The best gas credit cards don’t always come from gas stations. In fact, because fuel costs make up such a small percentage of the average American budget (we spend about $5,000 on fuel each year), many people find that...
The best gas credit cards don’t always come from gas stations. In fact, because fuel costs make up such a small percentage of the average American budget (we spend about $5,000 on fuel each year), many people find that they can get better rewards with general cash back credit cards, travel credit cards or even grocery store credit cards.
At a minimum, gas credit cards should include great rewards for fuel expenses (3% cash back is a good minimum to aim for), but you might also look for perks like discounts on in-store gas station purchases or savings at the fuel pump.
We’ve put together this of the best gas credit cards — including a mix of travel credit cards, grocery store credit cards and actual branded gas station cards — to help you make your decision.
The Best Gas Credit Cards
Citi Premier Card: Best Overall Gas Credit Card Citi Custom Cash Card: Best for Flexible Spending Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express: Best for Balancing Everyday Expenses U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card: Best for Road Trippers BPme Rewards Visa Signature Card: Best Gas Station Loyalty Card Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: Best for Costco Members Sam’s Club Mastercard: Best for Sam’s Club Members Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard: Best for Average Credit ExxonMobil Smart Card+: Best for Fair CreditCiti Premier Card
The Citi Premier Card is a winner no matter how you look at it. You’ll earn 3x points on all gas purchases but also at restaurants and grocery stores and on travel purchases. And for everything else, you’ll still earn 1x points. Redeem these points (1 cent per point) as gift cards, when shopping online (Amazon and Best Buy only) or for travel (hotels, flights, cruises and more).
Right now, Citi is also offering 80,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. You can then convert those points to an $800 gift card, worth nearly 25% of what you had to spend to earn it.
Another big perk of the Citi Premier Card is the $100 annual hotel savings benefit: Once per year, you can shave $100 off the cost of a hotel stay that’s $500 or more if you book directly through thankyou.com.
Clearly, the Citi Premier Card is more than just a gas card — it’s a solid rewards credit card to have in your wallet, no matter where you swipe it. While the $95 fee is negligible for many and the lack of foreign transaction fees is attractive, the card’s major downfall is its high fee on balance transfers (and high variable APR for balance transfers). If you have balance transfers on your agenda, you should consider a different credit card.
Citi Custom Cash Card
The Citi Custom Cash Card can be great for large fuel expenses because you’ll earn 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category every billing cycle. So if you spend a lot of money on fuel, this card can pay off big time. But if there’s a month where you do less driving and buy more groceries, it doesn't mean you’ll miss out on savings; Citi automatically gives you 5% cash back on grocery expenses instead!
Eligible categories include gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. You’ll earn 5% cash back on your top spend category and 1% cash back in all other categories each billing cycle. The best part? You don’t have to track anything. Citi handles the tracking automatically — and you can just let the rewards cash pour in.
You’ll also earn $200 cash back if you spend $1,500 in the first six months from account opening. Not a bad welcome bonus for a card with no fees, but you can expect a higher sign-up offer from cards that do carry fees. Like the Citi Premier Card, the Citi Custom Cash Card charges heavily for balance transfers. If you’re traveling abroad, bring along another card; this one charges foreign transaction fees as well.
Blue Cash Everyday Card American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express isn’t just a good gas card; it’s a good everyday card! We like it because of its well-rounded cash back perks at U.S. gas stations and supermarkets without any annual fee. You’ll also get a $200 statement credit if you spend $2,000 in the first six months from account opening.
Beyond the perks for gas purchases, American Express offers $7 back each month as a statement credit when you spend $13.99 or more each month on The Disney Bundle. That includes any subscription(s) to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ — using the credit card, of course.
The Blue Cash Everyday Card does have some things we don’t love, like foreign transaction fees and even higher charges for balance transfers. It’s a good idea to keep another card in your wallet (like the Capital One Quicksilver) for spending abroad.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is a step up from this card. You’ll earn even higher rewards with the Blue Cash Preferred Card (up to 6% cash back on groceries and streaming) and be eligible for a larger reward ($350). A caveat, though: The Blue Cash Preferred Card is not free; you’ll pay $95 a year to keep this credit card active.
