{"id":2200,"title":"Costco Car Rental Rates for Members: A 2026 Guide","slug":"costco-car-rental-rates-for-members-a-2026-guide","lang":"en","description":"Renting a car through Costco can be worth comparing when planning a vacation, business trip, airport transfer, or road trip. Costco does not operate its own rental-car fleet. Instead, Costco Travel allows eligible members to compare member rates from participating rental companies through its Low Price Finder.","content":"

For 2026, Costco Travel currently compares rental-car options from Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. Member benefits can include Costco-negotiated rates, applicable coupons, a waived fee for one additional driver at participating locations, online reservations that generally do not require prepayment, and no cancellation fee for standard online Costco Travel rental-car reservations. Exact prices and benefits depend on the rental company, destination, vehicle category, travel dates, and local terms.

This guide explains how a Costco rental car reservation works, what affects Costco car rental rates, where the Costco rental discount comes from, how to compare Costco rental car deals, and what members should verify before picking up a vehicle.

What Is Costco Car Rental?

A Costco rental car is a vehicle reserved through Costco Travel using rates and benefits negotiated for Costco members. Costco itself is not the rental-car company and does not own the vehicle being rented.

Costco Travel's Low Price Finder currently compares participating offers from:

Alamo
Avis
Budget
Enterprise

The actual rental agreement is with the rental company. That company controls matters such as vehicle availability, security deposits, insurance options, fuel policies, local age requirements, geographic restrictions, and the condition of the vehicle at pickup.

Costco membership is required to access Costco Travel member rental rates. Costco states that the primary driver must have a valid Costco membership and may be asked to present the membership card when collecting the vehicle.

How Costco Rental Car Rates Are Determined

There is no single nationwide Costco rental car rate.

Rental prices are dynamic and can change according to:

Pick-up and drop-off location
Airport versus neighborhood location
Travel dates
Pick-up and return times
Length of rental
Vehicle category
Local inventory
Seasonal demand
One-way versus round-trip rental
Applicable Costco member discount
Available coupons
Taxes and mandatory fees

Costco explains that rental rates fluctuate based on demand, availability, and marketplace conditions. This can even create situations where a larger vehicle category costs less than a smaller category at a particular location because of inventory differences.

For that reason, consumers researching Costco rental car deals should use actual travel dates and locations rather than relying on a national daily-rate estimate.

How the Costco Rental Discount Works

A Costco rental discount is not generally presented as one fixed percentage off every rental.

Instead, Costco Travel applies available Costco member pricing and compatible coupons during the search process. Its Low Price Finder automatically considers the rental period, vehicle type, location, reservation dates, and travel dates when identifying an applicable rate or coupon.

This means that someone searching for a discount on car rentals through Costco should compare the final Costco Travel price with other available rental quotes rather than assuming a particular percentage discount.

For example, one reservation might receive value primarily through a lower base rate, while another may benefit more from:

An applicable coupon
A waived additional-driver fee
A different vehicle category
Free cancellation on the Costco Travel reservation
Executive Member rewards where applicable

The lowest Costco rate is not guaranteed to be lower than every rate offered elsewhere. Rental-company promotions, corporate rates, loyalty-program pricing, credit-card programs, and prepaid deals may occasionally produce different results.

Costco Membership Car Rental Deals and Member Benefits

Current Costco membership car rental deals can include several features beyond the displayed base rate.

One Additional Driver Fee May Be Waived

Costco Travel currently states that one additional-driver fee is waived for Costco members at participating locations. Its more detailed guidance indicates that reservations at U.S. locations through Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise include one free additional driver, while in Canada this benefit currently applies to Alamo and Enterprise reservations. Additional drivers still need to meet the rental company's age, licence, vehicle-class, and location requirements.

This benefit can be relevant for couples, families, or travel companions who intend to share driving.

Book Now and Generally Pay at the Counter

Costco Travel promotes its standard online car rentals as Book Now, Pay at the Counter.

This can provide flexibility because standard online reservations generally do not require prepaid rental charges when the reservation is made.

However, Costco's FAQ notes that prepaid rates may be available directly through Avis and Budget. Those rates can have separate change or cancellation conditions, so they should not be confused with Costco Travel's standard online reservation structure.

No Cancellation Fee for Standard Online Reservations

Costco Travel currently states that there is no charge to cancel a rental-car reservation made online through Costco Travel. A reservation can generally be cancelled through the member's Costco Travel account or through the rental company.

This does not necessarily apply to prepaid rates booked under separate rental-company terms.

Executive Member 2% Reward

Costco currently states that Executive Members can earn an annual 2% Reward on qualified Costco Travel purchases, subject to applicable terms, restrictions, and exclusions. Costco Travel specifically lists this benefit on its rental-car page.

