The Fan-Favorite Costco Membership Perk You’re Probably Not Using

You can shop Costco.com online without a membership. You may soon be able to get in the store to shop with only your library card. And if your store has an outdoor food court, you can eat as many $1.50 hot dogs as you want, uncarded. So you might be wondering why you’d ever want to pay $60 per year for a Costco membership in the first place.

The membership club fans on /r/costco think that the warehouse store’s travel program is worth every penny of joining. Commenters in a Reddit thread had some amazing things to say about the rock-bottom deals and top-shelf customer service they’ve gotten from Costco Travel in the past.

The rental car service was by far the most extolled benefit of Costco Travel; many users claimed that Costco offered better rates than even their employer-provided or other member discounts — plus the perk of adding a second authorized driver for no extra cost.

Costco Travel is also reportedly a great place to book a cruise; Costco will sometimes include food and beverage credits with some cruise packages. And if you hold a Costco Executive membership, you’ll get 2 percent rewards back, on top of whatever deal you find.

If you’re already a Costco member, it’s worth checking prices on Costco Travel before you book. And if you’re not a member yet, you might find enough of a discount on your next trip to eat the membership cost and then some. In which case, free Costco membership! And all you had to do was finally, reluctantly book the hotel and rental car for your friend’s wedding weekend.