Best gas credit cards for June 2022

Compare Bankrate’s top gas credit cards

A closer look at our best gas credit cards

Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for sign-up bonus

• What we love about the Customized Cash Rewards: The ability to choose and change your bonus cash back category allows for a flexible rewards strategy and room for your credit card portfolio to grow.
• Who this card is good for: Cash back strategists who want high rewards rates in more than one category.
• Alternatives: Spending caps are common on a card like this, but if you’re looking to avoid limits on the amount of cash back or points you can earn, consider a card with a fixed, flat rate rewards model like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card or another flat-rate cash back card. These cards earn flexibly across all of your spending and don’t require the same category enrollment the Customized Cash Rewards does to earn its best rate.

Read our Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card review.
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Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best for gas and groceries

• What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred: Pairing 3 percent back at U.S. gas stations with 6 percent back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1 percent) makes it one of the best cards for everyday purchases available.
• Who this card is good for: People with a moderate to large grocery budget who spend a lot of time on the road.
• Alternatives: Maybe your grocery budget is not substantial enough to offset the card’s recurring $95 annual fee but you still want to earn generously for purchases made at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations. The card’s predecessor, the Blue Cash Everyday, also earns modestly at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. While rewards rates are not as high as those on the Blue Cash Preferred, the Everyday has the added advantage of no annual fee.

Read our Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express review.
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Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express: Best for no annual fee

• What we love about the Blue Cash Everyday: In addition to U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, there’s a more rare bonus category: select U.S. department stores. For families, this trio of bonus categories can be valuable—all for no annual fee.
• Who this card is good for: Home and family shoppers who want to stick to a budget and not worry about recouping an annual fee.
• Alternatives: It’s tough to find a solid replacement for the Blue Cash Everyday because it costs nothing to hold and earns decent rewards in key categories. However, if you are looking to boost your rewards earning potential for gas specifically, a customized option like the Citi Custom Cash card boasts a phenomenal 5 percent cash back rate in your top spending category, including gas station purchases (on up to $500 per billing cycle, then 1 percent).

Read our Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express review.
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Citi Rewards+ Card: Best for everyday spending

• What we love about the Citi Rewards+ Card: The rewards earned from every purchase will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points. So, a $12 lunch order would earn 20 ThankYou points. Plus, the card earns an annual 10 percent bonus points on the first 100,000 points you redeem.
• Who this card is good for: Everyday shoppers who want to earn points for purchases they make that are redeemable for purchases, gift cards, statement credits, direct deposits or on Amazon.com.
• Alternatives: Going with a card that earns a higher point value for the purchases you make the most could be more to your advantage. The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards and the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card cards provide the flexibility to plan a spending strategy that earns more across everyday spending.

Read our Citi Rewards+ Card review.
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Sam’s Club Mastercard: Best wholesale club card

• What we love about the Sam’s Club Mastercard: This card not only rewards Sam’s Club members for purchases at Sam’s Club, but also offers all cardholders (including non-members) a solid rewards rate on everyday purchases like gas and restaurants. Indeed, its gas rewards rate is one of the best on the market.
• Who this card is good for: While Sam’s Club members may get the most value from this card, anyone eager to fill a hole in their rewards strategy with a card that earns cash back on gas purchases anywhere can benefit.
• Alternatives: If you aren’t—or don’t plan on becoming—a Sam’s Club member, then this card isn’t for you. However, if earning rewards on gas is your priority and you still want to earn rewards on Sam’s Club purchases, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card could be a great option. It has elevated rewards in categories like supermarkets, gas stations and wholesale clubs.

Read our Sam’s Club Mastercard review.
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Discover it Chrome: Best for first-year cash back match

• What we love about the Discover it Chrome: Discover will automatically match all of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
• Who this card is good for: Someone who wants to earn rewards on both restaurant and gas station purchases.
• Alternatives: Other no-annual-fee credit cards earn better rewards rates for gas, but if the cash back match is something that you’re heavily invested in, consider the Discover it® Cash Back. While the rewards program on the Cash Back card will require more legwork on your end, you could come out on top at the end of the year depending on how much you spend in the card’s rotating categories.

