Costco Wholesale lands in Spokane after record Q3 gas volumes

Costco Wholesale flew its Gulfstream G280 (N82CW) from Fall City Airport, near its Issaquah headquarters, to Spokane International Airport on June 11, a 43-minute hop across Washington state. The short intra-state trip came just two weeks after the company posted fiscal third-quarter results that, per a [SEC filing](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/909832/000090983226000046/costex9918-k52826.htm), featured net sales up 11.6% to $69.15 billion and record gasoline volumes.

On the May 28 earnings call, CEO Ron Vachris told analysts that each month of the quarter set all-time volume sales records for gas, with high consumer price sensitivity pulling in first-time fuel customers, as covered by [Digital Commerce 360](https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2026/05/29/costco-sees-record-gas-sales-in-q3-expects-tariff-refunds/). The company also began submitting refund claims for IEEPA tariffs, promising to return to members the portion passed on to them. CFO Gary Millerchip noted price cuts on Kirkland Signature items like chicken wings and golf balls to deliver value amid rising pump prices, per [Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/costco-quietly-slashed-prices-chicken-184553709.html).

While Costco Wholesale’s recent flights have concentrated on the Midwest—visits to distribution hubs in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan—this Spokane run suggests a closer look at regional operations. The company targets 30-plus net new warehouses per year and currently operates 928 worldwide, a network that includes several locations in eastern Washington. A quiet post-earnings inspection tour, plausible for a retailer whose CEO-mandate culture remains unusually flat.