These 5 Cards Earn Big Rewards When You Use Costco Travel

Published on June 10, 2024

Brittney Myers

By: Brittney Myers

Writer

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

KEY POINTS

  • You can only use Visa or Mastercard credit cards for Costco Travel purchases.
  • Costco Travel transactions usually code as "travel agency."
  • Chase, Wells Fargo, and Capital One offer solid options.

Check out our pick for the best cash back credit card of 2024

When you want to save money on everyday necessities, you shop Costco. If you want to save money on your next vacation, you can check out Costco Travel. Vacation packages through Costco Travel can be 15% cheaper than booking direct, as well as include valuable extras.

Another great perk of Costco Travel is that you can earn big travel rewards on your purchase -- if you use the right card. Here's how to maximize your rewards when shopping with Costco Travel.

Rules and considerations

There are two important factors you need to keep in mind when choosing which card to use for your Costco Travel purchase.

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1. You can only use Visa or Mastercard credit cards

Costco has a lot of rules about which credit cards you can use and where. In store, you're limited to Visa credit cards at checkout. However, you have a bit more leeway elsewhere. Specifically, you can use a Visa or Mastercard credit card for Costco.com and Costco Travel purchases.

2. Costco Travel usually codes as a travel agency

What kind of bonus rewards you earn on purchases depends on how the purchase "codes." This refers to the merchant code submitted by the merchant to the credit card network. In most cases, users report that Costco Travel purchases code as travel agency purchases.

Many of the top travel rewards cards have broad travel categories, so a travel agency purchase will qualify for the travel category. However, some issuers aren't so generous. For example, U.S. Bank doesn't include travel agencies in its travel rewards bonus category. 

Make sure to look up what your issuer counts as travel purchases to see if you'll earn your bonus rewards.

Best cards to use for Costco Travel

Although Costco limits which networks you can use, there are still a ton of great travel card options for maximizing your rewards.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Travel℠.

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$550

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

60,000 bonus points

  • All the perks we've come to expect from a top travel card, including a $300 annual travel credit, airport lounge access, and big bonuses on travel and dining. Points are transferable to airline and hotel partners or worth 50% more if you book through Chase Travel. The annual fee is hefty, but if you can use all its features, this card could be well worth the cost. Read Full Review

    • Travel credits
    • Airport lounge access
    • Travel and dining rewards
    • Welcome offer
    • Flexible travel points
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time benefits
    • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
    • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
    • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
    • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
    • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
    • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Member FDIC

Chase has one of the most inclusive travel categories, and travel agencies are eligible for the 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1. Your Chase Travel purchase should also trigger the annual travel credit, too!

2. Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

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Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

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Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
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4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
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Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Plus earn 1X points on other purchases.

1X-3X points

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.

20,000 bonus points

  • This card offers unlimited 3X points on common things like restaurants, gas stations, travel, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases. This could be a great pick if you spend a lot in those categories. A solid welcome bonus and cell phone protection are the cherries on top. Read Full Review

    • Strong welcome bonus for a no annual fee card
    • Earn Unlimited 3x points on useful categories
    • Cellphone protection
    • Other cards offer larger bonuses, though they usually come with annual fees
    • The 1x points baseline rewards rate on other purchases, though normal for this type of card, can be beat
    • Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
    • Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
    • Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
    • $0 annual fee.
    • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
    • Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
    • Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
    • Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.

Wells Fargo specifically lists travel agencies as part of the travel category, so you'll earn 3X points per $1. You can redeem as cash rewards, or take advantage of the brand-new transfer partners. The list of eligible partners is short, but this is one of only a few no annual fee travel cards with transferable points.

3. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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 = Best
= Excellent
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

60,000 bonus points

  • The enormous welcome bonus (worth $750), bonus points for travel and dining, and $50 annual hotel credit alone make this card well worth the $95 annual fee. What really stands out are the rare travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. It’s one of the only low annual fee cards we’ve seen offer those protections. Read Full Review

    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
    • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
    • Member FDIC

This is often considered the best starter travel rewards card thanks to its reasonable fee and 2x points per $1 on travel. While this is a lower rate than the Wells Fargo pick above, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are still the more valuable currency, as Chase's list of transfer partners is robust.

4. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
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 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.24%-26.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases-with no limit to the amount you can earn.

Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 100,000 bonus points

  • This business card gets you access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem, and you'll start with 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points by qualifying for its eye-popping welcome bonus. Earning 3x points per $1 on popular business expenses means you can cover your bills and be generously rewarded in the process. Read Full Review

    • Huge sign-up bonus
    • Advertising rewards
    • Shipping rewards
    • Cell phone protection
    • Flexible travel points
    • Card perks
    • Annual fee
    • No intro APR offer
    • Spending minimum for sign-up bonus
    • Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
    • Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
    • Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
    • With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
    • Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
    • Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
    • Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
    • Member FDIC

If you're traveling for business, this small business card could be your best pick. It has the same travel category as its Chase personal card sibling, offering 3 points per $1 on travel (plus shipping, advertising, and communications purchases; there is a combined category cap of $150,000 in purchases per year).

5. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR
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5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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Best for earning travel rewards
 75,000 Miles Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening 2X-5X miles Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Intro:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a flat-rate travel rewards card that earns unlimited 2x miles per $1 on purchases. This means you don't need to worry about how your Costco Travel purchase codes, since there aren't any categories you need to fit in to earn 2x miles on your purchases.

Stacking savings

There are so many ways to stack your savings by using Costco Travel. You get discounts and deals through the portal. Plus, Costco Travel purchases are eligible for the 2% reward for Executive members. And then there's your travel rewards. If you can maximize all these savings, your next vacation will get a lot more affordable.

Alert: our top-rated cash back card now has 0% intro APR until 2025

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee! Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Our Research Expert

Brittney Myers
Brittney Myers icon-button-linkedin-2x

Brittney is a data-obsessed finance nerd whose personal credit card collection is in the double digits. She has been sharing personal finance advice with readers since 2016.

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