Read our Discover it Chrome review.
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Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card: Best credit union rewards card

• What we love about the PenFed Platinum Rewards card: In addition to gas purchases, this card also offers bonus points at electric vehicle charging stations. Additionally, rewards are unlimited, and in the gas-at-the-pump category alone, spending $200 a month would earn 1,000 monthly reward points.
• Who this card is good for: Frugal spenders who want to be rewarded for budget staples like gas, dining out and supermarket purchases.
• Alternatives: Joining a credit union may push you away from a card like this despite its great rewards potential. If that’s the case, consider attempting to cover the rewards you would earn with the card with a spending strategy that includes multiple cards and earns at least 5 percent back on everything you purchase.

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In the news

Gas prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as a result of supply chain imbalances and COVID cases decreasing, which prompted a return to offices and road trips. While commuters are bound for sticker shock at the pumps, Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst, says the best way to save on gas is with a gas rewards credit card.

Along with savvy tips like using grocery points to curb the cost and emptying your trunk, Rossman notes the best credit cards to save on gas are not co-branded gas station cards. Instead, general-purpose rewards or cash back cards are the best way to save on gas purchases because they offer lower APRs and percentage-based rewards rather than the cent-based discounts on co-branded gas station cards.

What is a gas credit card?

A gas credit card is a rewards card that earns points, cash back or miles when you spend at the pump. Just like other credit cards, these can either earn rewards at a flat-rate or have rotating bonus categories with elevated rewards rates.

Along with cards dedicated to gas rewards, some of the best grocery cards and travel cards also earn rewards for spending at the pump, so any card that offers customized rewards or includes gas purchases in a bonus category can be used as your “gas card.”

Cards with customizable rewards rates can be especially flexible. For example, the Citi Custom Cash earns 5 percent back in your top spending category, with gas just one of many eligible categories (on up to $500 in spending per billing cycle, then 1 percent back). This flexibility could be helpful if you’re juggling multiple cards or your gas spend varies from month to month.

Picking the card that’s best for you means determining where you spend the majority of your money and how exactly you want your gas credit card to fit into your rewards strategy.

Types of gas credit cards

The two main types of gas credit cards are co-branded and general-purpose. They both have their benefits, but general-purpose cards that include gas as a rewards category can be more versatile.

General-purpose gas credit cards

General-purpose gas cards are simply credit cards that offer bonus rewards at gas stations. These may come with rewards models that offer cash back or points earned per dollar spent. Typically the best general-purpose credit cards include a range of rewards categories and give you the flexibility to maintain your spending habits without thinking about how to maximize your rewards strategy.

A great general-purpose gas credit card might also earn generously at U.S. supermarkets or at wholesale clubs. However, it’s rare that gas will be included in the highest rewards tier, so to really maximize your rewards at the pumps you may opt for a card like the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card in order to earn 3 percent back in a category of your choice, like gas (on up to $2,500 of combined 3 and 2 percent category purchases each quarter, then 1 percent).

Loyalty gas cards

Loyalty gas cards, or cards distributed by specific gas stations to promote loyalty (such as BP, Speedway or Chevron), allow cardholders to earn credits for gas and receive discounts on fuel. While these cards can provide benefits in the form of discounts on gas, typically a certain number of cents off per gallon, they typically don’t offer rewards for purchases outside of those made at the gas stations they’re tied to. Even so, some of these options and the gas loyalty rewards programs they’re a part of can bring in a nice chunk of savings.

Pros and cons of gas rewards cards

Like any type of rewards credit card, gas cards have their perks and drawbacks. Consider the following before you apply:

Who should get a gas credit card?

You might already have a good idea what type of spender you are and it may come as no surprise that gas credit cards are best suited for people who spend significantly at the pump. But not everyone can benefit from them—many people who work from home or don’t drive often might not find value in earning cash back for gas station purchases. However, the following people are most likely to earn the best bang for their buck with a gas card:

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  Commuters

  Traveling to and from work every day can definitely run up your gas bill, so using a gas card could help you earn a significant stash of rewards in no time. Save up your rewards and they may even cover the cost of your next fill-up.

