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”
Some of Hawaii’s previously cheap Russian oil ended up as jet fuel for Hawaii travel. Read about Costco Gas on your Hawaii vacation.
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.