{"id":862343,"date":"2026-09-27T10:30:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/862343\/"},"modified":"2026-09-27T10:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:30:20","slug":"costco-membership-perks-you-may-not-know-about-outside-the-warehouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/862343\/","title":{"rendered":"Costco membership perks you may not know about outside the warehouse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">A Costco membership is best known for <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460025\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/food-drink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">bulk groceries,<\/a> the $1.50 hot dog combo and towering packs of paper goods, but some of the biggest savings can happen well beyond the winding checkout lines.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">From travel and gas to gift cards, optical services and warranty coverage, Costco members can access a range of discounts and services, according to the company\u2019s website and news reports.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Here are five lesser-known ways shoppers can stretch their Costco membership outside of the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460026\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/deals\/kitchen\/grocery-deals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">warehouse aisles.<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460027\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/food-drink\/wealthy-americans-choose-one-grocery-store-chain-over-rivals-survey-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">WEALTHY AMERICANS CHOOSE ONE GROCERY STORE CHAIN OVER RIVALS, SURVEY FINDS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>1. Save at the pump with Costco gas <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/3781f8f4-23e0780b-costco-gas-pumps-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Drivers refuel vehicles at a Costco gas station in North Miami Beach.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Costco members can check local gas prices and station hours through the retailer\u2019s app. (Zak Bennett\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Buying Costco gas can help households offset the annual membership free, according to <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460028\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneytalksnews.com\/secret-costco-perks-that-pay-for-your-membership-fee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Money Talks News.<\/a> It often costs less than competitors, though the actual savings vary by location and driving habits, according to the outlet.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">An additional perk is that Costco members can check local gas prices and station hours through the Costco app before heading to the pump.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">And another secret at the pump is that the warehouse\u2019s long hoses also allow drivers to fuel up from either side of their vehicle. &#8220;Whether your gas tank is on the left or right side of your car, you can choose the shortest line,&#8221; Costco&#8217;s website reads.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460029\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/food-drink\/costco-food-court-item-packs-more-protein-than-anything-else-menu-theres-catch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">COSTCO FOOD COURT ITEM PACKS MORE PROTEIN THAN ANYTHING ELSE ON THE MENU, BUT THERE&#8217;S A CATCH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>2. Earn 2% back with an Executive membership <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/costco-card.jpg\" alt=\"Costco executive member card\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Costco\u2019s Executive membership costs more than a Gold Star membership but includes a 2% annual reward on qualifying purchases. (Tim Boyle\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Upgrading from Costco&#8217;s annual $65 membership to the $130 Executive membership includes an annual 2% reward \u2014 up to $1,250 \u2014 on certain purchases.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Since the upgrade costs $65 more than a Gold Star membership, shoppers would need about $3,250 in qualifying annual spending to cover the added upgrade cost.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460030\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/food-drink\/costco-brings-back-fan-favorite-food-court-treat-years-off-menu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">COSTCO BRINGS BACK A FAN-FAVORITE FOOD COURT TREAT AFTER YEARS OFF THE MENU<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Executive members also receive earlier warehouse access, beginning at 9 a.m. at many locations, plus additional discounts on select Costco Services.<\/p>\n<p>3. Use Costco Travel for packages, cruises and rental cars <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/costco-store-promotions.jpg\" alt=\"Costco Wholesale in-store service displays featuring solar, travel, water softening, and home improvement promotions.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Costco Travel offers members access to vacation packages, cruises, hotels and rental cars. (Lindsey Nicholson\/UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Costco Travel lets members book <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460031\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">vacation packages,<\/a> cruises, hotels and rental cars through Costco. Executive members can also earn their 2% annual reward on qualifying travel purchases, though the reward is credited after the trip is completed.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460032\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/lifestyle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">One member who booked a Costa Rica trip reported getting a $200 Shop Card after returning, paying for more than three years of membership, Money Talk News Reported.<\/p>\n<p>4. Buy discounted gift cards before dining out or traveling<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/newsletters?cmpid=fnfirstnl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Costco sells gift cards for a variety of activities, from theme park tickets to city exploration passes, according to its website, for a discounted price.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f3444ccd-costco-membership-shoppers.jpg\" alt=\"People arrive and depart at a Costco Wholesale store in Bayonne, New Jersey.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Discounted gift cards and tire services are among the additional benefits available to Costco members. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Costco offers deals like two $50 gift cards for $79.99 or four $15 gift cards for $44.99,&#8221; Linda Chavez, founder and CEO of Seniors Life Insurance Finder, <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460034\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realsimple.com\/work-life\/money\/saving\/costco-membership-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">told Real Simple.<\/a> &#8220;These offers make stocking up on gift cards for Christmas or birthdays a breeze,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Gift cards for movie theaters, theme parks, performances, activities and more are also available.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_food-drink_article_main-content_article-body_6_2460035\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/lifestyle\/quizzes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>5. Get free tire maintenance after buying tires at Costco<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Costco shoppers who buy tires through its tire center receive free rotation, balancing, pressure checks and flat repairs for the life of those tires, according to Money Talks News.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/costco-checkout.jpg\" alt=\"crowds inside costco\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Costco memberships can offer savings that extend beyond bulk grocery purchases. (Lindsey Nicholson\/UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Those services can add up over time, though shoppers should compare tire prices and available services locally before buying, the website noted.<\/p>\n<p>Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Costco membership is best known for bulk groceries, the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":862344,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[363899,28,3228,3286,338738,149,19092,1306],"class_list":["post-862343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-budget-travel","tag-business","tag-consumers","tag-food-drink","tag-grocery-deals","tag-lifestyle","tag-travel-tips","tag-trending-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=862343"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/862343\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/862344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=862343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=862343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=862343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}