The Cost Of Renting A Car Through Costco Compared To Direct Rental Bookings Might Surprise You

Booking through Costco Travel can give you a lower price on rental cars than the regular rates you might see when booking directly on Alamo, Avis, Budget, or Enterprise — plus some extra benefits. A comparison published via Motor1 in September 2025, shows just how much you can save. In the report, a weeklong intermediate SUV with Alamo was $677.72 when booked directly with the company, but the same vehicle for the same week cost just $290.98 when booked through Costco. That is a difference of $386.74, or a 57% drop in price for the same car and dates. This is why you should seriously consider taking a closer look at just how much money you can save by booking your travel through Costco.

With that said, what you will save is not always guaranteed, so you should make sure compare prices for the same car and week directly at Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise before officially booking. Keep in mind that rates can change depending on the location, dates, and type of car you pick. Timing matters, too, when booking a rental car. If you book a rental car three months ahead, expect to pay $555 for a seven-day trip, according to a 2024 NerdWallet analysis. However, if you wait and book just one week before your trip, the price drops to $481. This means that booking late can actually save you 13%, or $74, on the same seven-day rental.

Costco bookings usually give you one free extra driver when you use their services to rent with Alamo, Avis, Budget, or Enterprise. This perk works in the United States and, for Alamo or Enterprise, also covers Canada, the U.K., Puerto Rico, France, Germany, Ireland, and Spain. Without Costco, you can still add another driver but it often more — $13 per day at Avis and Budget, with a $65 maximum for the entire rental. Or, $15 per day with Alamo or Enterprise (although New York caps the extra driver fee at $5 a day). On a seven-day trip, the free driver available through Costco can save you up to $65 with Avis or Budget, up to about $105 if you're paying $15 a day elsewhere.

Costco car rentals are also relatively easy to cancel because you pay at the counter, not at the time of booking, and there are no cancellation fees. You can cancel online anytime with no penalty, and even book a new refundable rate if you spot a lower price. Just note, for car rentals, you cannot change an existing booking, you must cancel and rebook. And, once you cancel, you cannot get that reservation back. With that said, it's best to book your replacement first before you cancel the original. This setup also means you can grab a good rate early but keep checking for last minute price drops up until your reservation. Then, if you do find a cheaper deal, you can switch with just a few clicks.

Costco Travel can save you money, but you do still have to pay extra fees that may not show up on your initial reservation. Taxes and airport charges, energy recovery fees, or local government costs, are almost always added to your total and can depend significantly on where you are picking up your rental car. AutoSlash notes that airport concession fees (extra charges on your rental bill when you pick up a car) at large airports often add up to 11% of your bill, whether you book with Costco or book directly with a rental agency. 

With all of that said, as helpful and flexible as Costco's "Book Now, Pay at the Counter" policy might be — it also means you might not know about extra fees until you are already at the rental counter of your vacation destination. This can lead to undue stress and headache. It is also worth comparing costs between picking up your car downtown versus at the airport. NerdWallet found that renting a car for a week out of a city center location was $86 less than at the airport, on average, which is 18% cheaper. Plus, it could be worth knowing when to skip the car rental insurance.