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect
If you don’t mind tracking points a little more closely, the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card could offer you steep rewards for fuel purchases — and other purchases. Here’s how the points break down:
5x points on prepaid hotels and rental cars booked through the Altitude Rewards Center 4x points on travel, gas station and EV charging station purchases 2x points for groceries (in-store and delivered), dining and streaming services 1x points on everything elseYou’ll also earn points through the sign-up bonus: Just spend $2,000 in the first 120 days from account opening to receive 50,000 bonus points (worth $500). You can redeem points toward travel or as cash back, merch or gift cards.
While this card clearly rewards travel by car, with high points for rental cars and gas purchases, it’s also a friend of air travelers. That’s because cardholders can get up to a $100 statement credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry purchases once every four years. You’ll also get up to $600 in cell phone reimbursement if yours is lost or damaged; just pay for the monthly phone bill with the card.
We love the lack of foreign transaction fees, but you’ve got to pay $95 a year to keep the account open. Once again, this gas card’s major downfall is its fee and high variable APR for balance transfers.
BPme Rewards Visa Signature Card
Opening a BPme Rewards Visa Signature Card only makes sense if you regularly fill up at BP. But if you put a lot of miles on your car, this card could be worth looking into. There’s no annual fee, and it saves you 15 cents on every gallon of gas purchased at BP. For the first 60 days from account opening, you’ll save 30 cents per gallon; open this card right before a big road trip for maximum savings.
But the savings at the fuel pump are only part of the appeal of the BPme card. Unlike the other true loyalty gas cards on our list, the BPme Rewards Visa Signature earns great rewards outside of gas purchases and can be redeemed as statement credits for any purchases, gift cards and travel experiences — not just BP fuel. More specifically, you’ll earn 5% cash back on non-fuel purchases at BP and Amoco stations, 3% cashback on dining and groceries and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases.
There’s no annual fee to open the card, and it’s more accessible to drivers with a lower credit score who may not qualify for top-tier rewards cards. But this easier accessibility has its downsides: The APR is high (29.99%), as are balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. If traveling abroad or hoping to perform balance transfers, you’ll want a better card in your wallet.
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is a must-have for Costco members. You’ll earn 4% cash back on fuel purchases worldwide — and not just at Costco gas stations. The 4% cash back is good on the first $7,000 in annual fuel purchases, then reduces to 1% cash back. EV drivers get the same perks at EV charging stations.
Beyond gas rewards, members can earn 3% on eligible dining and travel purchases globally and 2% cash back on all other purchases at Costco (and on costco.com). Outside of Costco, the card earns 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
If you’re already paying your annual membership fee, the only barrier to getting the card is actually qualifying. Costco generally requires excellent credit to get the card. But that excellent credit pays off: The APR is much lower than a typical gas card, and there aren’t any foreign transaction fees. Notably absent is a welcome bonus.
Sam’s Club Mastercard
The Sam’s Club Mastercard is yet another grocery store card that doubles as a gas card. In fact, its greatest perk is its 5% cash back on gas purchases (on your first $6,000 a year, then it’s 1%) at any gas station where Mastercard is accepted. You can also earn 3% cash back when using the card in Sam’s Club or on dining and takeout — and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
If you spend $30 at Sam’s Club within the first 30 days from account opening, you’ll also earn a $30 statement credit. While that’s a low bonus amount, it’s 100% cash back, technically speaking.
There’s no annual fee (just your Sam’s Club membership fee), and you don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees. Balance transfers, once again, are expensive.
Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard
If you regularly fill up at Shell, put a lot of miles on your car and are currently repairing your credit score, the Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard is an ideal option. But if those three conditions don’t collectively describe you, you can likely get a better rewards card elsewhere.
So what bonus rewards can you earn with the Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard?
