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Looking for the best return on gas and fuel?
Americans consume a whopping 140+ billion gallons of fuel per year. Along with food and housing, fuel ranks as one of the most significant spending categories for many families in the U.S. and accounts for a substantial share of credit card spending. If you swipe the right card at the gas station, you can receive as much as 5% back on your fuel bill in the form of rewards points or cash back.
Around half the cards listed are no annual fee cash back cards, perfect if you're looking to keep your costs to a minimum. The remainder charge an annual fee, but earn points in an array of rewards programs with the chance of higher returns, and typically provide a bunch of ancillary benefits too.
Before we get into the cards with a permanent bonus on fuel spending, we should point out that the Chase Freedom® card is offering 5% cash back on gas stations, (along with drugstores and tolls) from January to March 2019.
Our Pick – The Best Credit Card for Gas & Fuel
Citi Premier℠ Card
The ThankYou Premier slides into first place earning Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel including gas stations for gas and fuel spend. Securing such a fantastic return is somewhat of a bonus for ThankYou Premier cardholders, with the perk classed as a travel benefit (the only card to feature gas stations in the travel category). While the PenFed Platinum Rewards card earns more points, five for every dollar spent at the pump as opposed to three on the Citi card; we value ThankYou Premier at roughly double PenFed rewards points, which are worth a maximum 0.85¢ per point.
Best Rewards Credit Cards for Gas & Fuel
| Credit Card | Points Earned on Gas & Fuel | Other Bonus Categories | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Premier℠ Card | Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel including gas stations | 3X points on travel 2X points on dining & entertainment | $95, waived for first 12 months |
| The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express | 2X points at US gas stations + make 30 or more purchases in a billing period and earn 50% extra points | 3x at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year | $95 |
| American Express® Business Gold Card | 4x points on 2 of 6 categories with the highest monthly spend including U.S. purchases at gas stations | Up to 4x points on the remaining 5 categories including: Airfare purchased directly from airlines U.S. purchases for advertising in select media U.S. purchases for shipping U.S. purchases at restaurants U.S. computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers | $295 (Rates & Fees) |
| PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card | 5X points on gas at the pump (points are worth 0.85¢ for a 4.25% return) | 3X points on groceries | $0 |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | 4% cash back on gas for the first $7,000 per year | 3% cash back on travel & dining 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com | $0 with a paid Costco membership (min $60 per year) |
| Discover it® Chrome Gas & Restaurant Card | 2% cash back on gas up to $1,000 per quarter (Cashback Match for first year takes it to 4%) | 2% back on gas and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter | $0 |
| AARP® Credit Card from Chase | 3% cash back at gas stations | 3% cash back at restaurants | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card | 3X points at gas stations | 3X points on travel purchases, dining, streaming services | $0 |
| Wells Fargo Propel 365 American Express® Card | 3x points at U.S. gas stations | 2x points at U.S. restaurants | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $45. |
| Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card | 3% on gas for the first $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/gas purchases each quarter | 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/gas purchases each quarter | $0 |
| Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card | 6X at U.S. gas stations | 12X at Hilton properties 6X at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets 3X on all other purchases | $95 - Rates & Fees |
| The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | 6X points at U.S. gas stations | 12X at Hilton properties 6X on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, on U.S. purchases for shipping, at U.S. restaurants, on flights booked directly with airlines or with AmexTravel.com, on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies 3X on all other purchases | $95 - Rates & Fees |
| The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. | N/A | No annual fee - Rates & Fees |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | 3% at U.S. gas stations | 6% at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) | $95 - Rates & Fees |
While Citi takes the top spot, it is a fairly even race with the Amex EveryDay Preferred which earns an effective 3X Membership Rewards points on gas if you put 30+ transactions on the card per billing cycle; the rest is a bit of a mixed bag.
The dark horse in the table above is the American Express® Business Gold Card, which earns 4x points on 2 of 6 categories with the highest spend each month including U.S. purchases at gas stations. But, only if that is one of the 2 biggest spending categories you have for that month. If not, you'll only earn 1 point per dollar spent. If U.S. gas station purchases make up the bulk of your spending each month, this is without a doubt the best rewards card for purchasing gas and fuel.
The PenFed Platinum Rewards provides a high return on paper but has less redemption flexibility than other programs, and PenFed is a credit union with specific signup requirements, so you’ll need to jump through some hoops before you can apply for a PenFed credit card.
The AARP Credit Card from Chase is a straightforward option, without any cash back caps or special requirements, but perhaps the most underrated pair on the list would be the Hilton duo. If you can wrangle more than 0.5¢ per point in value for your Hilton points, 6X points at U.S. gas stations could potentially return as much as 3-6¢ per dollar spent on fuel.
