Some of Hawaii’s previously cheap Russian oil ended up as jet fuel for Hawaii travel. Read about Costco Gas on your Hawaii vacation.
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74 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitors: Don’t Waste Time Buying Gas at Costco”
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You can use your Costco Visa to get 4% cashback at any gas station. Sometimes it’s not convenient time/distance-wise to drive out of your way to wait in line. If you shop at Kroger, you can use your fuel points there or at Shell.
If you shop at Safeway, you automatically have gas reward points up to .20 a gallon. Might as well use it.
You don’t live on the Big island then!! Gas is 50 cents a gallon more in Waikoloa and Waimea than Costco. Headed there now to fill up my gas cans.
No gas at the Hawaii Kai Costco, so just three of the four locations on Oahu have fuel.
The prices is far better than in San Diego, CA where it’s between $5.61 and $6.31.
My wait at Costco Kauai wasn’t but 5 minutes on the way back to the airport. Funny thing, the gas was about $0.80 less than the San Francisco area so it felt cheap by comparison.
As far as the cost of the Costco membership goes, that is a “sunk cost” – we already have it for home, so it isn’t an extra cost for us. If the cost of gas at Costco truly has approached parity with other stations, we’ll gladly use other stations. That just hasn’t been the case.
$6.09 for premium at Costco in the Sacramento area.
Costco Regular is ethanol free.
You do not factor in the 3-4% rebate which makes it 12 to 15 cents cheaper than pump price shown.
Ben S,
If you’re referring to the Costco Rebate check, fuel does NOT factor in that. They do not count fuel purchases.
The reason they don’t is because Costco thinks that members will loan their membership cards to friends and family to fuel up, and they can’t check on who’s buying it.
Correct me if I’m wrong. Please.
The costco credit card gives 4% cash back for gas purchases
You’re right in that the Costco Rebate Check does not include anything for gas, however if you have the Costco Citibank Visa card, they do give you a rebate for 4% of the cost of gas purchased at Costco. Hope that helps.
Not everyone has that card. I am a Costoco memeber and I certainly dont. So not factoring it makes perfect sense.
In February we bought gas for $1. less per gallon near the airport before turning our Rental Car in. Very worth it for $15. To $20. Dollars.
Two things to consider
Costco sells more gas in one day than most stations sell in a week,so Costco gets more deliveries. In a declining market Costco is getting gas cheaper than the cost of the gas in the ground at other stations, thus they can sell for less. In an increasing market, the opposite is true. Costco is receiving more expensive fuel than the cost of other stations fuel in the ground.
Second, consider the quality of the fuel. Costco gas meets Top Tier standards. And, that does mean something.
Thank you for mentioning the TopTier rating for Costco gasoline. That in and of itself, makes using that product in my cars a preferential choice. Hey, I have met some amazing people sitting in the line, especially on Kauai. Love that additional connect with the local folk, and sharing that wee moment of aloha.
We filled up at Costco in Kona before turning in our rental car. No wait in line, and gas was 40 cents less per gallon than everywhere else. Plus, it was close to the airport and rental car return.
I get that high gas prices annoy you but it seems.like you’re just taking it out on Costco. I’ve been buying gas from them for my masonry company for years and yes I do the math. Sometimes the difference is more sometimes less, but it’s always significant and the lines move really fast. Thanks for listening but your tone needs policing
Never bought into the Costco model-continue to support Shell station in Hanamaulu,shop simply at Target –no membership required
Target?
Amazed they are still on business…
True, Costco gas on Maui has increased in price but is still significantly less than any other conventional station by $0.70 to $1.70 per galleon. Safeway gas is the same price and has the same lines. They are within a mile of each other. You did not mention that Costco gives back 4% if you use their VISA card. In 2021 that 4% equaled a weeks worth of groceries.
Yes you will wait in line but the savings should not be passed up, unless you enjoy burning money.
Regarding Gas Buddy…
We recently made a trip back to our home town. In the past, Gas Buddy would list all stations in the city for which consumers reported. Interestingly, there were now only a fraction listed which curiously almost all were Quik Trips. CostCo was conspicuously absent even though it was the cheapest. It appears that Gas Buddy has changed their model to only report stations that pay them a fee for so doing. That is my speculation.
