With the average price of gas now above $3.50 a gallon, cash back at the pump has never been more important. For those who drive a lot of miles, a gas rewards credit card can help you save money in the form of cash back or rewards.
We’ve selected some of the best gas credit cards based on the rewards rate on gas purchases, the rewards rate on other purchases, the signup bonus, if any, and the card's annual fee.
The Best Gas Credit Cards
There are several cards available today that pay elevated cash back rewards at the pump. Here are the best gas rewards credit cards of 2023.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The card offers a welcome bonus and a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.99% - 29.99%. The card does have an annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95..
So how much can this card generate in cash back on gas? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spends $250 a month on gas. This would generate $90 in cash back per year just on fuel purchases. That just about takes care of the annual fee. If you also max out the 6% cash back rewards, you'll earn an additional $360 in cash back.
Rewards:
Highlights:
- Welcome Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Gas Rewards Rate: 3%
- 0% Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.99% - 29.99%
- Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Read more in our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review.
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
You don't have to signup each quarter and you don't have to worry about which category is active. Just use the card as you normally would, and Citi applies the 5% to the eligible category in which you spent the most (up to $500 a month). And gas is an eligible category.
The card also offers a signup bonus and if you max out the 5% reward each month on gas, you can earn $300 a year on cash back on gas purchases alone.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 5%
- Annual Fee: $0
Read our Citi Custom Cash℠ Card Review.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
You can earn a signup bonus and there's no annual fee.
This card also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.
It's worth noting, Bank of America Preferred Rewards Members can earn up to 5.25% on their choice category.
If you max out the 3% rewards category, you can earn $300 cash back per year.
Rewards Recap:
- 3% cash back on the category of your choice (up to $2,500 in combined choice, grocery, and wholesale club spending every quarter)
- 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice, grocery, and wholesale club spending every quarter)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: Online $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 3%
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases: 15 billing cycles
- Annual Fee: $0
PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card offers 4% cash back on gas purchases for the first $8,000 in combined category purchases every year. That's a max cash back of $320 per year.
There's no annual fee and you can get a signup bonus.
This card also offers a 0% intro APR for the first 12 months on balance transfers made within the first 90 days.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: Earn a $200 Bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 4%
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers: 12 months
- Annual Fee: $0
Sam's Club Mastercard
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: To receive the signup bonus, you will need to make Sam’s Club purchases totaling $30 or more within 30 days of account opening. A $30 credit will appear on your account within 90 days after the qualifying purchases are made. Purchases excluded are cash advances, gift card sales, alcohol, tobacco and pharmacy purchases.
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 5%
- Annual Fee: $0, but you'll need a Sam's Club membership
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
There's no annual fee, but you'll need a Costco membership to qualify for this card.
If you max out the 4% reward, you can earn $280 a year in cash back on gas alone.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: N/A
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 4%
- Annual Fee: $0, but you'll need a Costco membership
Read our Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi Review.
USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Credit Card
There's no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. This card also offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months when the balance transfer is made within the first 90 days.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Welcome Bonus: None
- Gas Rewards Rate: Up to 5%
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers: 15 months
- Annual Fee: $0
Citi Premier® Card
There is an annual fee but there are no foreign transaction fees and there's a signup bonus. Points are redeemable for travel rewards, gift cards, and purchases online at Amazon and BestBuy.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
- Gas Rewards Rate: 3x points
- Annual Fee: $95
Read our Citi Premier® Card Review.
Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
There's no annual fee and this card also offers a welcome bonus.
You will need to be a member of the PenFed Credit Union, but membership is easily attainable by opening a PenFed savings account with a $5 minimum deposit. The savings account APY is competitive if you don't already have a high-yield savings account elsewhere.
Rewards Recap:
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: Earn 15,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days
- Gas Rewards Rate: 5x points
- Annual Fee: $0
Complete List of Gas Rewards Credit Cards
Here are the cards in our database that offer enhanced rewards (more than 1%) on gas purchases:
1%-6%
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
1x to 2x Miles
$99, waived for first 12 months
1x to 2x miles
$99, waived for first 12 months
Methodology
This isn't rocket science. We searched for the credit cards that pay the highest cash back rewards for gas purchases. Most of the cards listed here do not have an annual fee. The cards with annual fees make it easy to earn back the fee and more with the amount of cash back you can get from regular gas and grocery spending.
You shouldn't have to jump through hoops to use a great credit card so we also made sure credit cards from credit unions offer easily attainable membership.
How to Pick a Gas Rewards Credit Card
The first step is to determine how many credit cards you want to use on a regularly basis. If it's just one, you'll likely do better with a 2% cash back card on all purchases. You won't earn as much on gas as you would with many of the cards above, but your overall cash back will likely be higher.
If you are willing to carry more than one card, the next step is to evaluate what spending categories generate the most spend. It's these categories that should determine your second, third or even fourth cards. And if one of those categories is gas, then one of the cards on this page is likely to be a solid option.
Final Thoughts
Finding a card that pays a lot on gas is the easy part. Unless you spend a truckload on gas, you'll likely spend a lot more in other categories. So it's important to look beyond the gas rewards rate and evaluate your overall credit card rewards strategy.