Something to note is we haven’t included cards that include gas and fuel purchases as a rotating bonus category. Cards like the Chase Freedom® and Discover it® Card often feature gas as a revolving quarterly bonus category, and you’ll get between 5% and 10% back on your gas spend when it's highlighted. But for everyday gas purchases, when gas is removed as a bonus category, you’ll only receive 1% back on every dollar.
What Purchases are Included in the Gas & Fuel Category?
Gas purchases, from a terms and conditions perspective, are fairly straightforward. Provided the purchase codes in the correct merchant category, you receive the bonus points or cash back.
Citi
Citi doesn’t specify any inclusions outside of ‘gas stations’ in terms of the ThankYou Premier. The Costco Anywhere offers more specific terms:
“4% cash back on eligible gas worldwide, including gas at Costco, for the first $7,000 per year in gas purchases and then 1% thereafter.”
PenFed
“…earn 5 Points per $1 for Net New Gasoline Purchases you make with the card, when paid for at the pump (based on Visa Merchant Category Codes 5542).”
Discover
“…Gas… purchases are those made at merchants classified as gas stations.”
Chase
Outside of merchant category codes, Chase doesn’t list any specifics. If the purchase codes as a gas station, you get bonus points.
Wells Fargo
“…at U.S. retailers whose merchant code for American Express is classified as a gas station and automated fuel dispensers…”
Bank of America
“…Net Purchases made at eligible gas and fuel merchants, which include merchants whose primary line of business is the sale of automotive gasoline that can be purchased inside the service station or at the automated fuel pump and gasoline purchased at boat marinas, as well as fuel dealers whose primary line of business is the sale of heating oil, propane and other fuels, such as kerosene.”
American Express
“…on gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S.”
Are Any Purchases Excluded from the Gas & Fuel Category?
Purchases made within the gas and fuel category have few conditions imposed, with the exceptions being spending caps, location restrictions, the ever-present merchant category codes, and the peculiar limitation from Discovery on NFC and similar tech.
Citi
“…fuel used for non–automobile purposes… Gas purchases made at warehouse clubs, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores do not qualify for 3X Points.”
“You will only earn 1% cash back, not 4%, for gas purchased at superstores, supermarkets, convenience stores and warehouse clubs other than Costco or for fuel used for non-automobile purposes.”
Discover
“Purchases made using Near Field Communication (NFC), virtual wallets, or similar technology may not be eligible.”
Chase
Outside of merchant category codes, Chase doesn’t list any specifics. If the purchase codes as a gas station, you get bonus points.
Wells Fargo
“…gas purchases at warehouse/membership clubs, grocery stores, car washes, auto repair stores, and superstores that sell gasoline may not earn bonus points.”
Bank of America
“Purchases made at merchants whose primary line of business is not the sale of automotive gasoline or fuel, like superstores, supermarkets and truck stops will not earn bonus cash rewards.”
American Express
Outside of merchant category codes and location restrictions, Amex doesn’t list any specifics. If the purchase codes as a gas station and it’s in the U.S., you get bonus points.
Final Thoughts
The Citi Premier℠ Card is positioned as a clear winner in the gas and fuel category, earning an unrestricted 3X ThankYou Rewards on purchases at gas stations. If you’re already a Costco member, 4% cash back on the Costco Anywhere from Citi provides great value up to the $7,000 cap, and the AARP Credit Card from Chase is another standout card earning an unlimited 3% on gas purchases without charging an annual fee.
Hilton fans also reap the benefits of bonus points on U.S. gas purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card and Hilton Business Card. And small business owners can take advantage of the Blue Business Plus card’s Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. (regardless of category), an excellent fallback card if you don’t carry a card offering bonus points on gas.
If you have a card that returns top value on gas purchases and we haven’t got it on the list, get in touch via the comments below. We love the feedback from our AwardWallet community.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express® Business Gold Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
That’s a surprisingly good benefit for Citi thank you Card.
Hilton gets a bad reputation for value of their points (often deserved), but they do have cards that make it easy to rack up HH points. These are some good examples.
Knowing how a location codes its purchases is key. There was a time that a 7-11 near me (without pumps) codes as a gas station. Buying gift cards there would get me the extra points for gas purchases. There was also a gas station that participated in the dining Rewards program! Buying gas there earned Airline Miles also through Aadvantage dining. Especially good during the time for the Freedom gas bonus.
Excellent insight! Have you just been able to determine the coding by observation alone over time? TIA!
