10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The typical American spends well over $2,000 on gas every year. As all points and miles aficionados will agree, a purchase unused is a wasted opportunity.
If you were to charge this spending to a credit card that earns rewards on gas, that menial cost at the pump could fund your next hotel stay or flight abroad.
With rising fuel prices, it’s all the more important to take advantage of this spending category.
Let’s look at the best credit cards for gas as well as a strategy for maximizing your rewards on gas credit cards.
Best Gas Credit Cards for 2024
Here’s an overview of the best credit cards for gas rewards in 2024.
Keep in mind that what counts as a gas purchase can vary between card issuers. For example, American Express won’t reward you for gas purchased at superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs. Therefore, it’s crucial to check your prospective card’s terms and conditions before deciding on what the best card for fuel is for you.
The following cards have been chosen based on their rewards rates, point redemption opportunities and overall return value in comparison to their annual fees.
Card | Annual Fee | Best For |
---|---|---|
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express* | $0 intro annual fee in the first year, $95 thereafter (see rates & fees) | Families wanting to earn on dining |
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express* | $0 (see rates & fees) | Families who don’t want to pay an annual fee |
American Express EveryDay Preferred Credit Card | $95 | Earning Membership Rewards points on gas for a low annual fee |
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | $95 | Earning 3X Citi ThankYou points on gas for travel redemptions |
Citi Custom Cash® Card | $0 | Earning 5% cash back on gas |
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card | $150 (see rates & fees) | Earning Hilton Honors points on gas |
Hilton Honors American Express Card | $0 (see rates & fees) | Earning Hilton Honors points on gas without paying an annual fee |
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card | $95 | Earning 4X points on gas while benefiting from luxury travel perks |
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | $0 | Smaller budgets |
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card | $0 | Earning 3X points on gas and other everyday expenses with no annual fee |
Chase Freedom Flex® | $0 | Strategic quarterly bonus categories |
American Express® Business Gold Card | $375 (see rates & fees) | Earning 4X Membership Rewards points on gas |
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card | $95 | Earning Wyndham points on gas |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | $0 (Costco membership required costing $60) | Costco members |
* Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a heavyweight cashback card that’s perfect for families. With a $0 annual fee in the first year and $95 thereafter, this card packs excellent value.
You’ll earn 3% cash back on gas purchases made at U.S. gas stations. With no cap on your earnings, you’ll be able to earn cash back throughout the year at the pump, wherever you happen to be in the U.S. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
$250
Statement Credit
after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
Annual Fee:
$0 introductory annual fee for your first year, then $95.
Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.
For family members who instead take advantage of taxis, trains and buses, you can make them authorized users, allowing them to earn 3% cash back on transit purchases.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card is also well-rounded, enabling you to earn up to 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets (1% cash back thereafter).
If you meet the spending cap for supermarket purchases, you’ll receive $360 worth of cash back, offsetting the annual fee by more than triple. Add cash back earned on gas purchases to the equation and you’ll have offset the annual fee by a significant amount.
However, do keep in mind that Amex has strict definitions of what constitutes gas station and supermarket purchases. Specifically, gas purchased at superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs won’t be eligible for 3% cash back. Likewise, purchases made at superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs won’t be eligible for 6% cash back.
Pros
- 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets, 1% cash back thereafter
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming service subscription purchases
- 3% cash back on transit
- 3% cash back on gas purchases made at U.S. gas stations
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- $84 annual Disney bundle statement credit. Spend $9.99 or more per month on a subscription with DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com and receive $7 in cash back per month (valid in the U.S. only).
- $120 annual Equinox+ statement credit, given in $10 monthly statement credits (enrollment required)
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee of 2.7%
- A 6% cash back rate on supermarket purchases is capped at $6,000 per year in spending
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
If you’re averse to paying an annual fee, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express could be a great alternative to its annual fee sibling, the Blue Cash Preferred Card.
You’ll earn a competitive 3% cash back on U.S. supermarkets, online retail and gas purchases. However, all bonus categories are capped at $6,000 worth of spending per year. If you exceed this, you’ll earn only 1% cash back for the remainder of the year. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
$200
in Statement Credits
after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.
