Why Now is the Best Time to Open a Gas Credit Card
Around late February, the average price for a gallon of gas was $2.98, according to AAA. Now, less than 90 days later, the national average is $4.56 per gallon.
With Americans now paying over 50% more per gallon than they did less than three months ago, largely due to the ongoing conflict in Iran, you may be looking for additional ways to save on fill-ups.
Many gas stations are offering temporary discounts or credits, and some, like Shell, are launching new co-branded cards amid rising prices. With no hard stop to the Iran war in sight, CNBC Select takes a look at some co-branded gas cards for loyalists, plus some that earn rewards at any station.
If you’re loyal to a specific gas station
If you frequent the same brand of gas station, either out of convenience or maybe for its superior snack choices, using a co-branded card typically offers the highest rates of rewards.
Shell
You can also stack your credit card savings with the Shell Fuel Rewards® program, where Platinum Status members can save up to 10 cents off per gallon.
- Strong earning categories
- Earns up to 4% back on gas/EV charging purchases
- No annual fee
- Rewards are only redeemable on Shell purchases
- Lacks additional perks
bp
Since the card offers a flat discount on your gas purchases, you’ll likely need to use it beyond bp purchases to earn a meaningful amount of rewards. Earnify™, bp’s gas rewards program, also stacks with the card, so you can earn extra savings. Members get 5 cents off every gallon of gas and earn 1 point for every dollar spent on gas.
- Several reward redemption options
- Offers flat cents back on gas purchases
- No annual fee
- Doesn’t earn rewards on gas purchases
- Lacks additional perks
Exxon
You can stack your credit card savings with savings from the Exxon Mobil Rewards+™ program. All program members earn at least 3 cents in points per gallon of gas and 2 cents in points for every $1 spent on convenience store purchases or car washes.
- Offers flat cents back on gas purchases
- No annual fee
- Lacks additional perks
- 5% rewards is capped at $1,200 per year
If you prioritize convenience
If you don’t have a favorite gas station brand and simply fill up wherever it’s easiest, we recommend a rewards credit card that prioritizes gas as a category.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
If saving on gas is a focus for you but you’d also appreciate rewards on other categories, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express could be a good fit.
You’ll earn 3% back on all your U.S. gas station purchases (up to $6,000 per year, the.1%). Plus, the card earns rewards at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. online retail purchases (with the same $6,000 yearly spending cap per category, then 1% back). While it does place caps on cash-back earnings, the $0 annual fee is a great perk of a fairly rewarding card.
The Blue Cash Everyday can also help with at-home entertainment costs, featuring an $84 Disney streaming statement credit, split into $7 monthly chunks (subject to auto-renewal). This statement credit applies to subscriptions and bundle subscriptions at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites.
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee and you may be eligible for bonus rewards on a wide range of common expenditures.
- Up to $264 in streaming service and meal kit credits every year (subject to auto renewal)
- High cash-back rates in popular spending categories
- No annual fee
- The best bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $200 cash back* after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on eligible purchases for each category on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Citi Strata Premier® Card
For those looking for a gas credit card that can also double as a travel card, the Citi Strata Premier® Card earns 3X ThankYou® Points on gas and EV charging stations, with no spending limits.
You’ll pay a $95 annual fee, but in exchange, you’ll get a solid rewards rate on various travel-related purchases, access to a list of airline and hotel transfer partners and a $100 Annual Hotel Benefit once per calendar year that can be applied to a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through CitiTravel.com.
The card earns 3X points on air travel and other hotel purchases and a whopping 10X points on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. All rewards are earned in the form of ThankYou® Points, which you can redeem in several ways, including the exclusive option of transferring them at a 1:1 rate to American Airlines.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
- Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
- Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Has an annual fee
- Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph comes with an intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases, which could also be a good option if you’re thinking of making a larger purchase in the near future. It can also be helpful in the case of a few emergencies, as it comes with Roadside Dispatch® and up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft if you pay your phone bill with the card (subject to a $25 deductible).
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers generous bonus spending categories and lets you transfer points to airline and hotel partners, which is rare for a credit card with no annual fee.
- Access to all of the Wells Fargo transfer partners including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
- No annual fee
- Excellent bonus spending categories
- Intro-APR for purchases
- No travel credits or other valuable travel perks
- Lacks key travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption coverage
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.
- Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Balance transfer fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
FAQs
Which cards gives 5% cash back on gas?
There are a few cards that can earn you up to 5% back at gas stations, some for a limited time due to rotating categories. The Citi Custom Cash® Card earns 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to $500 spent (then 1% back).
What is the best gasoline credit card to have?
The best card for gas is going to be subjective, as it depends on your location and finances. If you almost always visit the same gas station chain, see if they offer a co-branded card that earns rewards on gas purchases or offers a set number of cents off each gallon of gas.
Do I need a separate credit card for gas?
While need is a strong word, with the average price per gallon of gas exceeding $4.50 (as of May 21, 2026), a gas-specific credit card could be worthwhile. Many of the best gas rewards credit cards feature no annual fee, so there’s no extra cost to own them.
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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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