3 Main Changes That Are Coming To Costco Travel In 2026

2026 is upon us, and along with the new year, a few big changes are coming to Costco's travel services. The superstore chain is known for not only supplying travel gear, be it suitcases, toiletry bags, camping gear, or survival supplies, but also vacation booking services. In fact, there are at least 10 hidden vacation gems you probably didn't know you could book through Costco Travel.

Through Costco, members who love to travel have been able to book Disney park tickets, hotels, and even cruises, a perk not all shoppers at the wholesale store may even be aware of. The bottom line is, Costco's vacation packages might be the cheapest way to book your trip.

All that said, in 2026, some changes to the program are coming. Between the pausing of current services and the addition of new benefits and packages to choose from, frequent Costco Travel customers will want to make sure they're aware of this year's updates. To compile this list, we reviewed the updates that have already been announced and selected the three most significant changes coming in the new year.

One of the most popular features of Costco Travel is the ability to book hotel accommodations. For any Disneyland fans, the company has unfortunately put a pause on booking travel packages for the park through Costco Travel. If you've used the service to book park tickets and park hotels in the past, you'll need to look elsewhere in 2026. While this service was attractive for its money-back benefits, there are still deals to be found. For example, though park tickets may not be available, you can still book a package at the Disneyland Hotel through the service. It is unclear if Costco plans to bring the park ticketing service back in the future.

While this has been bad news for fans of the package, as booking through Costco can be a major cost saver, Costco Travel does have some exciting new hotel packages on the way. Valid through the end of 2026, a new, all-inclusive Cancun travel package at the Hilton Cancun will be available for 3-night or longer stays. In addition, the new year brings hotel packages in Oahu, Hawaii; the Dominican Republic; Costa Rica; New Zealand's Cook Islands; Marco Island; Germany; and Canada. There are also deals in several cities in the mainland US, as travel to Denver, San Antonio, Nashville, and Seattle may now be significantly cheaper for Costco members who book stays through the chain. Costco Travel benefits vary by package, but in addition to your stay, they can include rail tickets, parking passes, waived amenity fees, included breakfasts, and dinner vouchers.

In addition to the new hotel packages, a variety of cruise lines will be available through Costco Travel in the new year. Some of these cruise routes are brand new to the service, and others are old customer favorites returning, but all cruises include a digital Costco shop card.

In 2026, cruises available to book through Costco will sail to Alaska, Central America, South America, and Europe. You'll also have the option of setting sail on the Kirkland Signature Denali Explorer Cruisetour. This 13-day cruise starts in Vancouver, Canada, and has several stops in Alaska, including Fairbanks, Denali, Mt. McKinley, and Whittier. The Island Princess cruise ship can hold almost 2,000 passengers and offers a variety of dining options, both casual and formal.

Looking to Europe, Costco Travel will have four cruise packages running in 2026. Packages include two different 7-night cruises to France and Italy, both kicking off in Barcelona; an 11-night cruise to Greece, Turkey, and Italy; and a 7-night cruise along Europe's Danube River. Cruises in Central and South America will include voyages to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Brazil. On all cruises, wifi, food and beverage, and excursion packages are available to add on to your trip. And, in addition to the new options, Costco also offers cruises in destinations where the US dollar goes furthest, helping you to stretch your money even more.

Lastly, Costco will be opening new brick-and-mortar stores this year, one of which will be a new step for the company: its first standalone gas station. While car and travel accessories are not new to Costco — you can buy everything from camping and travel gear to tires, car batteries, and motor oil in store — this is a first step into a hands-on "travel"-oriented storefront.

In the spring, the new station will open its first stand-alone location in Mission Viejo, California, where you'll need to be a Costco member in order to fill your tank. But while the company is considering the expansion a win, Bay Area residents feel otherwise about it. Both community residents and local environmental groups fear that the new gas station will directly oppose climate goals in California as it bypasses a 2022 city ordinance that banned the building of new gas stations in the area.

That said, while there has been pushback from the local community, the massive 40-pump station is, as of this writing, still due to open in the spring of 2026. If successful, it could be followed by others across the country, thus allowing road trippers to enjoy Costco's lower prices without having to find a local warehouse.