That said, it’s unlikely you’ll spend more than $6,000 on gas per year, unless you’re frequently on the road, covering significant distances.
Even if you were to hit the $6,000 cap in each bonus category, you’d still earn $180 in cash back per category, which totals a whopping $540 per year in cash back.
For a $0 annual fee, the Blue Cash Everyday Card packs a punch.
Pros
- 3% cash back on grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases of up to $6,000 per year, 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year, 1% thereafter
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- $180 annual Home Chef statement credit, issued in $15 monthly credits, when you purchase a subscription using your card (enrollment required)
- $84 annual Disney bundle statement credit. Spend $9.99 or more per month on a subscription with DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com and receive $7 in cash back per month (valid in the U.S. only).
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee of 2.7%
- All bonus categories have maximum spending caps of $6,000
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card enables you to earn Membership Rewards points on gas purchases for an annual fee of $95.
You’ll earn 2X points on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations, free of any spending caps. You’ll also earn 3X points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets for up to $6,000 per year (1X point thereafter).
The Amex EveryDay® Card
10,000
American Express Membership Rewards Points
after you spend $2,000 in the first 6 months. Terms Apply. All information about The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel. The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card is no longer available through 10xTravel.
Terms Apply.
As the card earns Membership Rewards points, you’ll be able to transfer your points to Amex’s 20+ airline and hotel transfer partners. Likewise, if you opt to purchase travel through amextravel.com you’ll earn 2X points on your purchases.
If you use your EveryDay Preferred card 30 or more times within a billing cycle, your point earnings for that period will increase by 50%. That means you’ll effectively earn 3X points on gas and 4.5X points on groceries.
With generous bonus spending categories, offsetting the annual fee shouldn’t pose much of a challenge.
Pros
- 3X points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, 1X point thereafter
- 2X points on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations
- 2X points on travel purchases made through amextravel.com
- 1X point on all other purchases
- 50% point boost when you use your card at least 30 times within a billing cycle
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee of 2.7%
- 3% earnings on supermarket purchases are capped at $6,000 per year
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
The Citi Premier® Card offers the frequent traveler the ability to earn on gas purchases and redeem for airline and hotel stays.
You can earn 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV Charging Stations, air travel and hotels, free of any caps.
Citi ThankYou points are a valuable points currency that you can transfer to up to 18 hotel and airline partners, mostly at 1:1 ratios. Airlines from all alliances are covered, giving you excellent redemption flexibility.
You’ll also get an annual $100 discount on hotel stays of $500 or more when you book them with your card through thankyou.com.
For an annual fee of $95, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card can give you an excellent return on gas purchases which you can redeem for travel.
Pros
- 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels
- 1X point on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual $100 discount on hotel stays of $500 or more booked through CitiTravel.com
- 18 airline and hotel transfer partners
Cons
- Limited travel perks
Citi Custom Cash® Card
For a $0 annual fee, the Citi Custom Cash® Card can earn you up to $25 per month in cash back on gas purchases.
You’ll receive 5% cash back on your top eligible bonus spending category every month, on up to $500 per billing cycle. Gas is one of the eligible categories, enabling you to earn $25 per month at the pump (assuming you’d spend $500).
$200
cash back
after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
If you also hold a Citi Strata Premier Card, you’ll be able to transfer your Citi Custom Cash® Card earnings to your Strata Premier account, enabling you to access Citi’s 18 transfer partners.
Pros
- 5% cash back on top eligible bonus spending category, up to $500 per billing cycle, 1% cash back thereafter. Eligible categories include: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
Cons
- No access to Citi transfer partners (unless paired with the Citi Strata Premier card)
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- 5% cash back earnings are capped at $500 spend
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
For Hilton loyalists looking to use their expenditure on gas to fund future hotel stays, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card could be a great choice.
The card earns 6X points on gas purchases made at U.S. gas stations. If you spend an average of $2,000 per year on gas using your card, that would net you 12,000 Hilton Honors points. Considering redemptions for free nights start at 5,000 points, this could be a great option for frequent Hilton guests.
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
165,000
Hilton Honors Bonus Points
after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
Annual Fee: $150 Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.