  If you use the Citi Custom Cash card for all of your gas payments, you’ll earn 5 percent back if gas is your top spending category that billing cycle (up to $500 each billing cycle, then 1 percent), netting you an annual $104.70 if you spend $2,094 each year on gas and don’t exceed the monthly $500 cap on the 5 percent rate.

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  Road trippers

  If your preferred method of travel is to head out on the open road, you may consider a gas card a helpful tool to cover travel costs. Unlike most traditional travel cards that offer rewards on flights and hotel purchases, you’ll earn most where you spend most and rack up cash back at the pump. For road-trip food stops, you should consider coupling gas rewards with rewards for restaurant purchases.

  A great option would be to grab a hotel loyalty rewards credit card like the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Not only will this reward you for hotel stays on the road at Hilton properties, but it also earns 5X points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. grocery stores and U.S. gas stations. The flexibility to use those rewards on Hilton hotel stays means that every dollar spent on the pump equates to less spent at the check-in counter.

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  Traveling families

  Quite a few gas cards on the market also offer rewards in other popular spending categories like dining and grocery store purchases. These kinds of reward structures make gas cards ideal for frequent travelers and on-the-go families who need to stock up often on gas and groceries. Travel cards with a gas rewards category can also be beneficial if you spend heavily on gas and want to earn rewards for your next trip or vacation. With the right travel card, you could stockpile a ton of points or miles for gas purchases that you can use to fund your next family trip.

  If you want to stick with a single card that earns consistent rewards across a range of categories like travel, groceries, gas and dining, consider the Citi Premier® Card, which earns 3X points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels. This card can cover nearly every expense you’ll make on the road, in the air and at the hotel.

If you aren’t sure what type of spender you are, our Credit Card Spender Type Tool gives you personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

How to choose the best gas credit card for you

There are a variety of options when choosing among the best gas credit cards. Consider these questions when shopping around for the best gas card for you.

Do you want a general-purpose or loyalty gas card?

If you spend most of your time at one specific gas station, consider choosing a loyalty card that offers discounts at that particular chain. By pairing a gas card with a brand’s loyalty program, you could potentially earn several cents back per gallon. However, if you want more flexible (and rewarding) options, a general-purpose rewards card can earn rewards at any station, potentially at a higher rate.

What perks and rewards do you need for non-gas purchases?

Outside of rewards on gas purchases, evaluate other major spending categories you’d like to earn in. Busy families with high grocery budgets or commuting professionals can apply for a cas credit card that also rewards these purchases.

How much are you willing to invest in your gas card?

While many gas cards don’t charge an annual fee, a few do. These annual fees often come with a higher rewards rate and extra perks that bring additional value to your card, though the rewards you earn on gas spending alone may not be enough to recoup them. Some gas cards may also require you to have a membership with a specialty store or organization to qualify.

Take note of these extra investments when deciding which gas card best fits your needs. Paying an annual fee is often not worthwhile unless you can take full advantage of a card’s rewards rates and benefits.

To give you a better idea of the potential value difference between a gas card with an annual fee and one without it, this chart breaks down the cost and total estimated rewards value of two similar cash back cards — the American Express Blue Cash Preferred and the Blue Cash Everyday, assuming you spend $2,000 on gas per year.

At this spending level and only accounting for purchases at U.S. gas stations, the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday is a clear winner over the Blue Cash Preferred. Due to its annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred would actually end up costing you more than you’d earn in rewards.

However, both cards earn their highest rates for purchases at U.S. supermarkets, so you can’t make the most of them if you’re only using them for spending at U.S. gas stations. When you factor in U.S. supermarket purchases, the Blue Cash Preferred may be a much more attractive option, even with its annual fee. Check out this breakdown, which assumes you spend $4,000 per year at U.S. supermarkets and $2,000 per year at gas stations:

As you can see, if a card offers a high enough rewards rate in your largest spending categories, including gas, it may be worth paying an annual fee. But if you’re a modest spender looking to add a gas card to your wallet and already earn rewards on other expenses with another card, a no-annual-fee card may be a better fit.

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