10 Best Gas Credit Card Types to Stay on the Road in 2021

As the country slowly reopens, gas prices are expected to grow considerably in 2021. In a country with over 270 million registered vehicles, that means a lot of gas spending. Yet, with so many options, how do you choose the best gas credit card?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. Now’s the perfect time to prepare for the oncoming gas hikes by applying for a gas-friendly credit card. 

We compared the rewards of some of the nation’s top credit cards to find the ones with the best returns on gas purchases. 

Keep reading to find out what they are.

Affiliate Disclosure

Overview — PenFed’s rewards card leaves the competition in the dust when it comes to gas purchases. Though that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few restrictions in place, but they’re worth working around to get these rewards.

Rewards — 5X reward points on gasoline purchases essentially make this the best gas rewards credit card, but it doesn’t stop there. Using this card also earns 3X reward points on grocery purchases and points on all other purchases.

And you get all that without an annual fee and no cap on the rewards you can earn. Plus, this card’s APR is one of the more reasonable you’ll find. 

Although you’ll get a lot of reward points, this card has no cashback option. And unless you’re spending your points on travel or hotel bookings, their value drops quite a bit. So, while these are the best credit card rewards for gas, you’re a bit limited in how you can use those rewards.

Introductory offer — When you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days of opening your account, you’ll receive a $100 statement credit: nothing to write home about as far as sign-up bonuses go, but a welcome bit of income.

Additional perks — If you plan on making a balance transfer to your credit card, you’re in luck. Balance transfers made through March 2021 get 0% APR for the first 12 months. There will probably be more of these to come this year too.

Pros:

• Best points rewards for gas purchases
• Visa Signature benefits
• No annual fee
• $100 statement credit welcome bonus

Cons:

• Only for PenFed members
• No cashback options

Overview — To be clear, American Express doesn’t market this as a card primarily for gas purchases. Even so, it’s one of the best credit cards for gas and a top-tier rewards card overall. Its reward structure makes it most appealing for mid-to-large families that spend a lot on groceries and transportation.

Rewards — For starters, the Blue Cash Preferred® card earns 6% cashback on supermarket purchases in the US and select streaming subscriptions. However, these supermarket cashback rewards cut off at $6,000 per year and earn 1% after that.

Additionally, you’ll earn 3% cashback at US gas stations and spending on local transportation.

Lastly, the card gives you 1% cashback on most other purchases. The one drawback is that you can only redeem your cashback rewards in the form of statement credits.

Introductory offer — When you spend $1,000 within the first three months, you’ll receive a $300 statement credit — enough to cover the annual fee for three years.

Additional perks — While this is the best credit card for gas and grocery rewards, it doesn’t feature much in the way of added benefits. You’ll get 0% APR for the first 12 months and a few other standard perks from AmEx, such as return protection on select purchases.

Pros:

• 6% cashback on supermarket purchases 
• 6% cashback on streaming services
• No balance transfers
• $300 statement credit welcome bonus

Cons:

• Only gives cashback at US supermarkets
• Cashback only redeemable as statement credits

Overview — If you’re on the road a lot, this is the card that will give you the best rewards. And that counts whether you’re spending on gas, airfare, or any other kind of travel. This card also has a unique ace up its sleeve; you can transfer cashback rewards gained into Chase Ultimate points. 

If you’re strategic about using those points, you may get more value than the cashback amount. 

Rewards — Chase Freedom Unlimited nets cardholders 1.5% cashback on gas purchases (and most other purchases). That may not seem like much compared to the best gas station credit cards, but there’s no limit to how much cashback you can earn this way. 

Also, cardholders earn 3.5% additional cashback on Lyft rides through March 2022 for a total of 5%. 

However, the real jewel in this card’s crown is 5% cashback on travel purchased through Chase and 3% on dining and restaurant spending. Those rewards easily compete with the best credit cards for gas purchases and dining.

Introductory offer — Get a $200 bonus when you spend $500 within the first three months of opening your account — a decent reward for such a low spending requirement. 

Additional perks — Chase partners with DoorDash and Lyft to give cardholders added benefits. With the Freedom Unlimited card come three free months of DoorDash’s subscription service, DashPass.  

Also, Chase has one of the best debit cards for kids that is definitely worth checking out.

Pros:

• Redeem cashback as Chase points
• 5% cashback on travel 
• No cap to cashback on gas
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Relatively low cashback on gas
• High credit requirement

Overview — If you have the credit level for this card, and you plan to spend enough to get the welcome bonus, it’s one of the best deals around. Citi doesn’t have the most valuable reward points, but used wisely can prove highly lucrative for travel. 

