10 travel essentials you can get cheap at Costco
It’s a closely guarded secret, but those in the know are scoring bargains on big brand suitcases for prices that rival Kmart and Aldi’s no-name gear.
Ever heard of wholesale shopping club Costco? Turns out it’s so much more than bulk-goods supplier ... in fact, its enormous warehouses are one-stop shops for travel essentials.
They’ve got everything — and we mean everything — for your next holiday.
“We sell high-end branded luggage, travel guides, tickets to domestic attractions such as restaurants, attractions, ski passes etc,” says Costco central marketing manager Casey Lang.
“We also range sunglasses, swimwear, ski wear, water-sports and camping gear, ski and outdoor sports equipment, etc,” she adds – not to mention comfy-enough-to-wear-on-the-plane clothes, runners, thongs, skincare and health essentials… the list goes on.
But the secretive member-based superstore drew the line at giving us a price list of its travel gear. So we headed to the warehouse to find the best deals.
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HOW DOES IT WORK?
So, here’s the deal with Costco: they work on an early-in, early-out marketing strategy – meaning if you want something, get it when you see it, as it might not make it back onto shelves. For this reason, they can’t guarantee stock availability. Again if you like it, grab it.
You do need to become a member to shop here – but it’s as easy as filling in a form online and paying a yearly membership fee of $60 ($55 for businesses).
There are 12 warehouses scattered across Australia (more than 760 worldwide), and yes, online shopping is slated to drop in early 2020, so soon you can shop your travel list from the comfort of the couch.
Here are 10 top travel finds from the warehouse giant…
1. LUGGAGE
It’s safe to say that luggage you can rely on is a fairly integral part of any holiday. Suitcases and carry-ons by top luggage brands have all made an appearance on Costco’s shelves for less than you’d pay regular retail. We’re talking a Samsonite two-piece luggage set for $219.99, or Samsonite Stack It two-piece set for $229.99; the Paklite Vortex three-piece set for $199.99; Antler’s Mistral two-piece set, also $199.99; and a Tosca Travelgoods Tokyo five-piece set (three cases and two neck pillows, win!) for $149.99.
If you need something smaller, the Skyway Cascadia Carry-on suitcase is $57.99, the Tosca Travelgoods Evolution Carry-on just $44.99, and the Skyway Ranier Two-Compartment Wheeled Duffle is $62.99.
2. TRAVEL GUIDES
Lonely Planet is one of the most trusted names in the travel-tome space, and you can find a selection of their comprehensive guides in the warehouse for a fraction of the RRP. Exact titles and availability will depend on stock levels and seasons, but the beloved brand does find its way onto warehouse shelves. We found Lonely Planet Beautiful World Japan for $16.89 (RRP $29.99). And there are stacks more – Catriona Rowntree’s The Best Of World Cruising ($22.99), for example.
3. ATTRACTIONS
Love a winter wonderland vacay? Pick up lift passes for less at Costco, for some of the country’s best ski resorts, including Perisher and Thredbo. In 2019, members were paying $319 for two-day lift pass, two-day hire (ski boots and skis or snowboard and snowboard boots), two lessons and ski tube during peak season (July to September).
There are also discounted passes to almost every attraction imaginable around Australia. For $119.99, you can pick up a seven-day pass for unlimited entry to Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild on the Gold Coast (RRP $159). Or pay $149.99 for entry to five of more than 100 major attractions in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Tasmania – think zoos, river cruises, tours… the list in huge.
4. ENTERTAINMENT
From keeping the kids busy on holidays to indulging in some me time, or even just preparing for potential rainy days, Costco also has you covered with discounted passes to fun activities (for kids and adults alike). Try a $50 pass to various Kingpin, Zone Bowling or Timezone centre across the country for $39.95; two $50 gift cards to hundreds of spa and wellness locations around Australia for $79.99; or an eight-lap rally car driving experience for $134.99 (save 41 per cent).
5. WATER BOTTLES
Whether you’re on a plane to the Maldives or ready to trek up the side of a mountain, saying yes to hydrating sustainably is high on many travellers’ priority lists. Contigo’s hi-tech bottles feature pop-up straw (no lids to lose in transit), covered spout (for extra protection against germs), a leak-proof lid (who doesn’t love that?!) and a clip-on handle – and they’re available in a pack of three for $23.99 at Costco (hint: they usually retail for almost that amount each, so it’s almost like buy one get two free).
If you want to keep your drink ice cold (or piping hot – hello, ski trip!), they also sell two-packs of the stainless steel Contigo Matterhorn for $19.99, which promise to keep liquids cool for 36 hours or hot for 14.