This should be treated as a membership reward rather than an automatic reduction in the displayed rental price.

How to Find Costco Rental Car Deals

The most effective way to compare Costco rental car deals is to search the actual trip rather than looking for a general coupon code.

A practical process is:

Sign in to Costco Travel.
Enter the pick-up location.
Select the travel dates and times.
Add a different drop-off location if needed.
Review the participating rental companies.
Compare multiple vehicle categories.
Review the included Costco discount or coupon.
Check taxes, fees, mileage rules, and rental conditions.
Confirm the reservation only after reviewing the complete rate.

If travel dates are flexible, searching nearby dates may produce substantially different prices.

It can also be useful to compare adjacent vehicle categories. Costco notes that inventory conditions can occasionally make a full-size vehicle less expensive than an intermediate vehicle.

Costco Car Hire for U.S. and International Trips

The phrase Costco car hire is commonly used by travelers who use “car hire” rather than “car rental.”

Costco Travel provides rental-car search options for numerous destinations in the United States and Canada and also displays international rental options in selected destinations. Current availability depends on the participating supplier, destination, rental location, and travel dates.

International renters should pay particular attention to:

Driver's licence requirements
International Driving Permit requirements
Minimum and maximum driver ages
Mandatory local insurance
Cross-border travel restrictions
Deposits
Credit-card requirements
Manual versus automatic transmission
Mileage limitations
Local taxes and airport fees

A Costco member rate does not override the legal or contractual requirements of the rental company in the country where the vehicle is collected.

Costco Luxury Car Rental Options

Travelers looking for a Costco luxury car rental may find premium or luxury categories at selected locations.

Costco Travel has expanded the types of vehicles displayed in its rental search and notes that categories can include luxury vehicles, electric or hybrid vehicles, Jeeps, sports-oriented models, SUVs, and other specialty categories. Availability changes according to destination and travel date.

Luxury categories may cost substantially more than standard or intermediate vehicles, but pricing is still inventory-driven. A premium category should therefore be compared with:

Full-size vehicles
Premium sedans
Luxury vehicles
Standard SUVs
Premium SUVs

The exact vehicle shown during booking is often representative of a category rather than a guarantee that a particular make and model will be supplied unless the rental terms specifically say otherwise.

One-Way Costco Car Rentals

A traveler may need to collect the car in one city and return it in another.

Costco Travel supports many one-way rentals, although the rate may be higher or include a drop charge. Costco explains that where a one-way drop fee applies, it is incorporated into the displayed base rate rather than collected as a separate surprise charge at the location.

Certain neighborhood-to-different-neighborhood reservations are not supported through the Costco Travel website and may require telephone assistance.

Before booking a one-way rental, confirm:

Drop-off location
Mileage allowance
Geographic restrictions
One-way pricing
Vehicle-category restrictions
Cross-state or cross-border conditions

Mileage and Geographic Restrictions

Many rental locations offer unlimited mileage, but Costco Travel explicitly states that this is not universal. Mileage and geographic restrictions depend on the rental company and location.

This can be especially important for:

Long road trips
Interstate travel
Driving into Canada or Mexico
One-way rentals
Specialty or luxury vehicles

Review the mileage and geographic rules shown for the selected vehicle before confirming the reservation.

What Is Included in the Displayed Costco Rental Price?

The Costco Travel search generally displays the applicable Costco member discount and coupons together with taxes and fees.

However, the rental counter may offer or charge for optional items not included in the original reservation.

Possible additional expenses include:

Rental-company insurance products
Additional authorized drivers beyond an included driver
Child safety seats
GPS equipment
Toll programs
Fuel purchases
Roadside assistance
Vehicle upgrades
Underage-driver fees
Late-return charges
Additional mileage where restricted

Before signing the rental agreement, Costco recommends reviewing it carefully and asking about any unfamiliar charges.

Rental Car Insurance: What Costco Membership Does Not Automatically Include

A Costco rental reservation should not be interpreted as automatically including comprehensive rental-car insurance.

Insurance can depend on:

The driver's personal auto policy
Credit-card rental protection
The rental company's optional products
Destination-specific insurance requirements
The type and value of vehicle rented

Costco's rental terms state that auto insurance remains the responsibility of the registered driver.

Before declining rental-company coverage, travelers should verify what their existing insurance or credit card actually provides, including liability, collision damage, theft, exclusions, deductibles, vehicle-category restrictions, and international limitations.

Rental Cars for Drivers Under Age 25

Costco members under 25 may still be able to receive the applicable Costco member discount, but additional restrictions and underage-driver fees may apply.

Costco Travel currently instructs drivers younger than 25 to call rather than complete the standard online rental process. The underage-driver fee varies by company and location.

Age requirements should therefore be checked before relying on a displayed rental price.

