Costco’s first standalone gas station is opening soon. Here’s how to get cheap gas at wholesale clubs

Costco, the mammoth wholesale retailer known for its affordable gold and $1.50 hot dogs, is set to open its first standalone gas station in Mission Viejo, California.

Costco has been a competitor in the fueling space since 1995, but its gas stations have always been built alongside its warehouse stores. Now, the company is expanding its gas footprint, making it easier for some customers to get Costco’s often lower-priced gas.

CNBC Select touches on the upcoming standalone station and covers how to get lower-priced gas with other wholesale retailers. Plus, learn how you can save even more with the right credit card.

Costco’s standalone California gas station is expected to open in June 2026, per USA TODAY reporting, and will be its largest gas location yet at 17,000 square feet. The 40-pump station is only open to Costco members, meaning you’ll need to pay the $65 or $130 annual membership fee to fill up your tank.

According to C-Store Dive, the company also plans to open an additional standalone gas station in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2027.

Wholesale clubs are retail stores that sell a wide variety of items, often in larger quantities or in bulk. Most of the time, wholesale clubs require a membership fee to enter, which helps offset some of their overall costs. This, combined with the power of bulk purchasing and the thin margins warehouse stores often maintain, usually results in lower prices than those of traditional grocery stores.

There’s a higher barrier to entry with wholesale clubs. You can’t simply walk in like a traditional grocery store; you’re typically required to pay a membership fee. In return, however, you’re treated to lower prices on many items, the ability to buy in bulk and often a high level of customer service.

Purchasing your gas at a wholesale club could benefit you for a few reasons — the main one being it’s usually cheaper than the competition. Thanks to membership fee revenue and lower profit margins, wholesale clubs can afford to offer perks like discounted gas.

Using Costco as an example, its gas prices are significantly lower in multiple regions of the country:

According to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, the average American uses roughly 600 gallons of gas each year (though usage varies dramatically). If we take the average savings per gallon for the cities above (about 37 cents) and multiply that by 600 gallons, you could save $222 each year by filling up at a Costco gas station — more than enough to cover the cost of a Costco membership. And this doesn’t include any additional discounts you get through the membership itself or credit card rewards.

For Costco, offering gas at a lower-than-average price is a great way to attract customers to its wholesale stores. During Costco’s Q2 2026 earnings call, Gary Millerchip, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Costco, said that “about half of members” who use the Costco gas station will also make a purchase at the warehouse.

Costco requires a club membership to use its gas stations, with two options available: the Gold Star Membership ($65 per year) and Executive Membership ($130 per year). The Gold Membership gets you in the door, while the Executive Membership offers additional benefits, discounts and an annual reward certificate worth 2% of your pre-tax purchases (up to $1,250).

One thing to be aware of is that Costco is a little pickier about which payments it accepts; the store doesn’t accept Mastercard, Discover or American Express credit cards. Your best bet is to use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, any other Visa credit card or a debit card.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has no annual fee (with a Costco membership) and earns 5% cash back on Costco gas, plus 4% on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging (up to $7,000 in combined spending per year, then 1%). You’ll also earn rewards on eligible travel and restaurant purchases, plus 2% back at Costco and Costco.com.

Redemptions are quite limited, though; cash back is awarded as an annual credit card reward certificate in your February billing statement and is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses.

Sam’s Club is another wholesale club offering gas stations for members. The basic Club membership ($50 per year) and premium Plus membership ($110 per year) both give you access to Sam’s Club’s member-only fuel prices. While the vast majority of Sam’s Club gas stations are restricted to members only, there are a few that are open to the public, either co-located with a Walmart Store or required by law.

To pump gas at a discounted price, simply scan your active Sam’s Club membership card. Sam’s Club stations accept all major credit cards, unlike Costco, and since the wholesale club is owned by Walmart, you can typically pay with Walmart gift cards, as well. Sam’s Club gas stations usually have longer hours than the warehouse stores, open roughly two to three hours before and after the warehouse closes.

To boost your earnings, you can open the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® and earn 5% back in Sam’s Cash™ on gas and EV charging, but it’s capped on the first $6,000 per year (after which you’ll earn 1%). You can also earn up to 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases if paired with the Plus membership.

Similar to the Costco Visa, your rewards are less flexible compared to points or cash back from standard rewards credit cards. Rewards are earned in the form of Sam’s Cash, which you can redeem toward membership renewal fees, eligible purchases from Sam’s Club or SamsClub.com or cash out by visiting a Sam’s Club.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is another major wholesale retailer offering lower gas prices to members, advertising that its customers save an average of 20 cents per gallon. Similar to other clubs, BJ’s also requires a membership to purchase gas at its locations and offers two membership levels: BJ’s Club membership ($60 per year) and BJ’s Club+ membership ($120 per year). Both levels allow you to use BJ’s gas stations, but Club+ also provides an additional 5 cents off per gallon.

BJ’s also has a Fuel Saver program, which can save you 10 cents per gallon or more on gas purchased at BJ’s gas stations. To get the savings, you have to purchase specific Fuel Saver items in-store or online. This discount can be applied to your next fill-up within 30 days, up to a maximum of 40 gallons or $99, whichever comes first. It’s also worth noting that once you use your discount, it resets to 0.

Unlike the Costco or Sam’s Club credit card, the BJ’s One+® Mastercard® doesn’t offer elevated rewards on gas purchases. Instead, you’ll receive 15 cents off per gallon on gas purchases at BJ’s gas stations. While the card earns 5% back on all BJ’s Club purchases and a strong 2% back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted, you can only redeem rewards within the BJ’s ecosystem.

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