The card also offers an array of Hilton-related benefits such as a $200 annual statement credit (issued in $50 quarterly credits) for direct purchases with properties in the Hilton portfolio, as well as Hilton Honors Gold status. Its bonus spending categories are well-rounded, allowing you to earn points on a range of everyday expenses.
If you’re a Hilton loyalist, offsetting the $150 annual fee should be a walk in the park. However, if you’re not a frequent guest at Hilton properties, you’d be better off with a general travel rewards credit card.
Pros
- 12X points on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X points on gas purchases made at U.S. gas stations
- 6X points on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- 6X points on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
- 4X points on U.S. online retail purchases
- 3X points on all other eligible purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status
- $200 annual Hilton credit, issued in $50 quarterly credits, for direct purchases with properties in the Hilton portfolio
- Free night reward after you charge $15,000 in purchases to your card within a calendar year
- Complimentary National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive® status (enrollment required)
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No free anniversary reward night
- Upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond status (valid until the end of the next calendar year) requires you to charge $40,000 in purchases to your card within a calendar year
Hilton Honors American Express Card
If you’re a Hilton loyalist who wants to earn points on gas without paying an annual fee, the Hilton Honors American Express Card is your best bet.
The card earns 5X points on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations. If you spent $2,000 on gas per year, that would work out to 10,000 Hilton Honors points. That’s double the minimum number of points required to redeem a free night at certain Hilton properties.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
100,000
Hilton Honors Bonus Points
after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.
You’ll receive complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, which you can upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status after charging $20,000 to your card within a calendar year. The card also has a wide variety of typical everyday bonus spending categories, maximizing your potential to earn points.
If you visit Hilton properties at least a few times per year, this card could easily reduce the cost of your stays.
Pros
- 7X points on eligible purchases at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio
- 5X points on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- 5X points on grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets
- 5X points on gas purchases at U.S. gas stations
- 3X points on all other eligible purchases
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status (through the end of the following calendar year) when you charge $20,000 in purchases to your card
Cons
- No statement credits
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card offers luxury perks with the ability to earn on gas purchases.
You can earn 4X points on gas purchases, as well as on EV charging stations and travel. The card also earns 2X points at grocery stores, on grocery delivery, dining and streaming services, and 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked in the Altitude Rewards Center.
Aside from earning you points on gas purchases, the card comes with a host of luxury travel perks including four annual complimentary visits to Priority Pass Select lounges and a $100 credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee, every four years.
The only downside to the card is U.S. Bank’s lack of transfer partners. However, you can still redeem your points for travel at a value of 1 cent per point through the U.S. Bank travel portal.
The frequent traveler will have little problem offsetting the annual fee of $95, which is waived in the first year.
Pros
- 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center
- 4X points on gas stations and EV charging stations
- 4X points on travel
- 2X points at grocery stores, on grocery delivery, dining and streaming services
- 1X point on all other eligible purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- $30 annual credit for service purchases including Netflix, Apple TV+ and Spotify®
- Four annual complimentary visits to Priority Pass Select™ lounges
- $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee, every four years
Cons
- Limited redemption opportunities due to a lack of transfer partners
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card can earn you up to 3% cash back on gas purchases. In fact, it’s one of the best cashback cards you can get.
With this card, you get one eligible 3% cash back category of your choice, as well as 2% cash back on grocery stores and wholesale clubs. You’ll earn 3% and 2% cash back on up to $2,500 in combined purchases per quarter (1% thereafter).
If you’re a Preferred Rewards member or can qualify to become one, you’ll earn 25% to 75% more cash back, making this card particularly lucrative at the pump.
With a $0 annual fee, this card is perfect for those who spend slightly less but still want to earn on gas purchases when they do spend.
Pros
- 3% cash back in one category of your choice, including gas and EV charging stations, online shopping, cable, internet, phone plans and streaming, dining, travel drug stores and pharmacies, home improvement and furnishings.
- 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (3% and 2% earnings are capped at $2,500 combined per quarter, 1% cash back thereafter)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Preferred Rewards members can earn 25% to 75% more cash back
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers significant value for a $0 annual fee.
You can earn 3X points on gas purchases, as well as on transit, restaurants, travel, select streaming services and cell phone plans.