6. CAMERAS
Who’s leaving for a vacay without a camera? No one, that’s who. GoPro has pretty much cornered the capture-your-action-holiday market, and Costco has a pretty good bundle deal: you get a GoPro HERO (and battery, of course), a blue sleeve, lanyard, all adhesive mounts, and a Lexar 300x 32GB Micro SD card for $329.99.
Prefer to take your snaps in a less adventurous environment? You can also pick up the Panasonic Lumix TZ90 30x zoom travel camera complete with selfie screen for $399.99, or the Canon EOS M6 – aka the “content creator’s camera” – with a Canon camera case and 8GB SD card for $684.99.
7. CLOTHING
If you’re heading to a different hemisphere and struggling to find gear for the opposite season, Costco could be your solution. “As we have an early-in, early-out policy, our apparel is usually ranged for the coming seasons and therefore is perfect if you’re travelling to the northern hemisphere,” says Casey.
Activewear and runners from brands like Fila, Le Coq Sportif, Puma, Dickies, Tommy Hilfiger, Sportscraft, Calvin Klein, Nautica and more, plus thongs from everyone’s flip-flop favourite Havaianas, are perfect attire to explore the world (or the beach), and they all make an appearance in-store.
Just a few of the bargain buys we spotted:
Superga 2750 in Rose Gold, $39.97
Fila Women’s Street Shoes, $29.99
Puma Men’s Suede Smash Shoes, $31.97
Puma Slides, $14.99
Nautica Men’s Swim Shorts, $25.99
Tommy Hilfiger Men’s Swim Shorts, $36.99
Ben Sherman Elastic-Waist Shorts, $24.97
Puma Men’s Shorts, $19.99
Nautica Men’s Anchor Tee, $18.99
Puma Men’s No-Show Socks 8-pack, $16.98
Tommy Hilfiger Men’s Tee, $23.99
Calvin Klein Men’s Crew Neck Tee, $14.99
Calvin Klein Men’s Elements Trunks 3-pack, $29.99
Puma Women’s Logo Tights, $19.99
Puma Women’s Logo Tee, $19.99
Sportscraft Women’s Shorts, $19.99
Le Coq Sportif Women’s Tee, $19.99
Nautica Women’s Polo, $22.99
Puma Women’s Liner Socks 6-pack, $11.99
Dickie’s Women’s Logo Tee, $14.99
Calvin Klein Women’s Bikini Briefs 3-pack, $26.99
8. ELECTRONICS
In-flight entertainment is a non-negotiable for most of us, and Costco has been known to stock Bose, Jabra, Lenovo and more top-quality electronics for much less than you’d have to fork out retail. Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, for example, have an RRP of
$449.95 – but you can find them for $329.99 in the warehouse. We’ve also spotted Beats X
Wireless Bluetooth Headphones for $109.99, Jabra Elite Active 65T Wireless Ear Buds for
$189.98 and the Lenovo M10 32G 10.1” tablet for $274.99 in store.
If you need power on the go, you can pick up a two-pack of Cygnett 5000mAh Portable Power Banks for $49.98, or go wirefree with the Cygnett 10,000mAh Wireless Portable Power Bank for $54.99.
9. CAMPING GEAR
If a hitting the road in search of Australia’s best beach is your idea of a holiday bliss, Costco’s got you covered with sleeping bags, dome and single-person tents and swags, portable chairs, inflatable mattresses… one shopper has even spotted kayaks on the shelves there. Get prepped for campground cuisine with The Camping Cookbook ($16.98), or get a good sleep with a Bestway Queen Air Mattress (with pump) for $59.99. We saw Tommy Bahama beach chairs for $49.98 and colourful beach towels for $22.99; US Divers Snorkel Sets ($59.99 for adults’ gear and $44.99 for kids’); and possibly the most extensive range of eskies and coolers ever. Not to mention St John’s First Aid Kits ($49.98) and stacks of sunscreen (Banana Boat Sport SPF 50+ 3x200g, $24.99; Cancer Council Ultra Sunscreen SPF50+ 2x500ml, $29.99) for a well-protected summer.
10. FUEL
Speaking of driving holidays, Costco also has fuel stations, and generally speaking, they offer a cheaper spot to fill up on your way out of town than regular petrol stations. Keep in mind, though, there are only a handful in Australia, so you probably want to be going past one anyway, rather than going out of the way for the saving.
11. AND THE REST…
For anyone living in the US, the travel-related purchases are next level – you can book entire vacations, rent cars and more with your Costco membership in America. “Unfortunately, at this stage, you need to be a US resident to take advantage,” says Casey – but we have a sneaking suspicion it’s worth keeping an eye out for these types of deals coming Down Under in the future...
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Originally published as 10 travel essentials you can get cheap at Costco
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