Upgrade to Costco Executive Membership to earn a 2% annual Reward on qualified purchases. Pay with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi for separate cash back on Costco and everyday spending.
Executive Membership is Costco's higher-tier membership that adds reward earnings on top of warehouse access. According to Costco, it costs $130 a year, which is a $65 Gold Star or Business base plus a $65 Executive upgrade, and earns up to $1,250 yearly on qualified Costco, Costco.com and Costco Travel purchases Executive membership rewards details. A frugal shopper can use one or both paths and still keep costs clear.
Table of Contents
- How the 2% Executive Reward works
- Which purchases do not earn the Reward?
- When and how do you receive and redeem it?
- How does the Costco Visa add cash back?
How the 2% Executive Reward works
The Reward equals approximately 2% of pre-tax qualified purchases less refunds. Only purchases by the Primary member and active Household cardholder count, and only purchases made after upgrading count.
That timing rule matters for budgeting. Spending before the upgrade will not build a Reward, so upgrading before a large qualifying Costco run preserves more earnings.
Which purchases do not earn the Reward?
Excluded categories earn no membership cashback, even with heavy spending. Exclusions include prescription drugs, tobacco products, food-court items, postage, optical goods and services, and many services.
Check your own receipts by category before upgrading. If most of your Costco budget goes to prescriptions, food-court meals, postage, tobacco, or optical care, the 2% path may return little.
When and how do you receive and redeem it?
Costco mails the Reward certificate with the renewal notice about 2 to 3 months before renewal. It reflects rewards earned to that mailing date, and Costco does not send rewards totaling under $1. You must still be an active, paid Executive member when the Reward is earned and issued.
Members who cancel or downgrade and receive a membership-fee refund do not receive the Reward. According to Costco, the certificate is redeemed toward most merchandise through staffed front-end warehouse registers, not self-checkout, gas pumps, food courts, or directly on Costco.com, although members can buy a Shop Card with it for online use reward redemption details. Bring the paper certificate to a staffed lane.
- Keep Executive active through issuance
- Watch for the renewal-notice mailing
- Plan warehouse spending around the certificate arrival
How does the Costco Visa add cash back?
According to Citi, the separate Costco Anywhere Visa Card pays 5% on Costco gas and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging on the first $7,000 in combined yearly spend, then 1%, plus 3% on restaurants and eligible travel including Costco Travel, 2% on other Costco purchases, and 1% elsewhere with no earnings cap Costco Anywhere Visa rewards details. This card reward is separate from the membership Reward. Citi issues the Visa cash back as one annual credit-card reward certificate after the February billing statement closes.
It is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses including Puerto Rico, and it expires Dec. 31 of the issue year.
