10 Best Gas Credit Cards – Reviews & Comparison
Gas is one of the most popular credit card rewards categories. That’s no surprise, as most Americans rely on gas-powered cars to get around and are always searching for ways to save money on gas. Many general-purpose cash back credit cards include gas or gas station purchases as a regular rotating category, while others feature permanent cash back on gas buys.
When deciding which card best fits your needs, pay special attention to any spending caps, brand restrictions, and time limits that could eat into your earning power. Read each card’s fine print to get the lowdown on any exclusions or restrictions. For instance, most general gas credit cards that offer cash back at “all U.S. gas stations” specifically exclude warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco, which sell discounted gas and have their own cash back rewards programs. And pay special attention to interest rates, which can sometimes be higher than those of non-rewards credit cards.
Caveats aside, these are the best gas and gas station credit cards available today.
3% Unlimited Cash Back at U.S. Gas Stations; 6% Cash Back at Supermarkets; 1% on Everything Else
Other benefits include a nice welcome offer and generous intro APR period. You can redeem your cash back rewards as a statement credit, gift card, and general merchandise, starting at $25.
See our American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.
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4% Cash Back on Gas Purchases
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has a generous gas benefit: 4% cash back on the first $7,000 in gas purchases each year. This rate applies on gas purchased at all U.S. gas stations, not just Costco filling hubs. Above the $7,000 spending threshold, gas purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back. Eligible restaurant and travel purchases earn unlimited 3% cash back worldwide, and Costco purchases earn unlimited 2% cash back in-store and online. All other purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back.
If this card has a drawback, it’s the de facto $60 annual fee for regular cardholders. Like all warehouse stores, Costco charges an annual membership fee, and you won’t qualify for this card without agreeing to pay it. That said, Costco membership promises deep savings for frequent shoppers, so this is one credit card annual fee that pays for itself without much trouble. A foreign transaction fee waiver sweetens the pot further.
See our Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi Review for more details. If you’re interested in the nearly identical business version of this card, check out our Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi Review.
5% Cash Back on Gas Purchases During 1 Quarter per Year; Great Sign-up Bonus
Chase Freedom is a general-purpose cash back credit card that offers 5% cash back on purchases up to $1,500 in quarterly rotating categories. All other purchases earn 1% cash back, with no spending caps or earning limits. Notably, there’s no annual fee. You can redeem for checks, statement credits, direct deposits, and purchases through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards portal. There’s no redemption minimum.
While gas and gas stations aren’t always part of the 5% club, Chase Freedom has historically included at-the-pump gas or gas station purchases (covering all U.S. brands, in both cases) in at least 1 of its 4 annual 5% bonus rotating categories. In other words, you can expect your Chase Freedom card to pay 5% on gas purchases roughly 3 or more months out of the year. Plus, there’s a really nice sign-up bonus and a solid intro APR period. However, you need to manually activate your 5% cash back categories before the middle of their expiration month.
See our Chase Freedom Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.
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2% Cash Back on Up to $25,000 in Gas Purchases; Up to 5% Cash Back on Other Spending Categories; Business Users Only
Chase Ink Business CashSM is a business credit card with a very generous gas reward: 2% cash back on combined gas station (in-store and at the pump) and restaurant purchases, up to $25,000 per year. You can redeem for statement credits, direct deposits, checks, and Ultimate Rewards purchases, starting at a $20 minimum.
Ink Business Cash’s rewards don’t stop there. The card also offers 5% cash back on office supply and communications purchases (cellular phone, landline, Internet, and cable TV services), up to $25,000 per year. All other purchases earn 1% cash back, with no spending caps or earning limits. Other perks include a nice sign-up bonus, no annual fee (which is somewhat unusual for a business card), and relatively low APR.
Remember that the Ink Business CashSM is meant for business financing. If you don’t own your own business, you likely won’t qualify for this card.
See our Chase Ink Business Cash Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.
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5% Cash Back on Gas During One Quarter per Year (Up to $1,500 Spend); Double Cash Back in Year One
Like Chase Freedom, there’s no annual fee. Like Discover it Chrome, there are no cash back redemption minimums, and you can redeem for direct deposits or statement credits.
All other purchases earn 1% cash back, with no spending limits, so Discover it is a great compromise between a pure gas rewards card and an everyday spending card. Plus, Discover doubles your cash back in the first year.
