What credit card gives the most cash back on gas?

The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature earns 5x points at gas stations (worth about 5% back) with no annual fee. For a standard cash back card, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 3% on US gas stations with no cap. The Citi Custom Cash earns 5% if gas is your top monthly category (up to $500/month).

Do credit cards work at gas stations?

Yes, all major credit cards work at most US gas stations. However, some stations charge different prices for credit vs. cash, reducing the effective rebate. If your station has a 10-cent credit surcharge, a 3% card on $50 fills up ($1.50 rebate) is partially offset. Use cards at fixed-price stations or warehouse clubs like Costco (Visa only) and Sam's Club.

What is the best credit card for Costco gas?

The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi (requires Costco membership) earns 4% on gas worldwide at all gas stations, including Costco fuel stations, up to $7,000/year. That's the highest rate among widely available cards for Costco-specific gas.

Is a gas credit card worth it?

Yes if you drive regularly. At $200/month in gas, a 3% card saves $72 vs. a 1% card over the year (difference of $48). A 5% card saves $120 vs. 1%. Cards with no annual fee make the math straightforward — any positive return is net gain.

Best Gas Credit Cards of 2026: Highest Cash Back on Fuel

Best Gas Cards — Quick Comparison

Card	Annual Fee	Gas Reward Rate	Cap	Best For
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa	$0	5x points (~5% back)	None	Best overall gas rate
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi	$0 ($65 Costco req.)	4% on gas	$7,000/yr	Costco members
Citi Custom Cash	$0	5% if gas is top category	$500/month	Flexible single category
Amex Blue Cash Preferred	$95	3% US gas stations	None	Multi-category earner
Amex Blue Cash Everyday	$0	3% US gas stations	None	Free grocery + gas card
Chase Freedom Flex (rotating)	$0	5% when gas is a category (Q3 historically)	$1,500/quarter	Seasonal-use rotation
Bank of America Customized Cash	$0	3% on selected category (inc. gas)	$2,500/quarter	Customizable

Best for Highest Consistent Gas Rate: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature

Annual fee: $0 | Gas rate: 5x points at gas stations ($1 = 5 PenFed points) | Points value: ~1 cent each = ~5% back | Membership: PenFed Credit Union (open to anyone)

The PenFed Platinum Rewards earns 5 points per dollar at gas stations with no cap — the highest consistent gas rate on a no-fee card. Points redeem for statement credits, travel, and merchandise at approximately 1 cent each.

Annual savings at various spending levels:

Monthly Gas Spend	Annual at 5% (PenFed)	Annual at 3% (BCP)	Annual at 1.5% (baseline)
$100	$60	$36	$18
$200	$120	$72	$36
$300	$180	$108	$54

PenFed membership: Open to everyone. Apply online, then apply for the card.

Other PenFed rates: 3x at supermarkets, 2x at restaurants, 1x everywhere else.

Best for Costco Shoppers: Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi

Annual fee: $0 (requires Costco membership, $65+/year) | Gas rate: 4% on gas worldwide (up to $7,000/year, then 1%) | Other rates: 3% restaurants/travel, 2% Costco, 1% everywhere

The Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% on all gas purchases everywhere — including Costco’s own fuel stations (which already have some of the lowest prices in most markets). Combining low Costco gas prices with 4% back yields the highest raw savings per gallon.

Limitation: Reward comes as an annual certificate redeemable at Costco (February statement). Cash value only available in-store.

Best for: Regular Costco shoppers who fill up at Costco gas stations.

Best for Flexible Category: Citi Custom Cash

Annual fee: $0 | Gas rate: 5% if gas is your top monthly spending category (up to $500/month)

If gas is consistently your largest monthly purchase, the Citi Custom Cash automatically applies 5% to it. At $400/month, you earn $20/month = $240/year with no cap management needed (below $500/month).

Limitation: Rate drops to 1% above $500/month in gas. Heavy commuters may exceed this in winter months.

Pairing: Combine with a 2% flat card (Citi Double Cash) — 5% on gas + 2% on everything else = optimal no-fee combination.

Best Multi-Category Gas Card: Amex Blue Cash Preferred

Annual fee: $95 | Gas rate: 3% at US gas stations with no cap

The Blue Cash Preferred isn’t the highest gas rate, but it’s part of a broader earning structure: 6% groceries + 6% streaming + 3% gas + 3% transit. For most households, the combined category value substantially exceeds the annual fee.

Gas-only break-even vs. no-fee cards: If you hold the Blue Cash Everyday ($0 fee, 3% gas) vs. Preferred ($95 fee, 3% gas), the gas earning is identical. The $95 fee is justified by 6% groceries, not the gas category.

Best No-Fee Alternative: Amex Blue Cash Everyday

Annual fee: $0 | Gas rate: 3% at US gas stations (up to $6,000/year) | Also: 3% US supermarkets, 3% US online retail

The free version of the Blue Cash earns the same 3% on gas without the annual fee. If groceries and streaming aren’t significant spend categories for you, the Everyday is the better choice.

Seasonal Option: Chase Freedom Flex (Q3 Gas)

The Freedom Flex historically activates gas stations as a 5% category in Q3 (July-September). Up to $1,500/quarter at 5% = $75 back in that quarter alone. If you drive more in summer (road trips, commuting), the Flex can be a great supplemental card for gas in those months.

Strategy: Use the Freedom Flex for 5% when gas is active (Q3). Use PenFed or Citi Custom Cash the rest of the year.

Gas Rewards by Monthly Spending

Monthly Gas Spend	PenFed 5%	Costco Citi 4%	Custom Cash 5%	BCP 3%	BCA 3% (no fee)
$75	$45/yr	$36/yr	$45/yr	$27/yr	$27/yr
$150	$90/yr	$72/yr	$90/yr	$54/yr	$54/yr
$250	$150/yr	$120/yr	$150/yr	$90/yr	$90/yr
$500/mo cap	$300/yr	$240/yr	$300/yr (cap)	$180/yr	$180/yr

Gas Station vs. Wholesale Club Rewards

Not all “gas” earns the same. Know where your card applies:

Location	PenFed 5x	Costco Citi 4%	BCP 3%
Branded station (Shell, BP, Chevron)	✅	✅	✅
Costco Gas	✅	✅	❌ (warehouse, not gas station MCC)
Sam’s Club Gas	✅	✅	❌
Grocery store gas (Kroger, Safeway)	❌ (coded grocery)	❌	❌
Superstore gas (Walmart)	❌ (coded superstore)	❌	❌

Important: Warehouse club gas and grocery-affiliated stations are NOT coded as “gas stations” by most card networks. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred’s 3% applies only to US gas stations — not wholesale clubs.