10% Shell rebates on your first $1,200 non-fuel purchases at Shell each year 2% Shell rebates on the first $10,000 you spend on dining and groceries 1% Shell rebates on other eligible purchasesThe key term here is “Shell rebates.” Rather than typical cash back, the rewards can only be applied as a statement credit toward other Shell purchases.
Beyond these limited gas rewards, the Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard does save you 10 cents per gallon every time you fill up (up to 35 gallons). For your first five fill-ups, you’ll actually save 30 cents per gallon.
While this card is a good option for borrowers with average credit (the lack of annual fee is attractive), beware of the other fees: a high foreign transaction fee and an even higher APR for any balances you carry month to month.
ExxonMobil Smart Card+
For the first two months after you open your ExxonMobil Smart Card+, you can enjoy 30 cents per gallon in savings as a statement credit. That’s on top of the regular 10 cents or 12 cents off you already receive as a perk of membership (10 cents for regular gas, 12 cents for premium). Altogether, you’ll earn 40 to 42 cents off per gallon in your first two months.
Outside of the fuel discounts (which drop to just 10 or 12 cents per gallon after that introductory period), there’s not much going for this card. You’ll earn 5% cash back on all in-store purchases at Exxon and Mobil gas stations — but nowhere else. In fact, because this is a closed-loop credit card, you can’t swipe it anywhere other than a participating gas station.
The lack of annual fee and acceptance of fair credit borrowers are the two redeeming qualities for this card.
What Is a Gas Credit Card?
A gas credit card is one that rewards you for swiping your card at the gas pump — or even at an EV station. More specifically, a true gas card is one issued by that gas station or in partnership with a credit network like Visa or Mastercard. Fully branded gas credit cards are limited in use; you may only be able to swipe at that family of gas stations. You can typically swipe co-branded gas credit cards, like those bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo, at other retailers.
Because branded and co-branded gas credit cards serve a niche purpose (and have notoriously high APRs), families looking to get great rewards on not just fuel purchases but also things like groceries, dining and entertainment should consider a more general cash back credit card or travel card. There are several out there with great rewards for gas purchases that also reward other common expenses, often at higher rates.
How Do Gas Credit Cards Work?
Loyalty gas credit cards, also known as a closed-loop card, limit your purchases to that company’s family of gas stations. Because of the limited use case, they are usually only worth applying for if you 1) drive a lot and 2) are loyal to a specific gas brand. These gas cards usually offer steep discounts on a gallon of gas, plus savings on car washes and in-store purchases like drinks and snacks. The only example of a fully closed-loop card on our list of the best gas credit cards is the ExxonMobil Smart Card+ — and it’s only a good deal for a very niche selection of drivers.
To add more flexibility in your wallet, you might want to consider a co-branded gas card, like the BPme Rewards Visa Signature or Shell Fuel Rewards Mastercard. Because these bear the Visa and Mastercard logos, respectively, you can use them anywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Such gas credit cards offer brand discounts, but you may be able to earn cash back or points when making dining, grocery and other purchases.
Getting approved for a closed-loop gas card or co-branded credit card may be easier than getting approved for a traditional rewards credit card and it can help repair credit.
Finally, rewards credit cards — whether cash back or travel — allow you to earn points, miles or straight-up cash for your purchases. Some cards may have a flat rate (the Capital One Quicksilver is a flat 1.5% on every purchase, no matter the category) while some may have higher rewards for gas as a category.
Some may even let you select your preferred category or have special promotions that change each month or quarter. For example, the Discover it Student Cash Back Card (our top pick for the best student credit card) boosts gas rewards to 5% cash back from April to June.
Are Gas Credit Cards Worth It?
For most drivers with good to excellent credit, gas credit cards are not worth the hassle. You can likely qualify for a much better travel credit card or cash back credit card that still rewards your gas purchases but doesn’t tie you down to a single gas station.
However, if you have a fair or average credit score and don’t qualify for a top-tier rewards credit card, a gas card can be a way to take advantage of a rewards program — earning you discounts on fuel and putting cash back in your pocket.
