- 5% cash back on select spending.
- No annual fee.
- No registration to earn bonuses.
AP Buyline’s content is created independently of The Associated Press newsroom. Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content. Learn more about our policies and terms here.
Updated June 19, 2024
Using the right credit card at the pump can put a surprising amount of money back in your pocket. You can effectively receive a rebate of up to 5% (or even more) by using a rewards credit card at the gas station.
Best gas reward credit cards
- card_name: Best for no annual fee.
- card_name: Best for travel rewards.
- card_name: Best for a gas station-focused intro offer.
- card_name: Best for cash back.
- card_name: Best for Costco shoppers.
- card_name: Best for earning hotel points.
- card_name: Best for small business owners.
Our top recommendations
card_name: Best for no annual fee
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Pros:
Cons:
- $500 cap on 5% cashback category.
- You can’t choose your top categories.
- Foreign transaction fee.
The card_name is a cash back credit card that tracks your spending and automatically awards a 5% bonus to the eligible spending category that you use the most (for up to $500 in spending per billing cycle, then 1%). Eligible categories include common expenses such as restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations. In other words, you can receive up to $25 in rewards for gas station spending.
You’ll earn 1% back on all other purchases.
card_name: Best for travel rewards
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Pros:
Generous sign up bonus
3X points on gas purchases
No foreign transaction fees
The card_name earns 3 Citi ThankYou points per dollar at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, as well as for air travel and hotel reservations. You can cash out your points, or you can transfer them to valuable travel partners such as JetBlue, Avianca and Wyndham to receive potentially double that value (or more). If you have travel aspirations, few credit cards will help you to reach your next (nearly) free vacation faster than the card_name.
card_name: Best for a gas station-focused intro offer
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Credit score
credit_score_needed
Annual fees
annual_fees
Welcome bonus
bonus_miles_full
Why we like it
The no annual fee card_name earns between 1.5% and 5% cash back on all purchases, making it a perfect option for those that don’t want to juggle multiple rewards credit cards. It also offers a generous 0% intro APR window on purchases and balance transfers.
A high return rate on everyday purchases is great, but this card ups the ante in a big way: You can turn the cash back you earn into airline miles and hotel points for nearly free travel — skyrocketing the potential value of your rewards. You’ll need to hold an annual fee-incurring Chase Ultimate Rewards card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, to do it; but it’s a nice redemption option to have if travel is a goal of yours.
The card_name is one of the best no annual fee rewards credit cards — in large part due to its earning rate of 5% on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal, 3% for dining and drugstores and 1.5% on everything else. But its current bonus makes swiping the card at gas stations exceptionally lucrative. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
card_name: Best for cash back
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Credit score
credit_score_needed
Annual fees
annual_fees
Welcome bonus
bonus_miles_full Terms apply.
If your primary goal is to earn cash back, you’ll love the useful bonus categories that come with the card_name. It’s one of the highest-performing cash back credit cards you can get, earning 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (for up to $6,000 per calendar year) and on select U.S. streaming services, as well as 3% on transit and at U.S. gas stations. It earns 1% back on all other eligible purchases.
card_name: Best for Costco shoppers
Costco Anywhere Visa(R) Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa(R) Card by Citi
Credit score
credit_score_needed
Annual fees
annual_fees
Welcome bonus
bonus_miles_full
The card_name is a great cash back credit card that’s designed for Costco members. But it’s useful even for folks who rarely visit Costco.
For example, it earns a whopping 4% back at eligible gas and EV charging stations (up to $7,000 per year, then 1%). That’s well above average for this common expense. You’ll even receive this return at gas stations other than Costco. Just note that if you purchase gas at a supermarket, superstore, convenience store or any warehouse club that isn’t Costco, you’ll only get 1% back.
card_name: Best for earning hotel points
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass(R) Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass(R) Card
The card_name provides several excellent Hilton-specific benefits, including up to $200 in Hilton credits each year and automatic Gold status, which comes with perks like room upgrades (when available) and free (or discounted) breakfast. Terms Apply.
The card also earns 12 points per dollar on Hilton purchases and 6 points per dollar on dining at U.S. restaurants, groceries at U.S. supermarkets and gas at U.S. gas stations. Hilton points are generally worth 0.6 cents each when used for hotel stays, effectively giving you a solid 3.6% back for gas.
card_name: Best for small business owners
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Credit score
credit_score_needed
Annual fees
annual_fees
Welcome bonus
bonus_miles_full
Why we like it
The card_name features up to 5% cash back on the first $25,000 of annual spending in popular business categories, including office supply store and eligible telecommunications service purchases. It offers 2% back on up to $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants and 1% everywhere else. If you also have a Chase Ultimate Rewards card, you can convert cash back into potentially more valuable rewards points.
