taxes and fees.
- $60.00 from the waived second-driver fee.
Costco’s waiver covers one additional driver fee. The second part only applies if the location participates and your second driver meets the rental company’s requirements for age, car class and location. If the location does not participate and charges the same assumed $60, the Costco total is $328.70, only $19.70 less. If the direct rate already waives the driver fee, do not count a $60 saving from Costco.
The comparison only works if the quotes are for the same trip. A cheaper quote for a smaller car class, or for different pickup times, isn’t a saving on this trip. Costco Travel notes that changing pickup or return times can change the price.
What the booking terms say
Pay at the counter. You don’t pay when you book online, and Costco Travel says no credit card is needed to reserve. At pickup you need a major credit card, and the location may place a hold. Debit cards are accepted “at some locations with specific terms,” so check with the location.
Cancelling and changing. Costco Travel’s FAQ says there’s no charge for canceling an online rental reservation. To change one online, it tells you to book a new reservation and then cancel the old one. The no-fee statement is about online bookings; a prepaid rate booked by phone may carry a cancellation fee. Cancel a booking you no longer need; this cancellation statement is not a promise about simply failing to show up.
Prepaid rates. Costco Travel doesn’t offer prepaid rates online. It says prepaid rates with the Costco discount are available directly through Avis and Budget, under their prepay terms. The discount isn’t combinable with Alamo prepaid rates.
Price changes before pickup. The base rate doesn’t change after you reserve, but taxes can, because nothing is paid until pickup.
One-way rentals. Drop fees for one-way rentals are built into the base rate, without a separate breakdown. Costco Travel doesn’t support booking a one-way between two different neighborhood locations online.
What doesn’t change because you booked through Costco
- Loyalty. Costco Travel lets you enter a loyalty number for Avis, Budget and Enterprise before you finish the booking. Whether a particular rate earns points or uses a status benefit depends on the program’s rules, so check those separately. Our program comparison links to each program’s guide.
- Insurance and waivers. Optional coverage still comes from the rental company. Costco Travel says it costs the same whether you add it by phone or at pickup. A card’s rental benefit is a separate question; see our card-payment guide.
- Fees at the location. Tolls, fuel and other charges still follow the rental agreement. Our toll guide shows how one fee structure can change a trip’s cost.
Before you book
- Is the main driver a member who can show their own card at pickup?
- Does the comparison quote use the same car class, location and pickup and return times?
- Are you counting a second driver, and does this location take part in the waiver? Ask the location if the booking doesn’t make it clear.
- Do you have the payment card the location will accept, with room for a hold?
- If you might cancel, did you book online, where Costco says there’s no charge?
For the wider booking method, such as tracking a price and rebooking, see our booking guide.
Common questions
Is every second driver free? No. The waiver covers one additional driver fee, at participating locations, for drivers who meet the rental company’s requirements.
Do I pay when I book? Not for online bookings. You pay at the counter.
Can I prepay through Costco Travel to get a lower rate? Not online. Costco Travel points to Avis and Budget for prepaid rates with the Costco discount.
Sources checked November 8, 2026: Costco Travel rental FAQ and Know Before You Rent. Check the current terms on your own reservation.