Costco Rental Car Number and Reservation Support

People searching for the Costco rental car number may be looking for either Costco Travel's customer-service number or the confirmation number associated with an existing reservation.

For rental-car assistance, Costco Travel currently lists:

1-866-921-7925

Costco states that callers selecting a specific rental company may be transferred to a dedicated representative from that rental company who is trained on applicable Costco member discounts and benefits.

For an existing reservation, Costco also sends a confirmation email after booking. The rental-company confirmation number shown in that email can generally be used to view the reservation on the rental company's own website.

Because phone numbers and service procedures can change, members should also verify current contact information through Costco Travel before calling.

Can Costco Rental Rates Change After Booking?

Costco's current FAQ states that the base rate does not change once the car is reserved, although taxes can still change before pickup.

Travelers should be careful when modifying an existing reservation because changing dates, times, locations, or vehicle categories can result in a new price.

If rental prices fall after booking, a traveler may want to compare the current search results with the existing reservation. Since standard online Costco Travel car reservations currently have no cancellation fee, there may be situations where cancelling and creating a new reservation is possible, but the availability and new price should be confirmed before cancelling the original booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Costco rent cars directly?

No. Costco does not operate a rental-car fleet. Costco Travel provides member rates and booking access through participating rental companies.

Which car rental companies work with Costco Travel?

Costco Travel currently compares rental cars from Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise.

Is there a fixed Costco rental discount?

No universal percentage discount applies to every rental. Costco member pricing and applicable coupons depend on the rental company, destination, dates, vehicle class, and other reservation details.

Does Costco waive the additional-driver fee?

One additional-driver fee is currently waived at participating locations. The exact participating companies and geographic rules differ; in the U.S., Costco currently identifies Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise, while its Canada guidance identifies Alamo and Enterprise.

Does Costco charge a cancellation fee for rental cars?

Standard online rental-car reservations through Costco Travel currently have no cancellation fee. Different conditions can apply to prepaid rates obtained directly through a rental company.

Can Executive Members earn a 2% Reward?

Executive Members can earn the annual 2% Reward on qualified Costco Travel purchases, subject to current Costco terms and exclusions.

Can I book a Costco luxury car rental?

Luxury and other specialty vehicle categories may be available at selected destinations and dates. Availability is not guaranteed at every rental location.

What is the Costco rental car number?

Costco Travel currently lists 1-866-921-7925 for assistance with reservations.

Conclusion

A Costco rental car reservation can provide members with a convenient way to compare rental rates from Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise through one search platform. Current Costco Travel features include applicable member rates and coupons, one additional-driver fee waived at participating locations, book-now/pay-at-counter reservations, and no cancellation fee for standard online rental-car bookings.

However, there is no universal Costco rental discount or fixed daily rate. The value of Costco rental car deals depends on travel dates, destination, vehicle inventory, rental company, car category, and applicable terms.

Members considering Costco car hire, standard vehicles, SUVs, or a Costco luxury car rental should compare the total cost rather than only the advertised base rate. Mileage rules, insurance, fuel, tolls, optional equipment, additional drivers, age restrictions, and one-way charges can materially change the final cost.

For the most useful comparison, search the actual trip through Costco Travel, review the written rental terms, and compare the Costco member rate with other legitimate offers before confirming the reservation.

Disclaimer

This article provides general informational and comparison guidance only and does not constitute an offer or guarantee of rental-car availability, pricing, discounts, savings, insurance coverage, or vehicle type. Costco does not operate the rental vehicles described in this guide.

Rental rates, coupons, additional-driver benefits, vehicle categories, mileage rules, insurance requirements, deposits, cancellation policies, age restrictions, Executive Member rewards, taxes, fees, and participating companies may vary by location, rental provider, travel dates, membership status, and current program terms. Travelers should verify current information directly through Costco Travel and the applicable rental-car company before booking or signing a rental agreement.

References

Costco Travel — Rental Cars: Low Price Finder
Costco Travel — Rental Car Frequently Asked Questions
Costco Travel — Know Before You Rent a Car
Costco Travel — Rental Car Member Benefits
Costco Travel — Rental Car Categories
Costco Travel — Contact and Reservation Assistance
Costco — Executive Membership Benefits

","type":"normal","status":"published","published_at":null,"rac":"Costco Car Rental Rates for Members: A 2026 Guide","keyword_set":null,"feature_media":"https://cassets.info/media/posts/26bcd9bc-e42d-4377-a6e7-4ec2869e6fcc.jpg","style":null,"channel":null,"campaign_id":null,"account_id":null,"gtag":null,"ggid":null,"fbid":null,"ttid":null,"traffic_type":null,"created_at":"2026-09-04T08:01:29.000000Z","updated_at":"2026-09-04T08:01:29.000000Z"}