Gas is one of the most popular credit card rewards categories. That’s no surprise, as most Americans rely on gas-powered cars to get around and are always searching for ways to save money on gas. Many general-purpose cash back credit cards include gas or gas station purchases as a regular rotating category, while others feature permanent cash back on gas buys.
When deciding which card best fits your needs, pay special attention to any spending caps, brand restrictions, and time limits that could eat into your earning power. Read each card’s fine print to get the lowdown on any exclusions or restrictions. For instance, most general gas credit cards that offer cash back at “all U.S. gas stations” specifically exclude warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco, which sell discounted gas and have their own cash back rewards programs. And pay special attention to interest rates, which can sometimes be higher than those of non-rewards credit cards.
Caveats aside, these are the best gas and gas station credit cards available today.
Best Gas Credit Cards
1. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
3% Unlimited Cash Back at U.S. Gas Stations; 6% Cash Back at Supermarkets; 1% on Everything Else
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express has one of the best gas rewards programs around: 3% unlimited cash back on purchases at all U.S. gas stations, with no spending caps or other restrictions. You also earn 6% cash back on supermarket purchases up to $6,000 per year. Plus, you get 1% cash back on all non-gas and non-supermarket purchases, with no limits. However, there’s a $95 annual fee.
Other benefits include a nice sign-up bonus and generous intro APR period. However, you can only redeem your cash back rewards as a statement credit. If you want a bank account deposit, paper check, or gift card, look elsewhere. The minimum redemption amount is $25.
- Sign-up Bonus. Earn $150 cash (statement credit) when you spend at least 500 in the first 3 month of card membership.
- Key Fees. There’s a $95 annual fee. Cash advances and balance transfers cost the greater of $5 or 3%. Foreign transactions run 2.7%, and late and returned payments both cost $37.
- Introductory APR. There is a 0% purchase and balance transfer APR for 12 months.
- APR. After the intro period, purchase and balance transfer APR ranges from 13.24% to 23.24%, depending on your creditworthiness and prevailing interest rates. The cash advance APR is 25.49%, and the penalty APR is 29.49%.
- Other Perks. Card membership has a host of fringe benefits, including access to cardholder-only entertainment events and return protection, which compensates you up to $300 per item for attempted returns rejected by merchants.
