By Jessica Mattern, Good Housekeping
We all know Costco is the place to go when you want to buy food and household supplies in bulk — or maybe even a super-size teddy bear — but we bet you probably didn't know about their amazing travel deals.
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retailer has a wide range of travel options for members — many of which
are really, really cheap. Shoppers can book airfare, hotel
accommodations and transportation for cruises, safaris and vacations in
the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and more on the Costco Travel site.
The discount store began
selling vacation packages in 2000, and since then, it's grown its
offerings to include hundreds of trips around the globe. You can book a
dreamy week-long vacation to Maui for two for under $3,000 (including
flights, hotel and car rental), a four-night cruise around the Caribbean
for just $281 (!) per person and even a seven-day Puerto Rico getaway for just $800.
Every
year, Costco's seven-member travel team reaches out to properties and
destinations to arrange travel packages for Costco shoppers. The team
also designs many of the deals to include luxury options or money-saving
upgrades as exclusive offers for Costco members.
"We negotiate added values
for our members," Chris Hendrix, who oversees the buying division at
Costco Travel, told CountryLiving.com. "Sometimes we're able to throw in
a Costco cash card on a cruise for instance, and sometimes it's
additional amenities like a room upgrade." Many bookings include perks
like daily breakfast buffets, food and beverage credits, rental cars and
more.
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Costco says its
most popular trips are beachy getaways to Hawaii, Mexico and the
Caribbean. Italy is a popular choice too. Chris recommends booking these
trips during their "sweet spot," which is three to six months out, to
get the best deals and products.
If
you're looking to save even more money, Chris recommends booking your
trip for the shoulder seasons, meaning right before or after summer
(September is one of the best times to save!). You can also locate the
best values in the "Weekly Hot Deals" section on the website.
You
have to be a Costco member to purchase a vacation through the brand's
website or call center, but anyone can browse the site to get inspired.
Now you just have one dilemma left to solve: choosing a destination.