You can then use your rewards to book travel through Wells Fargo or transfer rewards to airline or hotel partners.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
20,000
Wells Fargo Rewards Points
after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
With no annual fee, this is an easy card to pull out at the pump, earning you points for your next vacation.
Pros
- 3X points on gas, transit, restaurants, travel, select streaming services and cell phone plans
- No foreign transaction fees
- $600 cell phone protection ($25 deductible)
Cons
- Limited transfer partners
Chase Freedom Flex®
If you want to offset the cost of gas purchases in addition to other daily expenses, all while paying $0 in annual fees, the Chase Freedom Flex® could be a great choice.
The card earns 5% cash back on categories such as gas stations, grocery stores and select online merchants on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter. You’ll need to activate the category for the 5% earning rate to apply. Although there’s a spending cap of $1,500, gas purchases alone will likely be way under this limit. And if you use a separate card for grocery store purchases, you’ll likely not need to worry about hitting the spending limit.
$200
Bonus
after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
The card also earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery and takeout services, and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases.
If you have an Ultimate Rewards earning card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can transfer your earnings on the Freedom Flex to your Sapphire account. You can then transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 hotel and airline transfer partners.
Pros
- 5% cash back on categories such as gas stations, grocery stores and select online merchants on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter you activate it
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery and takeout services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Partner perks with Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart
Cons
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
- 5% categories need to be activated
American Express® Business Gold Card
If you qualify for a business card and want your annual gas expenditure to earn you points, the American Express Business® Gold Card could be the perfect way to do so. It’s one of the best business cards for gas.
The card earns 4X points on your top two eligible spending categories per billing cycle, with a maximum of $150,000 in combined purchases per year (1X point thereafter). One of the eligible spending categories is gas purchased at U.S. gas stations, meaning you could rack up thousands of Membership Rewards points on gas.
American Express® Business Gold Card
100,000
Membership Rewards® Points
after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months. Terms apply.
Annual Fee: $375 Terms Apply. | Rates & Fees.
The card also comes with a range of statement credits for business owners, including up to $20 in monthly statement credits for business purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores (enrollment required), as well as a $150 Walmart+ membership annual statement credit, issued in $12.95 monthly credits.
That makes offsetting the $375 annual fee fairly straightforward, as long as you take advantage of the annual statement credits.
Just keep in mind that to benefit from 4X points on gas purchases, you’ll need to keep a keen eye on your spending. If you end up spending slightly more in two other eligible categories within a billing cycle, your gas purchases will earn only 1X point per dollar spent.
Pros
- 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases in your top two eligible spending categories (1X point thereafter). Your top two categories may change per billing cycle but the $150,000 cap applies across combined purchases in all categories. Eligible categories include media providers for advertising in select media in the U.S., purchases made from U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery purchases at U.S. gas stations, transit purchases, monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly with a U.S. wireless telephone service provider.
- 3X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
- 1X point on all other eligible purchases
- $240 annual statement credit for business purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores (enrollment required)
- $150 Walmart+ membership annual statement credit, issued in $12.95 monthly credits (enrollment required)
- $100 experience credit when you book a minimum stay of two consecutive nights with The Hotel Collection through amextravel.com
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Could lose out on 4X point earnings if you don’t track your expenditures carefully
Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card
The Wyndham Rewards Earner® Business Card could be a great option for Wyndham loyalists wanting to save on stays through gas and business-related purchases.
You’ll earn 8X points on Wyndham hotels and gas purchases, in addition to 5X points on marketing, advertising and utilities.
You’ll also receive complimentary Wyndham Rewards Diamond status as well as an annual boost of 15,000 points each anniversary year.
The point boost alone could be enough to spend two nights free at participating Wyndham properties. And if you spent $2,000 per year on gas, you’d earn 16,000 extra points, potentially giving you another two free nights at certain Wyndham properties.
If you frequent Wyndham properties, it’ll be easy to offset the $95 annual fee on the Rewards Earner® Business Card.
Pros
- 8X points on Wyndham hotels
- 8X points on gas purchases
- 5X points on marketing, advertising and utilities
- Complimentary Wyndham Rewards Diamond status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Annual 15,000-point boost
Cons
- No complimentary free nights
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could be a great option if you frequently shop at Costco. Specifically, if you often buy gas at Costco, this card will help you earn cash back on this spending whereas most other cards won’t.
