What you should know before purchasing

• Costco Travel offers members deals on vacation packages, cruises, and rental cars.
• Travelers must have an active Costco membership to book through the service.
• The service has a limited selection of partners, such as specific car rental companies and hotel brands.

For many shoppers, Costco can be a one-stop store. Customers can buy a value pack of paper towels, AirPods, a jumbo bag of frozen fruit and a mattress all in one visit (among tons of other items). That wide variety of inventory extends well beyond the warehouse walls: the company sells trips, too.

Costco Travel can offer shoppers deals on everything from cruises to rental cars. However, depending on the type of trip they plan, they may find the service has limitations as well.

Here’s what to know about booking a trip through Costco.

How does Costco Travel work?

Costco Travel offers a range of options for travelers looking to book a trip. “We use our buying authority to negotiate the best value in the marketplace, and then pass on the savings to Costco members,” the service said on its website.

Those include curated vacation packages to destinations around the world, which may include combinations of flights, hotel stays, car rentals and more, according to Assistant Vice President and General Merchandise Manager Chris Hendrix.

“In these bundled packages, our buyers vet and hand-pick each resort and component. … We limit our selection to ensure the best quality and value,” he told USA TODAY in an email.

What can you book through Costco Travel?

Travelers can also book cruises, rental cars and build their own trips to various cities, booking hotel stays or bundling them with flights and car rentals, according to Hendrix. The company also sells travel insurance. Those making bookings can do so online or by phone, and the service has reservation agents that can assist travelers before, during and after their trip, he said.

However, Kerry Mooneyham, owner of Midwest Travel Solutions, previously told USA TODAY that booking through Costco Travel is not the same as working with a travel agent that can offer more personalized guidance.

“You’re going to have the same cruise whether you book it directly with Carnival, you book it with Costco, or you book it with me,” she said. “The cruise is exactly the same. … It’s behind the scenes that we do things to make it better.”

Booking with Costco Travel may make more sense for some trips than others, she added.

These people love Costco more than you: They have the tattoos to prove it.

“I think maybe when you’re not exactly sure what is the best option for you, it’s really a time when you should be reaching out to an expert who understands the differences between cruise A and cruise B,” Mooneyham said. “But if you know exactly what you want, that’s a time where you might only be looking at, you know, ‘What’s the best value for me?'”

Hendrix said the company has more than 1,500 Costco Travel employees with experts in various focus areas, including cruises, Hawaii and Europe.

But travelers may not always find what they’re looking for. Hendrix noted Costco only offers car rentals with Avis, Alamo, Budget and Enterprise, for example, and it has a limited selection of hotels and hotel brands. Certain destinations may also not be available for their vacation package and build-your-own-trip options (though the company is continually adding to its portfolio).

Can you book flights with Costco Travel? 

“Flights are available as part of our vacation packages or our build-your-own options,” Hendrix said. However, travelers cannot currently purchase flights alone through Costco Travel.

Do you have to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel?

Yes. Travelers must be active Costco members to use the service. Depending on the tier, Costco memberships cost between $65 and $130 per year – before any applicable sales tax – according to its website.

Costco Executive members also get an annual 2% reward on qualifying purchases made through Costco Travel.

“Many of our programs offer Costco Travel members an exclusive Costco Shop Card for their travel purchase, which they receive once their travel is completed, and can be used in the warehouse or online at Costco.com,” Hendrix added.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.