Several credit cards offer bonuses on gas purchases. It’s a smart business choice because using a card for gas means that the card will always be in your wallet, and you’re more likely to use that card for other purchases besides when you go to fill up the tank.
Which card is the BEST? It depends on the type of reward you want to earn (cash or points), whether you want to pay an annual fee, and whether you prefer an all-around card or one that’s specifically for gas purchases. This is one of the instances where Your Mileage May Vary. Here are some of the cards available, with an above-average return on gas purchases.
I’ll split them into personal cards and business cards.
Citi Strata Premier Card
The Citi Strata Premier card earns 3 ThankYou points for each dollar spent on gasoline. This is the best return for a personal card that earns transferrable points. That means you can use the points you earn with the Premier card to transfer them to an airline program or make reservations through the Citi travel portal. This card has a $95 annual fee, so you’d need to spend a lot on gas each year to earn that money back. Therefore, getting this card only makes sense if you’re going to use the card’s other bonus categories, like travel, supermarkets, and dining.
CLICK HERE to read our full review of the Citi Strata Premier card.
Citi Strata Card
The no-annual-fee Citi Strata card is a great option if you want to earn ThankYou points on gas purchases but don’t want to pay for a premium card. It earns 3x points at gas and EV charging stations, on select transit, and at supermarkets, along with a rotating “Self-Select” category where you can also earn 3x points.
You won’t get all of the travel perks that come with the Strata Premier, but if you like the idea of building a ThankYou balance and want a strong gas multiplier with no annual fee, this card is worth considering.
Costco Anywhere Visa
The Costco Anywhere Visa card now earns 5% back on gas purchased at Costco and 4% back on other eligible gas and EV charging purchases, on up to a combined $7,000 each year. After that, gas purchases earn 1% cash back. Since gas purchases at wholesale clubs are typically excluded from bonus categories, earning 5% at Costco’s own pumps and 4% elsewhere is a huge plus if you buy gas there often.
This card has no annual fee as long as you are a Costco member. You receive the cashback once yearly as a lump sum that needs to be redeemed at Costco. Using this card for gas is a no-brainer if you’re a Costco loyalist. CLICK HERE to read our full review of the Costco Anywhere card.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred
If you’d rather earn cash back than points, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred is a solid choice for gas and everyday spending. It earns:
- 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations,
- 3% cash back on transit (taxis, rideshare, tolls, trains, buses and more),
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), and
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services.
There’s a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then a $95 annual fee after that. If you’re putting regular spend on gas and groceries, it’s easy for many households to earn that fee back and then some. Rewards are cash back (in the form of Reward Dollars), so this is a good option if you want a strong gas card but don’t care about airline or hotel transfer partners.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
If you’re looking for a no-requirement, no-annual-fee, cash-back card, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card may be perfect for you. It earns 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 1% cash back on other purchases. Bonus rewards are capped at $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/selected category purchases each quarter.
While the card is not exciting, you can earn $300 back each year if you only use the card for gas purchases up to $2,500 per quarter. That’s enough to purchase most round-trip economy airline tickets. You also have the flexibility to use the money however you want.
We don’t have this card since we use our cards to earn points or miles for our travel, but I realize that some people would find it extremely valuable. You can sign up for the card at the Bank of America Website.
Wells Fargo Autograph
The Wells Fargo Autograph card is another strong, no-annual-fee option that earns bonus rewards at gas stations. It earns unlimited 3x points on:
- Gas stations,
- Travel,
- Transit,
- Restaurants,
- Popular streaming services, and
- Phone plans.
Points can be redeemed for statement credits, travel, gift cards and more. It’s a great “set it and forget it” card if you want solid rewards on gas and other everyday categories without worrying about quarterly activations or paying an annual fee.
PenFed Platinum Rewards
The Platinum Rewards card from PenFed Credit Union earns 5x points on gas purchases at the pump and 3x points on grocery purchases. It has no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees.
You can redeem points earned with the Platinum Rewards card for travel or gift certificates. There isn’t a simple, public chart, but most estimates place gift card redemptions around 0.8 cents per point and travel redemptions closer to 1.0–1.1 cents per point. Even if you assume 1 cent each, that’s about a 5% return on gas purchases with a no-annual-fee card.
Since PenFed is a credit union, you have to be a member to be eligible for their credit card. While there were previously requirements for membership, now the only cost to join is depositing $5 in a savings account.
You can sign up for the card at the PenFed website.