Moreover, the Citi Premier card has a broad reward structure that gives extra points in several major categories. 

Rewards — 3X points on gas purchases is just the beginning. This card also earns 3X points for supermarket purchases, dining, air travel, and hotels. You’ll have trouble finding a more generous reward scheme, even among the best credit cards for gas rewards.

Introductory offer — Rewards notwithstanding, the sign-up bonus is what sets this card head and shoulders above the competition. Spending $4,000 in the first three months will net you 60,000 bonus Citi points. 

$4,000 is a tall mountain to climb, but that can be well over $600 in points if redeemed efficiently.

Additional perks — Citi Premier is primarily a travel card and offers the best bonuses in that category. Cardholders can get $100 off a hotel stay of over $500, and ThankYou points can be transferred to one of many airline loyalty programs.

Pros:

• Outstanding welcome bonus
• Excellent travel rewards
• Relatively low annual fee
• Supermarket and dining rewards

Cons:

• High credit requirement
• Annual fee

Overview — Discover’s cards are generally in the top tier when it comes to cashback rewards. But the company is best known for its rolling category approach that rewards people who plan out their spending. 

Discover It Chrome sacrifices some reward potential for a lot more convenience.  

Rewards — Instead of rotating cashback categories every quarter, this card earns a flat 2% cashback on gas and restaurant purchases. Although not a match for our best gas cash back credit card (PenFed Platinum), it’s a far more accessible card. 

All other purchases earn 1% cashback. However, there is a $1,000 cashback spending limit every quarter. So you’ll still be rewarded for spreading out your purchases.

Introductory offer — Discover matches all your cashback rewards after the first year. It’s an unlimited match so you can get 2% cashback on up to $4,000 with this card. 

Additional perks — There’s not much to speak of in the way of benefits other than Discover’s standard suite of services. Those services include free FICO score checking and SSN monitoring. 

Overall, the rewards alone don’t put this among the best cash back credit cards for gas. With no annual fee and such an appealing welcome bonus, it’s spectacular in the first year.

Pros:

• No annual fee
• Cashback match in the first year
• Relatively low APR
• First late fee is forgiven

Cons:

• Not widely accepted outside the US
• Quarterly cashback cap

Overview — Whether you’re commuting, ridesharing, or driving your personal vehicle, the Wells Fargo Propel card is your ticket to big rewards. 

And it doesn’t stop at gas and travel. This card provides rewards across numerous categories and doesn’t even require you to boost your credit score to excellent. 

Rewards — The Propel card earns 3X rewards points on just about everything. Gas, dining, rideshares, transit, hotels, flights, and even car rentals all earn triple points. You could find a gas-only credit card with better rewards on fuel, but this card’s sheer value is unbeatable.

The one striking exclusion is grocery spending. However, that’s balanced to a degree by including streaming services into the mix. If you’re into cord-cutting and want to ditch your cable company, this card will help you do it. 

Introductory offer — Spend $1,000 within the first three months of opening your account to earn 20,000 bonus points. Wells Fargo values those points at $200 in rewards.  

Additional perks — If you’re looking to transfer a significant balance, this “best credit card of 2020” is a prime choice. Balance transfers and purchases enjoy 0% APR for the first 12 months, and there’s an introductory fee of only 3% or $5 per transfer (whichever is greater).

Cardholders also enjoy a free extended warranty on select products, zero liability protection on unauthorized transactions, and many ancillary travel benefits. Plus, all Wells Fargo AmEx cards come with 24/7 fraud protection.

Pros:

• Leading credit card of 2020
• 20,000-point welcome bonus
• Excellent for balance transfers
• No annual fee

Cons:

• Wells Fargo points aren’t the most valuable

Overview — If you’re more drawn to AmEx points than cashback rewards, this card is an excellent alternative to the Blue Cash Preferred card. It has a similar reward structure, except you’ll earn points for your purchases. 

Rewards — Cardholders earn 3X points for supermarket purchases in the US on up to $6,000 a year. Gas purchases earn 2X points, and most other purchases earn standard points as a part of the membership rewards program. 

If you’re well-versed in using AmEx points, this could be the best credit card for gas rewards in the mid-tier. But even if you don’t redeem the points perfectly, it’s a high-value card.

Introductory offer — Spending $1,000 within the first three months earns 15,000 bonus points. Not a bad way to cover the card’s annual fee for almost two years.

Additional perks — One reason this card may actually be better than the Blue Cash Preferred is an extra perk. When used 30+ times in a billing period, all qualifying purchases in that period earn 50% more points. 

