Transportation
There are many great rewards credit cards to choose from, but when you're looking for a credit card that will give you the best benefit on your gas purchases, you have to look a bit further.
Here are the best credit cards for gas purchases in 2019:
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
- PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Citi Premier℠ Card
- Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card
Choosing the right credit card for your gas purchases
Since gas is a static expense, meaning you'll have to continue purchasing it again and again throughout your life, it's important that you choose a card that will give you the maximum cash back or points for your spending.
Some cards come with an annual fee, while others don't. The best way to choose is the weigh out the pros and cons for each card. Sometimes the cards with annual fees have benefits or earning rates that far outweigh the annual fee. However, if you're just getting started with credit cards, you may want to start with one that doesn't incur an annual fee to try it out without any additional cost to you.
You can choose a card that earns cash back or travel points for your gas purchases. One is no better than the other - just choose based on which rewards are more valuable to you.
Read more: The best no-annual-fee credit cards to open in 2019
Keep in mind that we're focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which can far outweigh the value of any rewards.
When you're working to earn credit card rewards, it's important to practice financial discipline, like paying your balances off in full each month, making payments on time, and not spending more than you can afford to pay back. Basically, treat your credit card like a debit card.
Wells Fargo Propel American Express card
Annual fee: None
You'll earn 3x points at gas stations with this card, and that's just one of many 3x bonus categories. You'll also earn 3 points per dollar on eating in and ordering out, rideshares and other transit, flights, hotels, homestays, and car rentals, and popular streaming services.
The Wells Fargo Propel card offers a bonus of 30,000 points if you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the card.
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
Annual fee: None, but you need to be a Costco member (there is an annual fee for your Costco membership, starting at $60).
This card offers 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases worldwide for the first $7,000 per year (then, it's 1% cash back).
Just because this card is associated with the Costco membership doesn't mean that you're limited to purchase gas only from the Costco gas stations. This card can be used at any gas station that accepts Visa.
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card
Annual fee: None
This card earns 5x points on gas purchases and offers a sign-up bonus of a $100 statement credit if you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days. Of course, the $1,500 doesn't all have to be spent on gas. This card doesn't have an annual fee or any foreign transaction fees.
Just a side note: PenFed doesn't require you to have military affiliation to be a member; you just have to apply for a membership. Once you become a member of the organization, you can apply for its financial products, such as this credit card.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Annual fee: None
Unlike other credit cards on this list, the Chase Freedom Unlimited doesn't have separate categories for gas, groceries, dining, etc. Instead, it offers 3% cash back on all purchases up to $20,000 in your first year. You'll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases after that. So, for the first year, you can earn 3% cash back on gas purchases.
Blue Cash Preferred American Express Card
Annual fee: $95
This is yet another card that offers 3% back on gas purchases (at US gas stations only). It also earns 3% back on transit including taxis and rideshares, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more, and 6% back on select US streaming subscriptions. The Blue Cash Preferred also earns 6% back on the first $6,000 spent at US supermarkets each year (then 1%).
New cardholders can also earn a $250 statement credit after spending $1,000 in the first three months of opening the account.
Citi Premier Card
Annual fee: $95
This card gives you travel points for your purchases, and you can transfer those points to partners such as JetBlue. You can earn 3x points on your gas purchases - the 3x category includes gas but also other travel purchases
The Citi Premier card's offering a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening the account.
Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card
Annual fee: None
The Cash Rewards card gives you a choice of 3% cash back from a list of six categories including gas, so you can use this card to maximize your cash back on gas purchases.
You can earn a $200 cash bonus for spending $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening the card.
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