Direct answer: The Costco-branded credit card (Costco Anywhere Visa® by Citi in the U.S.) does not pay a specific elevated cashback rate for tickets bought directly from most airlines; travel/airfare purchases generally earn the card’s standard travel category rate (often 3% on restaurants and eligible travel) which means cashback on KLM or Delta tickets will typically be the regular travel rate on your card rather than a special airline bonus. I’ll explain the usual structure, what to check for KLM/Delta purchases, and a quick example calculation. Important: confirm the exact card in your country and the issuer’s current terms before you buy, because rates and category definitions can change. How Costco card cashback normally works

  • Card basics: The common Costco credit card in the U.S. is issued by Citi and gives specific rates by category (for example: 4% on eligible gas/EV charging through a cap, 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on Costco purchases, 1% on others). Check your country’s Costco-card terms for the exact categories and rates.
  • Travel category: Airline tickets usually qualify as “travel” or “airfare” if bought directly from an airline or a recognized travel vendor, so they earn whatever the card’s travel/airfare rate is.
  • No airline-specific bonus: Costco cards typically don’t give extra cashback specifically for KLM or Delta beyond the travel category unless the card’s current rewards table lists an airline-specific promotion.

What to check before you buy KLM or Delta tickets

  • Merchant descriptor: Verify how the transaction posts (e.g., to KLM, Delta, or an online travel agency); some cards only count purchases as “airline” if they post with the airline merchant code.
  • Booking channel: Tickets bought through third-party OTAs, consolidators, or some travel portals might post under a different MCC and therefore earn a different rate.
  • Foreign transactions and fees: If buying international tickets, check foreign transaction fees and whether the card blocks or charges extra; those affect net return.
  • Promotional periods: Occasionally there are seasonal or targeted promotions (transfer bonuses, partner promotions) that temporarily change value—confirm any active promos before assuming usual rates.

Example (illustrative)

  • Suppose your Costco card gives 3% on travel. A $600 roundtrip ticket on Delta or KLM would earn $18 cashback (3% of $600).
  • If your card instead gives 1% on general purchases and the purchase posts outside the travel MCC, the same $600 would earn $6.
  • If you have an alternate card (e.g., a premium travel card) that gives elevated airline bonus (2–5x points), that card might deliver greater value than the Costco card for airfare.

Alternatives and ways to increase value

  • Use a card that gives bonus airline/airfare rewards (e.g., certain travel cards, airline co‑branded cards) when booking KLM or Delta to earn more than the Costco card’s travel rate.
  • Book through a portal or transfer points if your highest-value card has transferable points and occasional transfer bonuses to Flying Blue (KLM/Air France) or Delta partners.
  • Watch for targeted offers or seasonal promotions on the Costco card or from the airlines that temporarily boost value.

Action checklist before purchase

  1. Confirm which Costco credit card and issuing bank you’ll use and read the current rewards table.
  2. Verify how the ticket purchase will post (merchant code and currency).
  3. Compare expected cashback to other cards you hold for the same purchase.
  4. Account for foreign transaction fees and any airline surcharges.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here. Would you like me to compare specific cashback numbers for a particular Costco card in your country or run example calculations for a KLM vs Delta fare you have in mind?