If you make supermarket or gas purchases every day, that shouldn’t be hard to accomplish. That 50% bump is enough to place this among the best gas rewards credit cards that earn points. 

In addition, although returns will be deducted from your total cashback rewards, they still count toward the 30-purchase requirement.

Pros:

• High-value points for travel
• Excellent rewards for grocery spending
• 50% bonus points for frequent spenders
• Allows point transfer to airline partners

Cons:

• Annual fee
• Foreign transaction fees apply

Overview — If you buy gas at Costco, you’re already getting the best price available to the general public. And if you also have superb credit, you can even add 4% cashback to that low price with Costco’s Anywhere Visa card.

It’s the best credit card for food and gas if you’re a financial optimizer since it’s only available to Costco members. You can easily make back the Costco annual membership with the rewards from this card.

And as a tiny bonus, this card can double as your Costco membership to save wallet space.

Rewards — As stated, this card earns 4% cashback on gas purchases at qualifying gas stations. Most gas stations apply, but you’ll want to steer clear of other warehouse clubs, which will only earn 1% cashback on gas. 

The gas cashback rewards are capped at a respectable $7,000 per year. That’s a higher gas-exclusive cap than any other option in our gas credit card reviews.

Cardholders can also earn 3% cashback on restaurant and travel purchases from select merchants. It has a 2% flat cashback from any purchases made at Costco warehouses or Costco.com with no limit. 

This card’s major drawback is what you can (or rather can’t) do with the rewards. The cashback rewards are issued as an annual certificate that you must use on a single transaction at Costco.

Pros:

• High rewards cap and rates
• Not limited to Costco gas stations
• Unlimited 2% cashback on Costco purchases
• Functions as Costco membership card

Cons:

• Rewards can only be redeemed at Costco
• High credit requirement

Overview — Chase’s Ink line of cards is designed to provide top-tier rewards for business owners with a relatively low credit score barrier and no annual fee. The most versatile of them is the Ink Business Cash card. 

Rewards — This card’s primary focus is rewarding business purchases. To that end, it earns 5% cashback at office supply stores, phone service, internet, and cable. These cashback rewards top out at $25,000 in total purchases per year, which is plenty for most small business budgets.

It also earns 2% cashback on gas and restaurants, also subject to a $25,000 total spending cap. Those rewards are on par with the best cashback credit cards for gas, but business owners will like the high spending limits. 

Introductory offer — Spend $7,500 within the first three months to earn a $750 cashback bonus. That’s one of the best rewards you’re likely to find for cards in this range, so it’s a good idea to line up your application with a large purchase.

Additional perks — To make your life even more comfortable as a business owner, this card provides rental collision insurance if you’re renting for business purposes. And besides having no annual fee, you can also order additional cards for employees at no added cost.

Pros:

• Outstanding welcome bonus
• Numerous cashback redemption options
• No annual fee
• Lots of business perks

Cons:

• Introductory APR only for purchases

Overview — Unsecured gas cards for bad credit are few and far between. A secured card is a much more likely option. Better yet, it’s easily accessible if you have bad credit (in most cases). 

Well, SunTrust’s secured cards are not only easily accessible but also feature excellent cashback programs under the circumstances. And it’s the closest thing you’ll find to a guaranteed-approval gas credit card.

As an added bonus, your security deposit will earn interest while the account is open; a real bargain if you ask us. 

Rewards — With this card, you’ll earn 2% cashback on the first $6,000 you spend annually on gas and groceries. All other purchases earn 1% unlimited cashback. That’s on the high end when it comes to gas cards for bad credit.

Additional perks — Cashback rewards from this card can earn up to a 50% loyalty bonus when redeemed into a SunTrust account. 

You’ll also get a few other minor perks, such as FICO score access. In addition, you can activate extra rewards at select merchants from SunTrust Deals as well.

Overall, this is the best gas credit card for bad credit reward program if you have the money to set aside for the security deposit. Unfortunately, this card’s spending limit will match the security deposit, which can’t exceed your approved limit.

Pros:

• Security deposit earns interest
• Loyalty Cash Bonus of up to 50%
• Mastercard ID theft protection
• Extra cashback from chosen merchants

Cons:

• Annual fee
• Security deposit

Choosing any credit card is usually a balancing act between rewards and fees. And that’s all the more true when you’re choosing a card for gas rewards. 

Most Americans spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000 a year on gas. That’s not enough to make some of them worth the fee. So, your best bet is to look for a card with added benefits to make up for it. 

Here’s a basic rundown of what you should be looking for. 