The card earns 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases, up to $7,000 per year (1% thereafter). It also earns 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel, as well as 2% on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
No current welcome offer.
Keep in mind that while the card has no annual fee, you’ll need to have a Costco membership to be a cardholder. That means the card effectively has an annual fee of at least $60.
Pros
- 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases, up to $7,000 per year, 1% thereafter
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel
- 2% on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Range of travel insurances
Cons
- Limited redemption opportunities
What Is a Gas Credit Card?
A gas credit card is any type of card that earns rewards on the purchase of gasoline. These rewards could be cash back, credit card points, airline miles, hotel loyalty points or discounts.
When you pay for gas using a gas credit card, you’ll earn a certain number of points or cash back per dollar spent.
Types of Gas Credit Cards
Broadly, there are two main types of gas credit cards.
The first type of gas credit card is the kind that is co-branded with a gas station.
These cards are affiliated with a specific gas station company and will earn you discounts when you buy gas at the same chain. An example of this type of card is the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+™ gas credit card. With this card, you’ll earn discounts on gas purchases at Exxon and Mobil gas stations only. You’ll also earn discounts on convenience store purchases and other services, such as the car wash.
These discounts are a fixed amount in cents, typically between 5 and 10 cents per gallon of fuel. However, this reward structure comes with a significant disadvantage. Namely, the more expensive gas is, the less of a discount you’ll receive as a total percentage of the price. That’s because the discount is a fixed amount in cents, rather than a fixed percentage of the price.
The second type of gas credit card is the standard travel rewards credit card. These cards can be used at any gas station (in accordance with that specified in the card agreement). That means you won’t need to stress about finding a specific gas station chain when you’re on the road.
On top of that, travel rewards cards are not designed for earning rewards on gas exclusively. Instead, they’ll typically earn rewards on a range of spending categories, one of which is gas, and may also offer additional travel-related perks. If your card earns rewards points, you may be able to use these for travel redemptions through your card issuer’s travel portal or for partner transfers to airline and hotel loyalty schemes.
Using travel rewards credit cards to pay for gas ensures you’ll get a better rewards rate, regardless of the price of gas. That’s because cashback rates are a fixed percentage and point earning rates are a fixed amount per dollar spent. Therefore, you’re better protected against price instability with a travel rewards credit card for gas.
Pros and Cons of Gas Credit Cards
The advantages of using a gas credit card include:
- Earning Rewards. You can offset the upfront cost of gas by earning cash back, points or discounts. Depending on the credit card, you may be able to redeem these points for travel purchases through your credit card issuer’s travel portal or transfer them to partner airlines and hotels.
- Fraud prevention. Gas stations often allow pay-at-pump options and are usually unattended. This has the consequence of putting your card details at risk. Using a credit card to pay at gas stations will mitigate the consequences of fraud, as most credit cards come with a $0 fraud liability policy.
Despite the advantages of gas credit cards, there are some disadvantages to keep in mind:
- Limited redemption opportunities. Gas credit cards are not made equally. Typically, general travel rewards credit cards that earn you points on gas purchases will come with the greatest number of redemption opportunities, from travel portals to transfer partners. However, co-branded gas-station-affiliated cards or simple cashback rewards cards will offer little in the way of travel rewards. Instead, they’ll simply reduce the ongoing costs of gas purchases, saving you money.
- Earnings structure. The earnings structure of traditional co-branded gas station credit cards leaves you vulnerable to the effect of price fluctuations. If the price of gas rises, your discount will become a significantly smaller portion of the total price you pay.
How to Choose a Gas Credit Card
Choosing the best credit card for gas begins with assessing your goals and spending habits. It’s also key to check out the best bonus categories across cards to understand the holistic value of a card.
If you’re looking for a card that will simply reduce the upfront cost of monthly gas purchases, a straightforward cashback card might be the way to go. A $0 annual fee card could be beneficial in this situation, particularly if its only use in your wallet would be for gas purchases.
