The Costco Credit Card Works Almost Everywhere Except Costco.com
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by American Express can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa or American Express — which includes most stores, restaurants, gas stations, and online retailers worldwide. The exception is Costco.com, the Costco warehouse website. On Costco.com, you must use a Mastercard, Visa, or American Express card, but not the Costco Anywhere Visa. This is the single largest restriction you will encounter.
The card itself is a dual-branded card: it carries both the Visa logo and the American Express logo. This means it functions as both a Visa card and an American Express card depending on which network the merchant uses. Most merchants accept Visa, so your card will work there. Some merchants accept only American Express, and your card will work there too. Very few merchants accept neither, which is why the card's acceptance is so broad.
Away from Costco's own properties, the card behaves like any other premium rewards card. You can use it at gas pumps, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, airlines, and online shopping sites. You can withdraw cash at ATMs. You can use it for phone and mail orders. The rewards structure changes depending on where you use it — that is a separate question from whether you can use it at all.
Key Takeaways
- The Costco Anywhere Visa Card works at any merchant that accepts Visa or American Express, which covers the vast majority of U.S. and international retailers.
- You cannot use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card on Costco.com; you must use a different Mastercard, Visa, or American Express card instead.
- You can use the card at Costco warehouse locations, gas stations, restaurants, and online retailers outside of Costco's website.
- The card's dual Visa and American Express branding means it is accepted at merchants that take either network, giving it wider acceptance than a single-network card.
Where the Card Is Accepted and Where It Is Not
Inside Costco warehouse locations, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is the primary card accepted. You can use it at the checkout, at the gas station, and at the food court. Costco also accepts other Visa cards and American Express cards, but the Costco card earns rewards at the highest rate in the warehouse.
At Costco Gas, the card works at the pump and inside the station. You earn 4% cash back on gas purchases at Costco stations, which is one of the card's strongest rewards categories. You can also use other Visa or American Express cards at Costco Gas if you do not have the Costco card.
On Costco.com, the card does not work. This is a hard block built into the website's payment system. If you try to enter your Costco Anywhere Visa Card number, the site will reject it. You will need to use a different card — any Mastercard, Visa, or American Express card that is not the Costco Anywhere Visa. Many cardholders keep a second card on file for this reason, or they use the same Visa or American Express card they use elsewhere.
Outside Costco's ecosystem, the card works anywhere Visa or American Express is accepted. This includes department stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, fast food, sit-down restaurants, hotels, airlines, rental car companies, streaming services, and virtually all online retailers except Costco.com. International merchants that accept Visa or American Express will accept the card as well.
How the Dual Visa and American Express Branding Works
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is unusual because it carries two network logos. Most credit cards carry only one — either Visa or American Express or Mastercard. This card is issued by American Express but also functions as a Visa card.
When you hand the card to a cashier or enter it online, the merchant's payment system checks which networks it accepts. If the merchant accepts Visa, the transaction routes through Visa. If the merchant accepts American Express but not Visa, the transaction routes through American Express. If the merchant accepts both, the system typically defaults to Visa because it is more common, but the outcome is the same — your card works.
The dual branding does not change your liability, your rewards, or your account terms. You have one account, one statement, one balance, and one set of benefits. The two logos simply mean the card can reach more merchants than a single-network card could.
What Happens When You Try to Use It Where It Is Not Accepted
If you attempt to use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card at a merchant that accepts neither Visa nor American Express, the transaction will be declined. This is rare in the United States but more common in other countries. Some merchants, particularly small businesses or those in certain regions, may accept only local payment methods or a single network like Mastercard.
When a transaction is declined, the merchant will tell you the card was not accepted. You will need to provide a different card. The declined transaction does not appear on your statement and does not affect your credit score. It simply does not go through.
Costco.com is the only major merchant where the card is intentionally blocked. This is not a decline — it is a restriction programmed into the website. If you try to use the card, the site will show an error message before you complete the purchase. You cannot force the transaction through.
Using the Card Internationally
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card can be used in most countries where Visa or American Express is accepted. This includes Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and most of Europe. The card does not require advance notice before international travel, though you can contact American Express if you want to notify them of your plans.
When you use the card abroad, American Express converts the transaction to U.S. dollars using their exchange rate on the day of the transaction. There is no foreign transaction fee on the Costco Anywhere Visa Card, which is one of its benefits for international use. The exchange rate American Express applies is typically competitive with bank rates, though it is not the absolute best rate available.
In countries where American Express is less widely accepted than Visa — which includes much of Asia and parts of South America — the Visa portion of your card will usually work. You may encounter merchants that accept Visa but not American Express, in which case the Visa network will process your transaction.
Rewards and Acceptance: Why Costco Restricts Costco.com
Costco blocks the Costco Anywhere Visa Card on Costco.com for operational reasons, not technical ones. Costco.com is a separate business unit from the warehouse, and it has different payment processing systems. The restriction allows Costco to manage rewards and fraud differently for online purchases than for in-warehouse purchases.
The card earns 2% cash back on Costco.com purchases when you use an may be able to access card, but only 1% cash back on most other online purchases. By requiring you to use a different card on the website, Costco can track which purchases are warehouse purchases (may be able to access for higher rewards) and which are online purchases (may be able to access for lower rewards). If the Costco card worked on Costco.com, the system would have to distinguish between the two, which would complicate their rewards accounting.
This restriction is not unique to Costco. Some retailers and financial institutions block their own branded cards on their own websites for similar reasons. It is an inconvenience, but it is intentional policy, not a technical error.
Alternatives If You Need a Card That Works on Costco.com
If you want a single card that earns rewards at Costco and works on Costco.com, you have limited options. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is the only card Costco issues, and it does not work on the website. Your alternatives are to keep a second card on file for Costco.com purchases, or to use a different rewards card altogether.
Many cardholders use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card for warehouse and gas purchases, where it earns 4% and 2% cash back respectively, and use a different Visa or American Express card for Costco.com. This approach lets you earn the highest rewards at the warehouse while still shopping online. You can set up both cards in your Costco.com account and choose which one to use at checkout.
If you do not have a Costco membership, you cannot use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card at all, even outside Costco. The card is restricted to Costco members. Non-members can use other Visa or American Express cards at Costco if they are accompanied by a member, but they cannot hold the Costco card themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Costco credit card at other warehouse clubs like Sam's Club or BJ's?
Yes. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is a Visa card, and Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale both accept Visa. You will not earn Costco-specific rewards at these competitors, but the card will be accepted at checkout. You will earn standard Visa rewards if your card includes them, or no rewards at all if it does not.
What if I forgot my Costco card but have my Costco Anywhere Visa Card?
You can use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card as your membership card at the warehouse. The card displays your membership number and barcode, so you can scan it at checkout just like your physical membership card. This works for both shopping and gas purchases.
Does the Costco card work at Costco pharmacies and optical centers?
Yes. Costco pharmacies and optical centers are part of the warehouse, so the Costco Anywhere Visa Card works there. You earn the same 1% cash back on pharmacy and optical purchases as you do on general warehouse merchandise.
Can I use the card to pay my Costco membership fee?
Yes. You can renew your Costco membership using the Costco Anywhere Visa Card at the membership desk or online. The card works for membership renewals just as it does for merchandise purchases.
What should I do if my Costco card is declined at a merchant that usually accepts Visa?
Contact American Express to report the decline. The merchant may have a technical issue with their Visa terminal, or there may be a fraud block on your account. American Express can investigate the decline and help you resolve it. You can also try using a different payment method at that merchant while the issue is being resolved.