After signing up for a new account, you can earn up to $750 in bonus cash back. You’ll get $350 after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 after spending $6,000 in the first six months. With a package of travel and purchase benefits and no annual fee, it’s easy to see how business owners can earn significant value from this card.
The card_name offers myriad perks that can help reward small businesses for common expenses such as internet, cable, phone services and purchases at office supply stores. The card also provides 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $25,000 in combined purchases each cardmember year, then 1%). This is great for road warriors who drive a lot as part of the job.
Best gas credit cards 2024: Comparison
| Card name | Annual fees | Welcome bonus | Credit score |
|---|---|---|---|
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
card_name | annual_fees | bonus_miles | credit_score_needed |
How we chose the best gas credit cards
We compared card offers based on the following criteria: Rewards rates (when applicable), welcome offers (when applicable), rewards flexibility; introductory APR offers, variable APRs, annual fees, included consumer protections included, travel benefits and perks, travel insurance benefits and required credit rating.
Ultimately, we looked for credit cards that offer the most lucrative rewards structures and welcome offers, as well as flexibility within their designated rewards programs. Some cards that don't offer rewards were evaluated based on other factors, including their fee structure, introductory interest rates and regular variable APR. In all cases, benefits such as consumer protections and travel insurance perks were taken into account.
Choosing the best gas credit card: Where to begin
The above gas credit cards are the best of the best for gas — but that doesn’t mean all of them are a perfect fit for your situation. Consider the following factors before you decide on a card.
Financial goals
What’s the reason you’re opening a rewards credit card? If it’s to earn a rebate on your gas station purchases, you’ll want a cash back credit card. If you’d like to use your card’s rewards for travel, you should open a credit card that earns travel points.
Eligibility by credit score
Before you submit an application, take note of your credit score. You don’t want to apply for a credit card that’s out of your league. Failing to do your research can result in an instant denial.
Related: How to check your credit score
Earning rates
Your primary objective when looking for the best gas credit cards is likely the return you’ll get for your spending. But there’s more to focus on than just the impressive earnings rate in big bold font. Make sure you read the fine print for annual earning caps. For example, the Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% at gas stations, but only up to $7,000 per year, which means after you hit your cap, your earnings then plummet to 1%.
Additional bonus categories
Your primary objective is receiving a solid return for gas station spending. Beyond that, you should try to find something that provides bonus rewards for other bonus categories that match your spending habits, such as groceries and restaurants.
Welcome bonus
All things being equal, you should choose the card that offers the highest welcome bonus. Earning a credit card welcome bonus is the fastest way to earn hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars in rewards. Just ensure that the minimum spending required to achieve it is realistic for your budget.
What is a gas credit card?
How do gas credit cards work?
Gas credit cards typically work the same as any other credit card, though there are different kinds (as you’ll see below). In short, you can swipe it at the gas station and pay your bill later. You can expect to pay five cents or more per gallon when using a credit card instead of cash.
Types of gas credit cards
In most cases, credit cards donned with the moniker of “gas credit card” are just rewards credit cards that have an exceptionally high return rate for gas station spending. However, some gas companies offer closed-loop credit cards, which means that you can only use the card at their specific gas stations. In other words, it won’t work anywhere else.
There are also fleet fuel cards, which are generally used by companies that pay for employee gas expenses. They often report activity to the company and come with various discounts for gas purchases.
Pros and cons of gas credit cards
Because gas is an ever-increasing expense for most folks, the best gas credit cards are a hyper-effective way of lessening the blow at the pump. They also often come with a wide variety of additional bonus categories for everyday purchases.
The downside to the best gas credit cards is the same as with any credit card. For example, you’ll get royally dinged with interest charges for carrying a balance month-to-month. And many credit cards cap your bonus rewards earnings after spending a certain amount monthly or annually.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Is there a credit card for gas only?
There are credit cards for gas only, usually issued by a specific gas company. These credit cards will only work at participating gas stations, meaning they’re not useful for any other spending.
What is the easiest credit card to get?
Generally speaking, the easiest credit card to get is a secured credit card that requires a refundable security deposit upon account opening. A handful of secured credit cards, such as the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card, offer bonus rewards at gas stations.
What are fleet gas cards?
Fleet gas cards are used by companies that pay for employee gas expenses. When used, they often report activity to the company. They also usually provide some form of discount for gas purchases.
What credit score do I need for a gas card?
The credit score you need for a gas card depends entirely on the card you’re going for. Whether you have a limited credit history, fair credit or excellent credit, there’s a credit card out there that rewards you for your gas expenses.
For rates and fees of the card_name, please visit this URL.
For rates and fees of the card_name, please visit this URL.
AP Buyline has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. AP Buyline and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
AP Buyline’s content is created independently of The Associated Press newsroom. Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we might earn commissions from our partners’ links in this content. Learn more about our policies and terms here.