Costco Executive Members Get Shorter Lines Starting Today. Here Are the Two New Perks That Come With the Executive Membership.

Individuals and families choose to shop at Costco for numerous reasons. Buying things in bulk can be cheaper a lot of the time, and stores like Costco offer excellent deals on everything from furniture to frozen vegetables. It's also convenient to shop for a variety of items in one place. At Costco, you can shop for meat, pantry staples, books, clothes, and even pick up your prescription. Additionally, many people like to stop by the food court for lunch or a snack before or after their shopping trip.

Wholesale stores like Costco, BJ's, and Sam's Club require you to have a membership to shop there, and Costco, like many other wholesale stores, offers more than one type of membership.

As a Costco shopper, you can choose between the Gold Star Membership and the Executive Membership. Both memberships include:

• Ability to shop online and in warehouses
• Two membership cards
• 100% satisfaction guarantee

One of the biggest perks of the Executive Membership is the annual 2% reward, which allows shoppers to get up to $1,250 back per year on eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases. However, Costco has added two new perks for Executive Members that may make you want to upgrade from your Gold Star Membership.

In this slideshow, we'll take a look at the two new benefits and explain what you need to know about how you can use these benefits to shop at Costco.

The two main differences between the Executive Membership and the Gold Star Membership are the price and the perks available. While they both offer the opportunity to shop online and in-store, the Executive Membershop comes with additional perks, such as the annual 2% reward.

This reward gives you cash back at the end of the year on your Costco purchases. Depending on how much you spend, the 2% reward can cover the entire cost of your membership and even give you a nice bonus if you spend enough.

As of June 2025, the cost of a Gold Star Membership is $65 per year, plus tax, while the cost of an Executive Membership is $130 per year, plus tax. Previously, the Gold Star Membership was $60 and the Executive Membership was $120. However, in September 2024, Costco increased its membership fees for the first time in about seven years.

In an attempt to add more value to the Executive Membership, which now costs $130 a year, Costco has added two new perks for members to enjoy. Here's a look at the new benefits and how you can use them.

For shoppers who want the convenience of having Costco items delivered, this perk is for you. Executive members can get a $10 monthly credit for delivery orders of $150 or more from SameDay.Costco.com or Instacart.

Every month, as an Executive member, you can get a $10 credit for your delivery order of $150 or more through Instacart or Costco's same-day delivery service.

The other new perk for Costco Executive Members is the Executive Member shopping hours. What this means is that Executive Members can shop before the store opens for Gold Star Members.

No one likes waiting in line, especially at places like Costco that can get pretty busy. Now, Executive Members can shop at Costco before the store opens for other membership levels. The new early executive membership hours are:

• Monday-Friday: 9-10 a.m
• Saturday: 9-9:30 a.m.
• Sunday: 9-10 a.m.

Hours may vary by location.

The new hours are in effect at stores nationwide on June 30, 2025. That means, starting today, executive members can start shopping earlier than Gold Star members. Ideally, this will lead to quicker shopping trips and shorter wait lines for those with an Executive Membership.

There's a good chance some shoppers may show up early, not realizing the earlier hours are just for Executive members. According to this Reddit thread, many locations will offer a grace period for Gold Star members until the end of August, allowing them to enter during the Executive-member-only hours for a short period. However, this isn't guaranteed for every location.

If you're already a Costco member but only have the Gold Star Membership, you can enjoy these perks as well. Although the Costco membership renews once a year, you can upgrade your membership to the Executive Level at any time for a prorated fee. You can upgrade your membership in person at your local Costco or online at the Costco website.