Best Credit Card for Buying Gas — Key Features

Annual Fee

Don’t let an annual fee put you off immediately. There are a few ways to ease the blow to your wallet and ensure you make it back. 

For starters, most cards with annual fees have a welcome bonus that often well exceeds the fee. The welcome bonus frequently hinges on a relatively high spending minimum within the first few months of opening the account.

For that reason, you should try to line up the account opening with any big purchases you’re planning. It will make it easier to reach the spending requirement. 

What Counts as Gas?

This question is less absurd than it seems. 

Even the best gas credit card will only earn you rewards when purchasing fuel at pumps (in some cases). Others also count purchases at gas station convenience stores. Yet, it’s easier to gain rewards with a card that counts both — hence why those cards should be higher on your list of priorities. 

Reward Limits

More often than not, there are limits to the purchases that earn rewards. And while those caps tend to be high, you should keep them in mind. 

Some have annual caps, which are easier to manage. However, some have quarterly caps; those require extra care. And it’s even more important with some of the best credit cards for gas and groceries that have combined quarterly caps on those categories.

It’s often a good idea to rely on two cards with quarterly caps. That way, you can spread your gas spending across two caps and never risk missing out on rewards. Just make sure they don’t both have annual fees. 

What Are the Rewards Worth?

If you choose a card that earns rewards points, read the fine print carefully. Every rewards program is different, and you may not be able to redeem your points for as much as you expect. 

The best rewards credit cards for gas that use points can get up to two cents per point, given the right redemption options. But others redeem for far less. 

Cashback programs may seem much more straightforward, but even those aren’t always clear. For instance, Costco’s Anywhere Visa card offers fantastic cashback rewards, but you can only redeem them at Costco and on a single transaction. 

How Does Your Credit Come Into Play?

You’re probably already aware that a poor credit score will mean a higher APR if you’re approved at all. So, you may want to look at some secured cards if you’re rebuilding your credit. 

Additionally, some of the best credit cards for students are very forgiving when it comes to credit history. 

The plain fact is that even the best ones aren’t all that great (at first sight). So, temper your expectations and remind yourself that even 1% cashback is a lot better than zero.

Gas-Station Affiliated Cards

If you overwhelmingly use a single gas station, gas station credit cards are an option. They’re easy-approval gas credit cards that often provide generous discounts. 

But be aware of two fundamental problems with these cards. 

First, they give discounts per gallon. When gas prices are low, a few cents off per gallon can be substantial. But in areas where gas prices run high, they’re nowhere near as effective.

The second drawback is already mentioned — you’re tied to a single brand. That’s especially problematic when you’re traveling and can’t afford to drive until you reach your chosen station.

If you’re not put off by those obstacles, Shell gas credit cards are among the best for fuel discounts and have numerous additional perks. 

Bonus Tips

Here are a few more tips and tricks to get the most out of your fuel card.

Waive the Fee

If you chose a card with an annual fee, and you’re going through a rough patch, you may be able to get around it. Most credit card companies are concerned with client retention so you could point to your previous loyalty and explain your situation to avoid the fee for a year. 

They’ll usually be willing to work with you, especially if you’ve been with the company for a while. That said, this is probably a one-time opportunity, so use it wisely.

Some of the best cashback credit cards for gas and groceries have fees. Therefore, you shouldn’t be hasty to give them up over a temporary setback. 

Use Gift Cards to Maximize Rewards

If you come up short in reward-qualified spending, you may be able to make up for it with gift cards. 

However, you must read through your contract carefully since some cards don’t allow this (such as AmEx cards).

But if yours does, a good way to reach spending minimums is through gift cards. You essentially defer the spending until you want to use the gift card, and you limit yourself to wherever it is accepted. 

Small business gas credit cards can be especially challenging since they tend to have high minimum spending requirements for rewards.

Just make sure you buy the gift cards at participating merchants to count for reward spending. And don’t rely on this tactic too much. In a sense, it’s a way of gaming the system, so only use it sparingly and only if absolutely necessary. 

Credit cards with gas rewards can be an excellent way for savvy spenders to balance their budgets. With the right approach, most rewards credit cards can do the same. 

However, 

It all hinges on understanding a few factors:

• Even the best credit card for gas purchases is likely to have a moderate to high APR, so make sure you don’t carry over any debt.
• Be careful about reward limits; most cards limit the spending that generates rewards.
• Don’t rely on gas rewards alone; choose a card that has good rewards overall.

So, pick one of the gas credit cards we’ve pored over and start saving next time you’re at your favorite gas station.