You're standing in the middle of a Costco warehouse, surrounded by a mountain of rotisserie chickens and a four-pack of oversized hoodies you don't really need. Then you see it. Tucked between the gift cards for local steakhouses and Spafinder vouchers is the holy grail for a Los Angeles baseball fan: Dodger tickets at Costco. It looks like a steal. Usually, it's a two-pack or a four-pack of vouchers for a ridiculously low price. You grab them, toss them in the cart, and think you’ve just beaten the system.
But wait.
Before you tap that credit card, there's a lot you need to know about how these vouchers actually work. They aren't "tickets" in the traditional sense where you just walk up to the gate at 1000 Vin Scully Ave and scan your phone. It's a process. Sometimes it's a great deal; sometimes it's a headache that'll make you wish you just paid the Ticketmaster "convenience" fee and moved on with your life.
Why the Costco Dodger Deal is Different Every Season
Costco doesn't always have these in stock. Honestly, it’s kinda random. They usually show up right before Opening Day or during the heat of the summer when the front office realizes they need to fill the bleachers for a midweek series against the Rockies or the Marlins. The deal is almost always a voucher system. You pay Costco for a code, and then you have to go to a specific Dodgers-run website to "redeem" that code for actual seats.
Here is the kicker: the seats are "subject to availability." This is where people get burned. You buy the voucher thinking you're going to the Freeway Series against the Angels, only to find out those games are "blacked out" or the Costco allotment is already gone.
If you're looking for the 2026 season specifically, the Dodgers have leaned heavily into dynamic pricing. This means the price of a ticket changes based on how good the team is doing, who they're playing, and even the weather. Costco vouchers are a way to bypass that volatility, but only for certain sections. Usually, we're talking about the Infield Reserve or the Top Deck. Occasionally, they'll drop a "Loge Level" package, but those disappear faster than a Shohei Ohtani home run ball.
The Math: Is It Actually a Deal?
Let's talk money. A typical Costco voucher might run you $60 to $80 for two seats. If you do the math, that's $30 to $40 a ticket. On the surface, that sounds incredible. If you go through the official MLB site, those same seats might be listed at $45, but then you get hit with a $12 "convenience" fee, a $5 "order processing" fee, and suddenly your $45 ticket is $62.
📖 Related: Why Netball Girls Sri Lanka Are Quietly Dominating Asian Sports
Costco removes those layers. What you see on the cardboard tag is what you pay.
However, you've gotta check the secondary market first. Sites like SeatGeek or StubHub often have "desperation" sales. If it's a Tuesday night game and it's 65 degrees out, you might find Top Deck seats for $15. In that scenario, your "deal" on Dodger tickets at Costco actually cost you double what you should have paid.
It’s a gamble. You're betting that the game you want to see will be more expensive later.
The Redemption Nightmare (And How to Avoid It)
I’ve seen people standing outside the stadium gates on their phones, sweating, trying to get their Costco voucher to load. Don't be that person. The redemption process usually requires you to create an MLB.com account, link it to the Ballpark App, and then enter a long string of alphanumeric characters.
- Buy the voucher.
- Check the "Blackout Dates" immediately. (Usually Friday nights, fireworks nights, and games against the Giants or Yankees).
- Redeem the code the same day you buy it.
- Download the MLB Ballpark App.
If you wait until the day of the game to redeem, the "Costco Section" might be full. The Dodgers only set aside a certain number of seats for these promotions. Once they're gone, your voucher is basically just credit toward a much more expensive seat, or worse, useless for that specific date.
What Real Fans Say About the Seating
Most of the time, Dodger tickets at Costco place you in the Reserve level. If you've never been to Dodger Stadium, the Reserve level is high. Like, "can see the Hollywood sign but the players look like ants" high. But honestly? The view is great. You can see the entire play develop.
👉 See also: Why Cumberland Valley Boys Basketball Dominates the Mid-Penn (and What’s Next)
Some fans complain that the Costco seats are always "down the lines"—think way past first or third base. You probably won't be sitting behind home plate with these. You're there for the atmosphere, the Dodger Dog, and the "I love LA" singalong at the end. If you want prime real estate, Costco isn't your hookup.