See our Discover it Card Review for more information.
2% Cash Back on Gas & Dining; Low Fees
You also get 1% unlimited cash back everywhere else, so Discover it Chrome is a nice everyday card as well. Low fees, including no annual fee, and a relatively low purchase APR help too. If you drive a lot and spend more than $1,000 in gas per quarter, consider upgrading to another gas credit card.
See our Discover it Chrome Card Review for more information.
6X Points on Gas Purchases
The Hilton Honors Amex Ascend card is arguably the best hotel credit card for gas rewards. If you frequently travel for business and have a long commute to the home office, or need to cover an extensive sales territory by car, this is the card for you – provided you can find a Hilton property on the road.
All gas station purchases earn unlimited 6 Honors points per $1 spent. So to do supermarket and restaurant purchases. Qualified purchases at Hilton properties earn a whopping 12 points per $1 spent, while all other purchases earn unlimited 3 points per $1 spent. Award night redemptions start as low as 5,000 points per night at the lowest-tier Hilton properties, so you can treat yourself to a free stay after as little as $834 in gas spending. If business takes you abroad, you’ll make out well with no foreign transaction fee here.
See our Hilton Honors Amex Ascend Card Review for more information.
3x Points on Gas Purchases; No Foreign Transaction Fees
Redeem your points at Citi’s ThankYou portal, where you can buy airfare and other travel items, gift cards at major merchants, apparel, electronics, and even online bill-pay credits (your best bet if you’re looking for a cash equivalent). Redemption minimums vary based redemption method, and point values range up to $0.0125 when redeemed for airfare. Another perk: no foreign transaction fee.
See our Citi ThankYou Premier Card Review for more information.
3% Unlimited Cash Back on Gas, Cellular, and Office Supply Purchases
U.S. Bank Business Edge Cash Rewards is another no-annual-fee business credit card meant for small business owners. With unlimited 3% cash back on at-the-pump gas, cellular, and office supply purchases, it’s an on-the-go business owner’s dream – and eliminates worry about sticking to spending limits. The redemption minimum is $25, and you can redeem for statement credits, direct deposits (U.S. Bank accounts only), or Mastercard gift cards.
Like the Ink Business Cash Card, this card is only for business owners. If you don’t own your own business, look elsewhere. To maximize the gas benefit, order additional credit cards (at no extra charge) for your field employees.
Find out how you can apply for this card here.
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Instant Unlimited $0.05 Off per Gallon on Gas Purchased at Sunoco Gas Stations
The Sunoco Rewards Card offers a simple, powerful gas reward: unlimited $0.05 off per gallon of gas purchased at U.S. Sunoco gas stations. The discount is automatically applied with no action required on your part, except to use the card to purchase gas, and no other restrictions. Watch out for this card’s high APR.
Find out how you can apply for this card here.
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Since most American households own at least one car, and gas is therefore a necessary expense for most people, it’s no surprise that gas is such a popular credit card rewards category.
On the other hand, even the most committed drivers spend money on plenty of things other than gas. If you drive often, by all means, sign up for one of the gas rewards credit cards. However, consider pairing your gas card with a general-purpose rewards card that offers cash back on a wider range of purchase types – or all purchases, regardless of type. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards and Citi Double Cash are great examples of generous general-purpose cards.
And before you submit your gas credit card application, make sure you’re actually going to use it enough to make it worthwhile. Consider how much you drive and what type of car you own, which merchants accept the card, whether you’re allowed to use it at grocery store or warehouse club gas stations, and the regular purchase APR. Always read your card’s fine print, and check for changes regularly after you start using it.
Finally, if at all possible, pay your balance in full each month. If paying in full is a challenge, opt for a low APR credit card instead.
What’s your favorite gas rewards credit card?
Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Updated: December 3, 2018
Categories: Cars & Transportation, Credit and Debt, Credit Cards, Lifestyle
Brian Martucci writes about frugal living, entrepreneurship, and innovative ideas. When he’s not interviewing small business owners or investigating time- and money-saving strategies for Money Crashers readers, he’s probably out exploring a new trail or sampling a novel cuisine. Find him on Twitter @Brian_Martucci.
Comments Disclosure: The below responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
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