Costco’s big, new perk kicks in — but you may need to upgrade your membership to get it

The early bird gets the Kirkland rotisserie chicken.

Costco members across the country are setting their alarms an hour early Tuesday to enjoy first dibs on everything from 30-packs of toilet paper to the company’s famous $1.50 hot dogs.

But it’s only for a select group of shoppers.

As of Sept. 2, the retail warehouse’s Executive Membership holders can start their shopping at 9 a.m. every day. Regular store hours begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Costco, known for its bulk-sized groceries and reliable discounts, operates as a paid membership club, allowing only card-carrying shoppers to patronize its jam-packed warehouses. The new VIP change allows the chance to skip ahead of run-of-the-mill members.

Costco CEO Ron Vachris announced the launch of “Executive Member Shopping Hours” in June.

The move helps level the playing field with Costco’s competition, Sam’s Club. The wholesaler, owned by Walmart, already offers its Plus Membership two hours of early shopping on weekdays and one extra hour on Saturday.

The upgraded time means that Costco’s highest-paying members can beat the business’s notoriously long checkout lines and parking lot log jams. Executive members can also enjoy early access to Costco’s food courts, optical centers and pharmacies, though pharmacies are closed on Sundays.

Costco’s 37.6 million executive members already benefit from perks like 2% rewards on annual purchases up to $1,250. They pay $130-per-year for the pleasure.

In June, Costco announced that executive members would also receive a monthly $10 credit for orders of $150 placed through their “same-day” service or Instacart.

Lower-tier Gold Star and Business membership carriers pay $65 annually, but they still receive annual rewards, discounts, Costco fuel access and more.

This isn’t Costco’s only revamp to its operating hours, either. Earlier this year, the retailer lengthened operating hours at its North American gas stations.

Business is booming for Costco — the company announced that it’s generated nearly $3.6 billion in revenue from membership fees in the first three quarters of 2025. It raked in a total of $4.8 billion in revenue last year.

Costco said in an earnings call that it expects its global warehouses to number 914 by the end of the fiscal year, including new locations in Sweden, South Korea and Canada.

The warehouse club is betting that an extra hour of elbow room will entice some lower-tier members up to the executive level. It’s up to Costco’s many devotees, however, to decide whether the additional daylight hour is worth paying double.