Gas Buddy has become a very dubious source in my eyes. Sad, because I used to rely on them with excellent results in past years. “Half the truth can be a very great lie?”
Hi Dave.
Thanks for the feedback on Gas Buddy. We are new to them.
Aloha.
Costco rebate on gas is still active. It has a dollar limit which I think is $7500 year. In addition if you are a premium member there is another 2% rebate. My rebates have always more than covered the annual fee.
I just checked gasbuddy for my area. At first it looked like Costco was $.05 higher than another gas station nearer to me. But then I realized there is a difference. The price at the cheaper place was the “cash” price – many stations that do that and charge +/- 10 cents more for using the credit card. Granted a long drive and long line can negate savings, but between the savings and the Costco year-end rebate, it will still be my prime gas source. Check gasbuddy closely to ensure an apples to apples comparison on price.
I could see the fascination with Costco if there was one near your home or work where you drive by regularly. But, I’ve never understood why people can spend thousands, if not 10s of thousands, of dollars on an Hawaii vacation but will drive miles out of their way and waste time sitting in line to save a few bucks on a tank of gas.
Respect BOH, for being brave enough to take on the Costco crowd!
Mahalo!
Hi Ed.
Thanks for that. And your nearly 200 comments to date.
Aloha.
Exactly. Never understood this. Drive out of your way, wait in line, and jockey for position – just to save a few bucks. Is it really worth it? It must not be the money, but rather the satisfaction of paying the least amount possible. The Costco gas person is probably also the same one who will change planes to save $30 instead of flying non-stop.
You also get cash back on your fuel purchases. Same for sams club. With the amount we spend on gas every year we end up with about $300 in free stuff. So consider providing an honest review. There are benefits beyond just a penny per gallon of gas.
Just curious what the average price is in Hawaii.
As a Costco member, I understand the point of this article and thank you for the heads up as we are about to head to Hawaii. Like everything else in the free market, it is up to the consumer to make the best choice and information is power. Living in Arkansas – a state where Costco established its first store only last year – the Costco effect on gas prices can be significant and fir the first few months here it was. Costco’s gas prices were running about 50 cents per gallon cheaper than the next best option. Over time however, and consistent with the experience in other areas, the price of Costco gas here is now only a dime or so lower than the general market prices.
I live on a big eye land and get my gas at COSTCO here and do not see anything about it affecting us on the big island does anyone know about that here?
We paid $4.12 per gallon when we bought the gas from Enterprise upon renting the car. Check what the rental company is charging and compare it to Gas Buddy prices.
Costco is top tier gas. Not every gas station sells top tier.
This is a point I wanted to mention as well (until the max char count got me!). I have tried to use Top Tier gasoline in my vehicle since Costco came to town and I have noticed about a 1.5 to 2 MPG improvement using Top Tier gasoline. However, when I am filling up a rental, I want the lowest price I can find! But for my personal vehicle, I do try to fill up with Top Tier if at all possible. FWIW: Top Tier has a website to help you find their gasoline – visit toptiergas.com/
While our experience may (or may not) be typical, I do feel our vehicles are running a bit better and delivering improved MPG using Top Tier.
Aloha,
Based on my mainland experiences, I can say that I am comfortable with the knowledge that the pumps at Costco are not “fixed”, unlike many “independent” retailers on the mainland. Sometimes you want to pay full price…
Mahalo
On Maui, we stay in Kaanapali, but we still pass through Kahului at least two or three times during a week’s visit, and we almost always stop at Costco… not just for gas but also for lunch… When you can feed a family of four adults for less than 20 bucks in Hawaii, you do it! 1
Costco is still cheaper when you calculate the discount for using your Costco card.
Per gas buddy Kauai Costco is .22 cheaper then the next competitor at 5.45 add the 4% using the Costco credit card and that adds up to almost 45 cents per gallon savings
Great Article and true here in the Vacaville/NorCalif area as well. Love Gas Buddy and it consistently shows Costco only 5 cents cheaper than other stations without the massive wait times. Looking forward to Maui in Feb 2023 for.my new Brides 50 bday and our 1 year anniversary celebration. Mahalo friends!
Hi Kevin.
Thanks for sharing your experience from Northern CA. And that’s great about your upcoming Maui celebration. Congratulations!
Aloha.