American Express Hilton Honors Surpass
If you’re looking for a card that will earn you points in a hotel program for your gas purchases, the Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express is a great choice. It earns six Hilton Honors points per dollar for U.S. gas purchases and purchases at U.S. restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. The Surpass card also earns 12 points per dollar for Hilton charges worldwide and 3 points per dollar for all other purchases.
Hilton points are only worth about 0.6 cents each. That’s a 3.6% return on your gas purchases, which isn’t the best value out there. However, if you’re a Hilton fan and get a better value for your points, this card is a good choice for you. The card has a $150 annual fee but provides complimentary Hilton Gold status and a free night certificate if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.
CLICK HERE to read our full review of the Hilton Surpass card.
Citi Custom Cash
The Citi Custom Cash provides 5% back in one of several categories listed by the card.
5% eligible categories: Restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, live entertainment.
You earn 5% in the category you spend the most in each month and 1% on all other charges. The only thing keeping all the points and miles geeks from getting the card is that the 5% bonus is limited to $500 each month.
I exclusively use this card for live entertainment expenses, which include concerts, theater tickets and amusement park tickets. However, it could be a good option if you spend $500 a month at gas stations.
CLICK HERE to read more about the Citi Custom Cash card.
Chase Freedom Flex
Chase Freedom Flex isn’t a dedicated gas card, but it’s one to keep in mind. It earns 5% cash back (5x Ultimate Rewards points) on rotating quarterly bonus categories on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter after activation. Gas stations and EV charging show up regularly as one of those 5% categories.
If gas is a featured category for the quarter, Freedom Flex can be your best choice at the pump. If you also have a premium Chase card like the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, you can combine points and use them for travel redemptions or transfers to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.
Buc-ee’s Mastercard
The only thing that makes my irrational desire to get a Buc-ee’s credit card make any sense is the 5% discount on Buc-ee’s purchases (gas and in-store) when you use the card. Since there’s no way for me to qualify for the card without us moving to Texas, I guess I’ll have to go without this card for a while longer.
If you’re eligible for the Buc-ee’s card, you can sign up at the TDECU website.
Business Cards
American Express Business Gold
The American Express Business Gold card offers a great return on gasoline purchases as the card pays 4x Membership Rewards points on the top two of the following spending categories each billing cycle:
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers,
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.,
- Transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways,
- Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio),
- U.S. purchases at gas stations, and
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
If your business has large expenditures at gas stations, earning 4x points is hard to beat. Just remember that the 4x bonus only applies to your top two eligible categories each billing cycle (up to the card’s annual cap), and the card now has a $375 annual fee. If you’re able to take advantage of several of the bonus categories and Amex’s business benefits, that fee can still be worth paying.
CLICK HERE to read our full review of the American Express Business Gold Card.
Ink Business Cash Credit Card
If you want a no-annual-fee business card that still offers a solid return on gas, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card from Chase is worth a look. It earns:
- 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services,
- 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at gas stations and restaurants, and
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
On its own, the card earns cash back, but if you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred), you can combine points and turn that cash back into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points. That can make the 2x at gas stations much more valuable, especially if you redeem through Chase’s travel partners.
There’s no annual fee, which makes this an easy keeper for many small businesses that spend regularly at gas stations and don’t want to commit to a high annual fee card just for gas.
Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card
The Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card earns 8x Wyndham Rewards points for gas station purchases. That’s incredible as a standard bonus category and could be valuable, depending on how much you value Wyndham points and how often you stay with the chain.
The card costs $95 per year and also pays 5x points on advertising, marketing and utility expenses, plus 1x points on all other eligible purchases. Cardholders also get Wyndham Rewards Platinum status and an annual anniversary bonus, which can help offset the annual fee if you use the program.
You can sign up for the card on the Barclays website.
Final Thought
Choosing which card to use when you pull up to the gas pump can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Once you decide whether you prefer cash back, transferrable points, hotel rewards, or simply the card that helps you reach an annual spending goal, the choice becomes much clearer.
In our house, we all use different cards for different reasons—and that’s perfectly fine. What works for you may be awful for someone else, and vice versa. The important thing is to pick the card that fits your spending habits and rewards preferences, and then stick with it long enough to see the benefits add up.
Like most things in the points and miles world, there’s no universally “best” option. There’s only the best option for you. Once you find it, the rewards—whether cash back, points, or free hotel nights—start to roll in every time you fill your tank.
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