That said, you should still shop around and see if the higher cashback rates on annual fee-incurring cards could net you greater returns even with the annual fee, compared to the often lower rates found on $0 annual fee cards.
Alternatively, you could opt for a gas station company co-branded card, but you’d need to be sure that you use the specific gas stations. Otherwise, you could lose out on significant discounts. And even then, your discounts will still be vulnerable to price fluctuations.
However, if you want to earn rewards on gas purchases that you can redeem for travel-related expenses, your best bet will be to go for a travel rewards credit card.
If you fly frequently with a specific airline or are loyal to a certain hotel chain, you may find value in a co-branded airline card or hotel card that earns rewards points on gas purchases.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and the Hilton Honors American Express Card are two examples of co-branded cards that earn on gas.
If you want to maximize your redemption flexibility, you’ll be better off going for a general rewards travel credit card that earns a flexible and transferable points currency. The Citi Strata Premier card is one such example.
As gas isn’t the most common bonus category among travel rewards credit cards, a bit of strategic planning can help maximize your rewards while minimizing annual fees. In some cases, you might be able to combine an existing card with a $0 annual fee gas credit card to max out on rewards.
For example, the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Citi Double Cash® Card are simple cashback credit cards. However, if you already have a Citi Strata Premier card account you can transfer your cashback rewards to your Strata Premier account, where they’ll be redeemable as ThankYou points. This way, you can redeem them for travel purchases as well as transfer them to up to 18 airline and hotel loyalty schemes.
Another classic example is Chase. As a standalone card, the Chase Freedom Flex earns simple cash back. But if you pair it with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you’ll be able to transfer your cash back rewards into Ultimate Rewards, which can be redeemed for enhanced value through the Chase travel portal or transferred to one of Chase’s 14 partners.
By employing this strategy, you can earn points on gas using a $0 annual fee card and transfer these points to an existing luxury travel rewards card for better redemption opportunities.
How to Maximize the Benefits of a Gas Credit Card
Maximizing the benefits of a gas credit card is a simple case of frequent and responsible usage.
The more you use your card, the more points or cash back you’ll earn. And the more points or cash back you earn, the easier it will be to offset any annual fees. So, long story short, don’t be caught at the pump without your credit card.
Likewise, as with any type of credit card, responsible usage is paramount if you want to benefit from points and cash back. That means always paying your balance off in full and on time.
Late fees and interest charges will very quickly wipe out any marginal benefits in the form of points or cash back, defeating the entire purpose of using a credit card to earn on gas.
Think of it this way: if you use your credit card like a debit card, you won’t run into any issues.
FAQs
Is it worth getting a credit card just for gas?
Whether or not getting a credit card just for gas is worth it depends highly on your spending habits and goals. Without stating the obvious, a person without a car who only takes public transport is going to find little benefit in a gas credit card.
However, generally speaking, most people who own a car can find value in a gas credit card. As any points and miles enthusiast would agree, any purchase that isn’t earning you rewards is a wasted opportunity.
Therefore, a gas credit card is totally worth it. The real question is what credit card to get and whether or not it makes sense to incur an annual fee.
Which gas card has the best benefits?
There is no single best credit card for gas. Rather, the best credit card for gas is the card that best suits your spending habits and that will consequently earn you the highest number of points.
What is the easiest gas credit card to get?
Gas credit cards that are specific to a single gas station chain tend to have lower credit score requirements.
Is it better to buy gas with a credit card or debit card?
Charging gas to a credit card is almost always a better idea than using a debit card. Aside from earning rewards, using a credit card protects you against fraud. With $0 liability policies, you won’t be required to pay anything if fraudulent charges are made on your account.
Drive Your Savings Forward
Gas is an inevitable monthly expense and one that can add up over the year. Letting this expense go to waste without giving you a return in the form of points or cash back is a missed opportunity.
When choosing a gas credit card, protect your rewards rate and simplify your life by staying away from traditional gas station credit cards. Instead, look to general travel rewards credit cards. Whether it’s a simple $0 annual fee card to pull out at the pump or a more comprehensive card with luxury travel benefits, no purchase should go unused in the points and miles game.
For the latest scoop on credit card rewards, stay tuned with 10xTravel.
New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel℠ purchases within your first year. , 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.