Your premise is not true on Kauai. I have seldom waited 10 minutes in line, usually, it is a 4-minute wait. Costco gas is generally 50 cents a gallon less than the competition, sometimes as much as 75 cents less! I live less than a mile from Costco, so I will continue to save. I also get cashback on my Costco Visa card … Winner winner, chicken dinner!
Anyway you want to put it the “establishment” never misses an opportunity to gouge us.The energy industry is just a part of it all designed to suppress the masses.
I seldom get Costco gas due to the lines. If I went on a week day about 1030 and the lines weren’t bad I’d get some. If not I’d shop first then look as I was leaving, but still if there’s anymore than 1 at the pump, I leave. My time is worth more than the nickel a gallon I may save. And it rarely makes sense to go out of my way for gas. When one considers their time and the cost per mile on their vehicle, you spend more than you can possibly save. You need to add at least 35 cents per mile to the fuel cost, which most people forget. So let’s say your cpm on gas is 25 cpm, plus the 35 cpm for the car, maintainance, and insurance. Which is a very low estimate, your cpm is 60, so if you drive just 10 miles out of route RT, it costs $6 extra
I did the Costco in Honolulu once. The lines were backed out to the street! Never again. Too many other options that aren’t a 20-30 minute wait to get to the pumps.
Good Morning Guys-
Here in California gas for the past week has been $5.99, at Costco $5.69. Not worth the eight mile round trip to Costco for us. Maybe due for a trip to the islands?
As always we enjoy your post so thank you!
Hi Jeanne.
Thanks for sharing that. Here in Hawaii, compared with the nearby no line gas station, Costco is 24 cents less, and the line, except at night, is very long.
Aloha.
Plus, if you use your Costco credit card, you get an additional discount. We use our Costco card for everything. We usually get over a thousand dollars back for all the discounts we get for using the card.
This article is applicable to Costco gas Everywhere, not just Hawaii.
“Times are a changin”
As they say – “time is money”
If/when we get back – we will no longer assume Costco is worth the trip for food OR gas. It costs far too much money and takes far too much time to get to Hawaii only to spend it in a line at Costco for groceries OR gas.
HOPING for a 2023 visit. We shall see.
Aloha and thanks for the tips and info
Hi Colleen.
Thanks. Great to hear you plan on returning soon. We look forward to seeing you guys!
Aloha.
I just took a road trip in California and entertained the idea of using Costco, until I saw the lines were six deep. Turns out it was only a 15c difference to other options, which is about $3 for a tank. There is such a thing as time value of money and I’m not spending an extra half hour to save 3 bucks. I’m guessing a lot of people in that Costco line haven’t done the math.
Of course you might add that the Costco Visa is free, and offers an annual rebate on gas purchases of 4%. Plus, their gas pumps are monitored daily for credit card skimmers.
Hi Terry.
True. We also didn’t add to the equation that Costco membership ranges from $60 to $120 annually. It was a more basic look at gas prices and the fact that the prior big savings at Costco Gas are simply no longer there.
Aloha.
And on that, you get 2% back and it pays for your membership. Costco VISA (citi bank) gives you 4% back on gas.
Totally agree. Plus the attendants actually work. They provide assistance if needed, clean and check the pumps & patrol the lanes. I feel safer using Costco pumps. Plus the gas is top tier as mentioned earlier.
Costco is convenient to airport, early flights no line, already have costco card as on Kaua’i costco is a goto and they take all debit cards. Oh and filling up an escalade or a suburban, anything helps.
Seeing the other posters, totally agree on Oahu. The Station right by the Car Rental return is my favorite but only for topping up. Plenty of better deals in Honolulu if you avoid Waikiki and the tourist spots.
Great point. I stopped using Costco gas 6 months ago when lines were longer than 30 minutes. Gas in California is about $6.50 for Memorial Day. Politicians promised to temporarily reduce or suspend gas taxes, however seems they are waiting until the fall election to attempt to bribe voters.
Thank you for this interesting article and advice. We are in Southern CA and have also seen the big price advantage that Costco used to have shrink. Around here it was a 40 to 50 cent per gallon difference at the beginning of this year. Now it is 10 cents. Appreciate the tips for other gas stations. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful state for the first time later this year.
Hi Betty.
Thanks for sharing how it is working in CA. We look forward to welcoming you!
Aloha.