Is it safe to buy from a box store like Costco for travel?

If you want to know if it’s safe to book your next trip through a warehouse club like Costco, just ask Hiroko Ambo.

Last year, she bought a travel package through Costco Travel to Seville, Spain, for herself and her two daughters. But she ran into trouble after American Airlines canceled the final leg of her trip, from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. Ambo called Costco Travel for help, but the company just referred her back to American Airlines.

“Because my daughters needed to get home to California, I had to purchase tickets on another flight,” recalls Ambo, an editor from Carlsbad.

Ambo asked for a refund for her canceled flights and for help covering the extra expenses of the cancellations. But according to her written correspondence with Costco, the company repeatedly referred her back to American Airlines.

Her case raises the question of whether it’s safe to book through a warehouse club like Costco. Short answer: Yes, usually.

Long answer: It depends on your definition of safe.

Let’s find out:

What do warehouse clubs offer for travelers?
What are the advantages of buying travel through BJ’s, Costco, or Sam’s Club?
What are the disadvantages of buying travel through a warehouse club?

We’ll sort through all the questions, and I’ll explain when you should — and shouldn’t — book through a warehouse club.

What do warehouse clubs offer for travelers?

Warehouse clubs like BJs, Costco and Sam’s sell travel to their members, usually online through their websites. Tooltip TextHere’s what you’ll find:

BJ’s Wholesale Club

This big box store sells cruises, vacation packages (including escorted tours, all-inclusive resorts, and build-your-own), chain and boutique hotels, car rentals, and day tours. BJ’s Travel has one of the widest selections of cruises among the warehouse stores (more than 30), and most cruise purchases qualify for a BJ’s gift card of up to $500.

The membership club also offers a “110% Best Price Guarantee” on vacation and cruise bookings, meaning that if you see a lower price, BJ’s will match it and then add another 10 percent discount, according to BJ’s spokesman Peter Frangie. You must be a member to qualify for the discounts, and you can book through its site, via the BJ’s smartphone app, or by calling (888) 743-2735.

Costco

They offer what they call “buyer-curated” vacations to destinations such as Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. “We feature cities across the United States, such as Orlando and Las Vegas, and also offer hotel-only stays and build-your-own bundles to hundreds of cities in the U.S. and Canada,” says Costco merchandising manager Penny Anderson.

Costco is well known for its cruises and car rentals. It offers sailings on 11 cruise lines and a rental car “low price finder” that lets customers compare prices between four rental car companies (Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise), and then select the one that’s right for them. Membership is required to qualify for the deals, and you can book online or by calling (866) 921-7925.

Sam’s Club

This store offers hotel stays, rental cars, tickets for theme parks, and seasonal experiences such as water parks and ski resorts. This big box store for travel also allows you to buy add-ons to your vacation, such as CityPass tickets and day tours. Sam’s claim to fame is its hotel and theme park discounts. Members can get discounts of up to $35 on gate prices at Disneyland, $100 off gate prices at Disney World, and up to $60 off gate prices at Universal Studios.

Hotel discounts may be as high as 60 percent, according to Doris Davis, a senior merchant at Sam’s Club. The discounts are only available to Sam’s Club members and are accessible online, through the Sam’s Club app, or by calling (833) 494-7267.

Bottom line: You can find some impressive deals by shopping through big box stores for travel.

Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at [email protected].