Costco’s Most Underrated Perk Just Got Better (It Saves Me So Much Money!)
Costco is famously a bulk-buyer’s dream store, but one underrated reason to become a member is to have access to their gas stations. Whether I’m swinging by Costco for a quick $1.50 hot dog, taking advantage of deals during my weekly grocery shopping, or looking at cheap appliances, I always stop by for gas, too. I’m lucky enough to have a gas station at my local Costco, so I know just how affordable their gas is — and how much money I can save filling up there.
Unsurprisingly, Costco’s gas is a very hot commodity (it can even pay for your membership if you go enough), and I’ve spent up to an hour waiting in their long gas station lines to save money during peak times and seasons. (Trust me — it’s worth it!) So I was pleasantly surprised when I made my weekly trip to the wholesale retailer over the weekend and noticed that Costco extended its gas station hours — and the new schedule is a game-changer.
Instagram creator @CostcoDealsOnline confirmed in a post that Costco’s gas station hours will now be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and then 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays. The gas station hours used to mirror its warehouse hours, which typically go from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, and then 9:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends (this created an inconvenient surge during peak times, as people with competing work or school hours would try to get in to fill up their tanks).
However, your closest location’s hours might vary depending on where you’re located — for example, Reddit user @Amerrican8 said that stations in Hawaii already open at 4:30 a.m., while @SDKJR noticed that a Michigan Costco location had a later closing time of 8 p.m. on Sundays. You’ll want to drive by your favorite Costco location and make a note of its new gas station hours.
It’s an exciting additional perk for Costco gas, which already draws customers with typically cheaper prices than its competitors. Reddit user @Orthros noted that their Costco executive membership ($130) paid for itself after a month when they filled up at Costco gas stations instead of other places.
“At least in the Midwest, I've noticed that the spread between the price of Costco gas and non-Costco is as wide as it's ever been,” they noted. “Yesterday I paid $2.65 at Costco vs. $3.19 at the cheapest of a dozen gas stations I normally pass; 63 cents a gallon is a wild savings on a 25-gallon tank.”
In addition to lower prices, Costco also offers 4% cash back rewards on eligible gas purchases up to $7,000 per year on its Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, as well as the ability to check Costco gas prices on the Costco app. You can also check the prices of nearby competitors on the GasBuddy app to make sure you’re filling your tank as inexpensively as possible. So, yeah, even if I have that hour wait at 6 a.m. — it’s still worth it to me.