Beginning Monday, June 30, 2025, Costco is rolling out a large change in operating hours that impacts Executive Members only. The operator of warehouse club chains is opening one hour earlier at all U.S. clubs solely for its higher premium membership tier, the return of a benefit previously dropped. The move impacts more than 79 million Costco members across the country and is a reflection of how much the company is willing to reward its most loyal fans.
New Executive Member Shop Times
- Monday to Friday: Executive Members enjoy 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. shopping time exclusively, and all members are welcome from 10 a.m.
- Saturday: Executive Members enjoy early bird shopping from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., regular members being invited at 9:30 a.m. Costco is also providing Saturday extended hours for all members, remaining open until 7 p.m. instead of the traditional earlier 6 p.m. closing time
- Sunday: Executive Members have special shopping privileges from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by general access at 10 a.m. for the remainder of the members
The change impacts those stores that previously opened at 9 a.m. for everyone, who will now leave that early time for Executive Members only. This encompasses a number of Bay Area stores whose shoppers protested on social media the policy change.
Comprehensive department access
As opposed to limited early-access hours offered by the majority of other stores, Costco’s new Executive Member hours equate to full-warehouse access to almost all departments. Executive Members have access to the pharmacy (except Sunday when it is closed), optical center, hearing aid center, food court, tire centers, and in-store liquor stores during their special shopping hours. The gas stations are an exception to this change and operate on regular hours.
This convenience of access makes it possible for Executive Members to accomplish their whole shopping experience in the less busy early morning hours, from home furnishings and groceries to business services and dining.
Other Executive Member benefits
In addition to the extra hours, Costco is also offering Executive Members value in the way of a $10 same-day delivery order credit on orders of $150 or more ordered through Instacart or Costco’s same-day delivery. The credit is automatically provided at checkout and is redeemable by Executive Members in Canada and the United States.
The monthly delivery credit serves to complement Costco’s Instacart partnership that it introduced in 2017 and extended through exclusively devoted same-day delivery stores in 2021. The feature is accessible to Executive Members on sameday.costco.com, sameday.costco.ca, or directly through Instacart’s Costco store fronts.
Strategic business impact
This policy adjustment is aimed at Costco’s most valuable customer segment. Executive Members account for 47.3% of Costco’s 79.6 million total memberships but generate over 73% of total revenues. The $130 annual Executive Membership is twice the cost of the $65 Gold Star membership, but these high-end customers generate a lot more revenue per member.
CEO Ron Vachris reiterated on the May 2025 earnings call that enhancing member experience in busy warehouses is a “strategic priority” for the company. The extended hours of early access are costing its way directly to customer grumbles about overcrowding, long lines at checkout, and scarce parking during busy shopping seasons.
Customer and employee response
The launch has been met with mixed emotions on social media. Different Executive Members welcome the benefit of having the warehouse all to themselves in the mornings, with some like American Express “Fresh morning hot dogs for me and my black card!” posted on Costco’s Instagram release. Other members who are ordinary members regret losing the opportunity at early morning shopping hours at stores that originally opened at 9 a.m. for all.
A company internal memo to Costco members that circulated on Reddit presents the company’s reasoning: “Our Executive Members are our most loyal members, and we want to reward them for their loyalty to Costco”. The letter focuses on ways of improving membership value as well as the overall shopping experience.
Extended Saturday hours for all Members
While early morning hours are reserved solely for Executive Members, Costco is extending beyond Saturday hours for everyone as well. Starting July 5, 2025, all U.S. warehouses will be open until 7 p.m. on Saturdays, giving everyone an extra hour of shopping time. This expansion represents Costco’s effort to cater to every membership level while still offering exclusive high-end perks to Executive Members.
This move aligns Costco with competitor Sam’s Club, which has long offered exclusive hours and extra perks to premium-tier members. By reintroducing Executive Member early access, Costco positions itself competitively in the warehouse club market while potentially encouraging Gold Star members to upgrade their memberships.
The timing coincides with strong financial performance for Costco, which reported 8% year-over-year sales gains in its third quarter 2025 earnings, increasing from $57.39 billion to $61.96 billion. The company’s focus on enhancing Executive Member benefits reflects confidence in this customer segment’s continued growth and loyalty.