The "Membership" Hidden Cost
You need a Costco membership to buy these. Obviously. But did you know you can sometimes find them on the Costco.com website without being a member? Sometimes they charge a 5% surcharge for non-members, which usually kills the deal. If you have a friend with a membership, just have them grab the digital code for you. It’s way easier.
Another thing to watch for: the "Food Included" vouchers. Occasionally, Costco sells a package that includes a $20 or $30 concessions credit. In 2025, they ran a promo where you got a voucher for two tickets and a $20 gift card for the Dodgers team store. That’s where the real value is. If you're going to buy a hat anyway, the tickets basically become half-price.
Why the Dodgers Even Do This
You might wonder why a team that leads the league in attendance almost every year would bother selling discounted tickets at a warehouse club. It's about data and families. The Dodgers want your email address in their database so they can market "Mini-Plans" and season tickets to you later. They also know that once you're in the stadium, you're going to spend $18 on a beer and $10 on a pretzel. The ticket is just the "loss leader" to get you through the turnstile.
It's a smart business move. It fills the "dead" games in April and May before school lets out and the summer crowds take over.
Real-World Limitations to Keep in Mind
- No Upgrades: You usually can't pay an extra $20 to move from the Costco Reserve seats to the Loge level once you're in the app.
- Parking is Extra: This is a big one. Parking at Dodger Stadium in 2026 is pricey. If you don't buy it in advance online, you're looking at $30 or more at the gate. Your "cheap" Costco tickets just got a lot more expensive.
- Refunds are a Myth: Once you buy that voucher at Costco, you're pretty much locked in. Costco has a legendary return policy, but "perishable" event tickets are often the exception to the rule once the code has been scratched off or emailed.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Purchase
If you're going to pull the trigger on Dodger tickets at Costco, do it for a mid-week game against a Boring Team. Think the Pirates, the Nationals, or the Reds. You'll get the best seat selection within the voucher's designated area, and the stadium won't be a madhouse.
✨ Don't miss: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
Also, look for the "Season Kickoff" displays. Usually, around late February, Costco stores in Southern California (especially the ones in Santa Clarita, Alhambra, and Burbank) get huge shipments of these. If you wait until June, they might be sold out of the physical cards, and you'll have to hunt for them online.
Comparing the Options: Costco vs. 7-Eleven vs. Online
In the past, 7-Eleven also had Dodger promos. Those were usually "buy a Big Gulp, get a code." They were cheaper but much more restricted. Costco remains the "premium" discount option. You get actual, decent seats, not just standing room only.
But don't ignore the Dodgers' own "Value Days." The team website often lists specific games where tickets are $15. If you're a family of four, buying four $15 tickets directly is $60. The Costco four-pack might be $100. Always check the official schedule before you assume the warehouse has the lowest price.
Final Advice for the Savvy Dodger Fan
Buying Dodger tickets at Costco is about convenience and avoiding fees. It's for the person who wants to know exactly what they're spending without the "service fee" jump-scare at checkout.
To make this work:
- Check the Dodger schedule for "Value Games" first to ensure the Costco price is actually lower.
- Only buy if you plan to go to a Monday-Thursday game, as weekend availability is a crapshoot.
- Pre-purchase your parking on the Dodgers website the moment you redeem your Costco code to save another $10.
- Use the MLB Ballpark app to manage your tickets; paper vouchers are a thing of the past and won't get you past the scanner.
If you follow those steps, you’ll actually save money. If you don't, you're just paying for the privilege of sitting in the Top Deck while eating a $7 churro. Choose wisely, and Go Blue.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check the Current Inventory: Log into your Costco.com account and search for "Dodgers" to see if digital vouchers are currently available before driving to the warehouse.
- Verify the Blackout Calendar: Visit the official Dodgers redemption page (usually linked on the back of the Costco voucher) to see which games are eligible for your specific ticket tier.
- Calculate the Total Cost: Add the voucher price to the cost of pre-paid parking ($20-$25) and divide by the number of people to get your true "per-person" cost.
- Sync the App: Download the MLB Ballpark app and ensure your email matches the one you use for Costco to streamline the digital delivery of your tickets.