Bummer, I did not realize that Penfed got rid of their 5% cash rebate on gas cash rewards card. Guess it’s only a matter of time before they change the benefits of my existing card. Thanks for the good list though.
I think the PenFed cards are quite competitive. While it’s no longer offer I have their cash back Visa which gives 5% back for gas.
I bet you’ll hold on to that card forever! Definitely a keeper.
The Amex EDP earns 2x MR at US gas stations, which gets a 50% bonus to 3x if one puts more than 30 transactions per month on the card.
Great catch, we’re adding it now.
Great, thanks. Another potential candidate is the Amex PRG, which I believe also offer 2x on US gas stations.
If only they would add the gas category to the Prestige.
I’m in that boat with you!
Been a member of PenFed for 30+ years. Great service provider. But I also wish the CSR had a gas bonus!
good summary, especially the exclusions
Awesome list, hope to see more lists like this for other spending categories.
This article has raised my awareness about which cc to pull out at the gas station. Time for me to stop being so nonchalant about it.
Meanwhile don’t forget that Discover IT and Chase Freedom are 5x on gas this quarter!
Yes!
10x Ultimate Rewards points at Best Buy through this weekend – can use it for gift cards from Shell, Exxon/Mobil, BP.
Yup, one of the few times I don’t use a Chase product for purchases. Outside of the occasional bonus offer, the Hilton AmEx is the card I use at the pumps.
I live and die by my Costco card for gas now. Costcos gas is significantly cheaper and to save an extra 4% on gas is huge for me. Its the only cash back card I carry.
Before the Costco card I used the Amex EP for gas purchases. (Costco stopped taking Amex)
I am using my Chase Freedom 1st quarter, will switch to Citi Thankyou the remainder of 2018,
Gas giftcard seems to be a solution if you can buy them with wholesale club cashback, etc.
Nice summary! I did not know that the Amex EveryDay Preferred offered the 50% bonus!
If a 7/11 codes as gas for a Freedom will it also for the Citi Premier and Amex?
Not necessarily. Definitely, don’t plan on it.
Discover card has 5% cash back on gas this quarter, with double cash back for the first year you are a card member you could potentialyl get 10% back
Isn’t there a no-fee AMEX that also has grocery/gas cash back?
Amex EveryDay offers 2x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases
Would any of the cards above give the same rewards for gas purchases in Canada?
It depends on how the merchants are coded. Amex is a definite no; the others are a definite maybe.
Not sure it’s worth paying an annual fee for a credit card to get few points for a gas that I have to get 2 a month, however a combo of extra points for the gas AND the groceries AND no annual fee that Pen offers sounds quite good.
My Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa gets me 3% on gas. With Preferred Platinum Rewards status, BoA kicks in 75% bonus which makes all gas rewards into 5.25% cash back! I can do this all year round, up to $2500 bonus per quarter.
costco card is great as the gas prices at costco are so much cheaper than other locations
I love my chase cards. I just got the freedom unlimited. Even tho these other cards look good, I will do the 5x on the freedom, then switch to the freedom unlimited until they have it as a bonus again. I just foresee the Chase cards being more beneficial to me in the long run.
My sights are on Universal Hollywood in about a year and I believe that my Hilton and Chase cards will get me there. Plus, I belong to MyPoints and I am earning points there to get money off on an American flight or I could add miles to my United account :o)
I think the best cards for fuel savings combine both the grocery and gas catergories, e.g. Blue Cash Preferred and Penfed Cash rewards card. For example at Kroger, I can do my regular shopping and get 5% cashback as well as earn fuel points. Once I accumulate at least 1000 fuel points, I would then be able to save up to $1 per gallon of gas in addition to getting 5% cashback at the pump.
Sam’s club 5% on gas is the best that comes (up to 6k) only excluding warehouses other than Sam’s club. No AF also.
Great list of the best cards to use at gas stations.
It’s also important to consider the cost of the gasoline. In my area, Costco gas is usually $0.15 to $0.20 cheaper per gallon then the next lowest priced source. So choosing a card that isn’t accepted by Costco, I could end up paying more out of pocket for the gas then the extra rewards would be worth to me.
The Amex Gold Open card let’s you pick a 3x category, and one of the choices is gas. No AF for the first year, and a 50k signup bonus.
Completely missed this one, has been added to the list. Thanks!
Not only do the Hilton cards get 6X on fuel purchases, but you also get the free weekend night certificate for $15,000 spend on the card in a year. I’d value the free night plus the 6X points at about 4.5 cents per dollar assuming that you spend the $15,000.
I use the Kroger rewards Mastercard to purchase my fuel. I thought it said there was a 25 cent discount when I used this card for fuel. I have not gotten it yet.