5 Costco Gas Station Tips That Can Save You Time at the Pump

Like many other products sold by Costco, the company is able to squeeze prices on gasoline because of its efficiency ratio. While it may not always offer the lowest prices available within your car’s range, the cost may be close enough to make going anywhere else feel silly. That makes its gas stations an attractive option for customers who already drive to one of its locations to load up on bulk food, furniture, or unexpected tech products sold at Costco.

If gas stations are one of Costco’s perks you’re missing out on, they can be a bit of a gauntlet to the unknown. Lines at many locations can stretch into the parking lot, giving some shoppers the impression that the process is slow. Once you get to the front of the line, you’ll notice that things work differently at Costco compared to Conoco or Shell down the street. But don’t panic. Once you get used to the ins and outs of the process, you’ll be up on the cheap and on your way in no time. To that end, I’ve put together a few important things you should know before you head to your nearest Costco gas station.

Many gas stations take a negative attitude towards access to the pumps. It’s first come, first served, and anyone can get an open pump if they can get their car into it. At Costco, things work differently. Lines form a single file to create a one-way flow of traffic. Cars line the pumps on one side of the canopy and exit on the other. At most Costco locations with gas stations, you’ll see signs in the parking lot that direct you in the right direction to enter.

Costco says the program allows for the same kind of “high volume and low prices” found in its stores. Sure, the lines at their gas stations can look a mile long at times, but you’ll usually be surprised at how fast they go. As long as you follow the rules and pay attention to the flow of traffic, you’ll probably be blown away and on your way home before too long. If you’re not sure which side of the pumps to enter, which can be confusing especially if there’s no line, look for the arrows below that point the way forward. There may also be signs nearby to help guide you.

You probably usually fill your gas tank by aligning the side of your car with the pump. At Costco, this can create sideways lines, with customers trying to ensure an easy fulfillment experience. However, if you are in a hurry, there is no need to worry about which side of your car the fuel tank is. Costco pumps are equipped with pipes that reach the top, so long that they can accommodate your tank, even if it is on the side of your car from the pump.

According to the seller, Costco gas stations are equipped with many of those pipes, and we have never found an exception to this rule. Indeed, the hoses at the Costco gas pumps can easily accommodate the passenger side tank in my Subaru Crosstrek, even if I pull to the pump on my driver’s side.

Even better, now that you know about Costco’s top pipelines, you can use that knowledge to gain an advantage over people who haven’t. One of the most common mistakes people make when shopping at Costco is to line up at the pump, even if there is a very short line available. They may do this because they are under the false impression that they need to pump their car’s gas tank. There is no need to fix them. In fact, you should thank them, as their lack of knowledge helps ensure that the lines remain uneven. Since everyone is crowded in one line of traffic, you are free to choose the shortest line.

The lines at the Costco gas station can get long enough to make your eyes glaze over, but you can help keep things running smoothly by knowing when it’s your turn in line. If you pull forward, you will see that there are two or more pumps in each row. This is because the system is designed to carry more than one vehicle at a time, depending on the location. If the car in front of you fills up at the pump directly in front of you, but there is an open pump in front of it, you must pull over to park at the open pump and start refueling.

As the cars file in one line towards the pumps, there is another lane dedicated to this purpose. It is intended to go around other vehicles to get to the next available pump. You should use this additional route for that purpose only. Don’t make the mistake of using it to enter the pump line, as you will distract other drivers and bring the entire line down.

Unfortunately, it seems that many Costco members don’t know that they can pull in front of the car in front of them to go to an open pump. This causes situations where there is an open pump ahead, but the person in front of you stays in line. In these situations, it is difficult to know how to respond. Honking could be seen as aggressive, and it doesn’t tell a person holding up traffic what he’s doing. You can just pull over and take the pump yourself, but that can be seen as rude. There is no clear way to deal with this situation.

Because most people who get gas at Costco fill up their tanks before or after a grocery trip, the pumps are often very busy when the store is open. However, many Costco gas stations open before the store does and stay open later, too. That means early morning or late evening is usually the best time to get gas at Costco, assuming you don’t need anything from the store. You usually don’t have to worry about going to odd hours, as Costco goes above and beyond to prevent card skimmers and other problems at its pumps.

If searching for gas early in the morning isn’t your cup of tea, or if you want to be able to shop on the go, you might consider upgrading your Costco membership. While Gold Star and Business members can shop during regular hours starting at 10:00 a.m., Executive members shop an hour earlier at 9:00 a.m., giving you time to shop around and find deals while the store is empty.

It may also be helpful to visit different Costco locations in your area to get a feel for which ones are less expensive. If driving five extra minutes saves six minutes in line at the pump, that’s time saved. Additionally, if you live near one of the rare Business Center locations that also have a gas station, those are known to see lower traffic compared to a regular Costco. All members can shop at Business Centers, so don’t be intimidated by the name.

If you drive a diesel car, Costco can be a great and economical place to fill up your tank. However, not all Costco gas stations have diesel fuel available, and you will waste a lot of time if you visit the wrong one. But you don’t have to haul your truck across town to find a Costco with a diesel pump. The Costco app or website will thankfully provide that information in seconds, so you can travel with confidence. The website and app both show fuel prices at each location, too, allowing you to make an informed decision before you take a drive. Prices are calculated for all types of fuel.

To get gas and diesel information and prices using the app, tap the Warehouse tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap Warehouse Location. To check regular fuel prices, tap Filter, then check the gas box and press Enter. You will see a map that only shows warehouses with gas stations. Tap on each of them to see the prices of regular and premium fuel. To check which locations have diesel, follow the same steps, but check the box for diesel instead of gas, and press Enter. Tap on any of the diesel locations shown on the map to quickly see the prices of all fuels in that location, including diesel.

On the website, hover your mouse over the Locations tab near the top of the site, and click Fuel. On the next page, click on Gasoline Garage Locations. Click on any location to see pricing and services available. For diesel, visit the Diesel fuel page, where a full list of diesel locations is available.