Costco Executive Membership: Cost, Benefits and Is It Worth It?
Quick answer: The Costco Executive membership costs $130 a year, $65 more than Gold Star. In return you get 2% back on qualifying Costco, Costco.com and Costco Travel purchases, up to $1,250 a year, plus earlier shopping hours. It pays for itself once you spend about $3,250 a year (about $271 a month) on purchases that earn the reward.
Executive vs. Gold Star at a glance
| Gold Star | Executive | |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly fee (US) | $65 | $130 |
| 2% reward | No | Yes, up to $1,250 a year |
| Reward on Costco Travel | No | Yes (qualified purchases) |
| Earlier shopping hours | No | Yes |
| Free Household Card | 1 | 1 |
Is Costco Executive worth it? Run your numbers
The reward is 2% of what you spend on qualifying purchases, so the upgrade breaks even at $3,250 a year. It keeps growing until $62,500 of yearly spend, where the $1,250 cap kicks in.
Leave out gas, the food court and anything else that doesn't earn the reward (list below).
Yearly 2% reward
$84.00
Upgrade fee
$65
You come out ahead
$19.00
At this spend, Executive pays for itself. The break-even is about $271 a month ($3,250 a year).
Costco Executive member hours
Since June 30, 2025, Costco has opened most US warehouses early for Executive members only: 9 to 10 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 9 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Gold Star and Business members can shop from 10 a.m. (9:30 a.m. on Saturday). Costco lists earlier shopping hours as an Executive benefit but leaves the times to each warehouse, so check yours in the warehouse locator before an early trip.
What doesn't earn the 2% reward
Leave these out when you estimate your reward:
- Gas, tobacco and food court purchases
- Stamps, Costco Shop Cards and gift memberships
- Costco Services, membership fees and shipping fees
- Alcohol in some states, and prescriptions in a few states (elsewhere, only the co-pay counts)
- Auto purchases, optical exams, and tire installation and disposal fees
Purchases made before you upgrade don't count either. Costco keeps the full list on its Executive membership help page.
When and how you get the reward
Costco mails a 2% Reward Certificate with your renewal notice, about two months before your renewal date, and you spend it like cash at checkout. Costco says the certificate never expires, but you must be a paid Executive member when it's issued. Upgrading mid-year costs a prorated fee. Going back to Gold Star forfeits the rewards accumulated so far, so if you plan to downgrade, wait until the certificate arrives.
Executive rewards and price adjustments
The two stack. Executive doesn't change Costco's 30-day price adjustment: any member can claim the difference when something they bought drops in price. You still earn 2% on what you actually paid. Our guide to how Executive rewards interact with price adjustments works through the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Costco Executive membership?
$130 a year in the US: the $65 Gold Star or Business membership plus a $65 Executive upgrade. It includes one free Household Card.
Is the Costco Executive membership worth it?
It pays for itself once you spend about $3,250 a year (about $271 a month) on purchases that earn the 2% reward, because 2% of that is the $65 upgrade fee. Spend less and you only come out ahead if the earlier shopping hours are worth the difference to you.
What are the Costco Executive member hours?
Since June 30, 2025, most US warehouses open early for Executive members only: 9 to 10 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 9 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, before other members are let in. Hours vary by warehouse, so check yours in Costco’s warehouse locator.
When do you get the Costco 2% reward?
Costco mails the 2% Reward Certificate with your renewal notice, about two months before your membership renews. You use it like cash at a Costco checkout, and Costco says it never expires. You must still be a paid Executive member when it is issued.
Does gas count toward the Costco 2% reward?
No. Gasoline, tobacco, food court purchases, stamps, Costco Shop Cards, Costco Services and alcohol in some states are among the purchases that don’t earn the reward.
What happens if I downgrade from Executive?
Costco says members who reverse their Executive status lose all the rewards accumulated so far, and rewards aren’t prorated. If you plan to downgrade, do it after your reward certificate arrives.
US figures, checked against Costco's own pages on October 15, 2026: Costco: Executive Membership benefits, Costco Customer Service: What is an Executive Membership?, Costco: Executive Membership terms. Costco Canada sets its own fees and reward cap in Canadian dollars. Membership fees going up? How Costco fee increases work.
Get more back than the 2%
Price drops within 30 days of purchase are often worth more than the reward. CostRefund scans your Costco receipts and tells you when something you bought gets cheaper.
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