Just be careful not to carry a balance from month to month, or you can quickly slip into credit card debt. Despite not usually having an annual fee, closed-loop and co-branded gas credit cards have unfavorable APRs.
What to Look For in a Gas Credit Card
Trying to pick the right card for your needs? Here are some things to consider when comparing the best gas credit cards:
Usage Limitations
True loyalty gas credit cards may be limited in how you can use them, i.e., only at that specific gas station. If you have other credit cards that serve your needs elsewhere, this might be OK. But if you want a true rewards card that you can swipe not just at the gas station but when dining out or online shopping, you might want to look for a broader credit card.
Further, some cards only offer gas rewards when swiped at U.S. gas stations while others offer bonus rewards globally — at U.S. gas stations and fuel stations abroad.
Rewards Rates
Compare the rewards rates for several cards. How many points (or how much cash back) will you earn with every gallon, and is there a cap per fill-up or year?
Other Perks
Some gas credit cards offer additional perks, like savings on every gallon of gas. If you go with a broader rewards credit card, the perks can run the gamut, from travel rewards like lounge access and early check-in to cash back rewards for purchases outside the gas station category.
Welcome Bonus
Loyalty gas credit cards typically offer big discounts on gas as a welcome bonus. Travel credit cards and cash back credit cards, on the other hand, may pay out a set amount of points, miles or cash if you hit a certain spend threshold within a set time period after account opening. Often, such bonuses may far outweigh the annual fee of a rewards credit card.
APR
While true gas credit cards are typically easier to get than rewards credit cards if you have a low credit score, they may come with a higher APR. Compare APRs for all the cards you’re considering. Looking at the intro APR can be tempting, but it’s better to think in the long term. What interest rate will you be paying two years from now?
In general, it’s a good idea to pay your credit cards off in full every month. That way, you won’t have to worry about paying interest on any outstanding balances.
Annual Fee
Most closed-loop and co-branded gas credit cards have no annual fee. Before opting for a broader rewards credit card instead, consider if the annual fee is worth it. Grocery credit cards from Costco and Sam’s Club don’t have annual fees, but you have to be a store member to get the card; each store has its own annual membership fees.
Alternatives to Gas Credit Cards
Because closed-loop and co-branded credit cards have limitations and less-than-ideal rewards outside of the fuel pump savings, you might want to consider an alternative. A general rewards card that offers great rewards on fuel purchases is a great place to start. Cards like the Citi Premier Card, Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express and U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card all offer fantastic points or cash back for gas purchases.
One of the best gas credit cards on our list is the Citi Custom Cash Card, which offers 5% cash back in your top spending category, which includes gas stations. Similarly, you can customize your savings with rewards cards like the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card or the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card (neither made our list).
Finally, grocery store credit cards can offer great fuel rewards. While you’ll need to be a member of each respective wholesale club, both Costco and Sam’s Club offer great fuel rewards on their credit cards. You’ll find both on our list of the best gas credit cards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Gas Credit Cards
There are plenty of questions about gas credit cards and we’ve rounded up the answers to those most commonly asked.
Gas credit cards typically have lower credit score requirements than regular rewards credit cards. Often, drivers with fair to average credit can qualify for a gas card. On our list of the best gas credit cards, there are two with a suggested 640 minimum credit score requirement — and one as low as 580. However, these credit cards carry much higher than average APRs.
Closed-loop gas credit cards only allow you to use the credit card with the specific gas station that issued the card; for example, you can only use the ExxonMobil Smart Card+ to pay for fuel and in-store gas station purchases at Exxon and Mobil gas stations. Co-branded gas credit cards that bear Visa, Mastercard and other labels, however, can be used like regular credit cards — and often offer rewards for doing so.
You can build credit with gas credit cards, as long as you stay on top of monthly payments and keep your credit utilization low. In fact, if you have fair to average credit, opening and responsibly using a gas station credit card is a good way to boost your credit score so that you can eventually be approved for better credit cards, like cash back and travel credit cards.
Contributor Timothy Moore is a writer and editor in Cincinnati who covers banks, loans, insurance, travel and automotive topics for The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.