Costco car rentals

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Tell us about your Costco car rental triumphs!

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

Sometimes good, often times not as good as RCI or II.

[dwmantz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dwmantz]

I've had better consistent luck with Dollar via BJs.
We have Costco also, but they don't offer Dollar.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Here are a few recent experiences some friends have shared

Just had to share. Had a $360 rental for our week in Miami and made an improved Costco reservation on Tuesday, at $311.

Went to print out the paperwork today and checked once more...now $161 for the week! A shopping triumph!

Love Costco rentals. We had a minivan on Maui for two weeks at $493 all in. Soon after I made that reservation the rate went up to $1200 and then the minivans disappeared completely.

Do you have a Costco card? It's not so much about the codes...they do all that for you. You just pick the best deal for the time and keep checking periodically. I had a car for Sacramento (driving to Oregon) for over 200...then 165...then 145....and now 125 Full size too (which in today's world is really a mid size..Camry, Fusion, etc) Now Portland is hurting me. Got a full size for 343...and it sits there...hopefully as we get closer it will decline in price. But you can add and cancel at will with Costco. No big deal. To me, it's worth the 55.00 a year, I more than save that on car rental.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Here is some more information….

Someone asked if a non Cosco Member could book thru the site...

Like everyone is saying, Costco does all the code entering and comparisons for you. And they only use major rental agencies. You can SHOP for a car rental on Costco.com; you just can't actually make the booking unless you're a Costco member. OTOH, when the comparisons come up (it's a grid), Costco does show you "Includes 30% off plus 1 upgrade" and notes like that. The code might be in there somewhere...the code that you could then take to the rental agency site.

I think you need an actual Costco membership for complete confidence that everything will work properly, including the insurance. OTOH, when the comparisons come up (it's a grid), Costco does show you "Includes 30% off plus 1 upgrade" and notes like that. The code might be in there somewhere...the code that you could then take to the rental agency site.

Another friend mentioned Costco insurance - $18 for the whole rental period versus $18 PER DAY charged by the rental companies….does anyone know about that???

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Another thing I like about Costco is that usually an additional driver is free and occasionally that includes drivers under 25!

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

You can enroll here and there is no fee. The key features are mentioned on this page and coverage is worldwide. I don't believe that you have to have a Costco membership but they give you an American Express credit card when you join.

You need to pay your car rental with American Express and no other credit card. It is a good deal.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

When I've rented with Costco I've always had to enter my Costco number so I'd say you have to have a membership. I have never been asked to show my card when picking up a rental. And some locations have a separate self serve kiosk if you've pre-booked with Costco. The rentals I've done over the past few years have always had the best price with Costco.

Last October we rented for one day in San Francisco. Got a standard size car for around $35. By the time we arrived since it was during the World Series, one day rental was over $100.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

We picked up our car at Budget at Miami airport yesterday and they did indeed ask to see our Costco card. Although I think the guy was stalling around bc the car wasn't ready.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

I'm one that has always steered people to Costco for car rentals and I think we've used them for about 80 rental weeks. This year though, at least for us going to Minn/St.Paul airport I find Costco $200-300 more expensive. Can't figure out why.

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

Even though it isn't advertised on the costco travel website there can be a discounted rate for members renting in Mexico. We had a 30% discount in Cancun through Avis a couple of years ago.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I'm one that has always steered people to Costco for car rentals and I think we've used them for about 80 rental weeks. This year though, at least for us going to Minn/St.Paul airport I find Costco $200-300 more expensive. Can't figure out why.

Did you try at the very last minute? I had an Alamo reservation right up to the end that was beating Costco. Then the sudden breakthrough!

BTW, they gave us a Kia Soul instead of a mid-sized sedan. This is a cute boxy thing. Only downside is hardly any trunk space. Oh, and a HUUUUGE blind spot.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

You can enroll here and there is no fee. The key features are mentioned on this page and coverage is worldwide. I don't believe that you have to have a Costco membership but they give you an American Express credit card when you join.

You need to pay your car rental with American Express and no other credit card. It is a good deal.

Luanne, this has nothing to do with renting a car through Costco but to get a premium car rental protection policy at a very low price.

We have taken this insurance out the last few years. They even let you read an example policy. It is right on that same page of the link I posted in this thread. CA is only$18.00 but it may be a little more for other States but nothing over $25.00 per car rental and you can protect yourself for more than one trip at another $18.00 to $25.00 each time. It is well worth it to us.

I need to find out again if anyone with an American Express card can sign up for this protection plan or not. I believe that she told me you can. Costco and American Express are parting with each other next year. This is what I read some time ago.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

You can enroll here and there is no fee. The key features are mentioned on this page and coverage is worldwide. I don't believe that you have to have a Costco membership but they give you an American Express credit card when you join.

You need to pay your car rental with American Express and no other credit card. It is a good deal.

Costco has terminated its relationship with American Express. Now the only credit they accept is VISA.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Luanne, this has nothing to do with renting a car through Costco but to get a premium car rental protection policy at a very low price.

We have taken this insurance out the last few years. They even let you read an example policy. It is right on that same page of the link I posted in this thread. CA is only$18.00 but it may be a little more for other States but nothing over $25.00 per car rental and you can protect yourself for more than one trip at another $18.00 to $25.00 each time. It is well worth it to us.

I need to find out again if anyone with an American Express card can sign up for this protection plan or not. I believe that she told me you can. Costco and American Express are parting with each other next year. This is what I read some time ago.

I have heard of this American Express. Car Insurance. Has nothing to do with Costco.