The Dime Daily

Best Gas Credit Cards of 2026

By The Dime Daily Editorial Team · Published June 2025 · Updated June 2026

Skip the fluff — TL;DR

#1 pick: Citi Custom Cash Card (5% on gas, no annual fee). It automatically applies 5% to your top spending category — and if gas is where you spend most, it wins every time. For serious road trippers or Costco members, the Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% on gas worldwide with a generous $7,000 cap. EV drivers: PenFed Platinum Rewards earns 5x on EV charging too.

Best gas credit cards — comparison table

CardGas rateAnnual feeCapRating
Citi Custom Cash® Card
💰 Dime's Pick		5% in your top eligible category (incl. gas)None5% on first $500/month in top category9/10
Costco Anywhere Visa® by Citi
4% on eligible gas worldwide (incl. Costco gas)None4% gas up to $7,000/year then 1%9/10
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature®
5x points at gas stations + EV chargingNoneNo cap on gas rewards9/10
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards
3% in your chosen category (gas is an option)None3% on first $2,500/quarter in combined category + grocery9/10
Sam's Club® Mastercard®
5% on gas (incl. Sam's Club fuel) up to $6,000/yrNone5% on first $6,000 in annual gas purchases8/10
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from Amex
3% at U.S. gas stations$95/yrNo cap on 3% gas rewards9/10

Our top picks — reviewed

Best Overall

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Citi · Best overall — highest no-fee gas rate

9/10

✨ 5% in your top eligible category (incl. gas)

⚠️ Cap: 5% on first $500/month in top category

Bonus: $200 cash back after $1,500 spend in 6 months

5% automatically goes to your highest spending category
Gas qualifies as an eligible category
No annual fee
$200 welcome bonus
Only one 5% category per billing cycle
$500/month cap = $6,000/year
Only 1% above the cap
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Costco Anywhere Visa® by Citi

Citi · Best for gas + bulk groceries

9/10

✨ 4% on eligible gas worldwide (incl. Costco gas)

⚠️ Cap: 4% gas up to $7,000/year then 1%

Bonus: None

4% on gas worldwide — most gas stations qualify
$7,000/year cap is generous
2% at Costco on everything
No card annual fee (Costco membership ~$65 required)
Requires Costco membership
Rewards paid only once a year as a certificate
Certificate must be redeemed at Costco
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature®

PenFed Credit Union · Best for EV charging + gas with no fee

9/10

✨ 5x points at gas stations + EV charging

⚠️ Cap: No cap on gas rewards

Bonus: 15,000 points after $1,500 spend in 90 days

5x points on gas AND EV charging stations
No annual fee
No cap on gas/EV rewards
Points transfer to travel partners
Requires PenFed credit union membership (easy to join)
Points require redemption through PenFed rewards portal
Fewer perks than premium cards
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards

Bank of America · Best for BofA customers (Preferred Rewards boost)

9/10

✨ 3% in your chosen category (gas is an option)

⚠️ Cap: 3% on first $2,500/quarter in combined category + grocery

Bonus: $200 online cash rewards after $1,000 spend in 90 days

Choose gas as your 3% category
BofA Preferred Rewards members can earn up to 5.25% on gas
No annual fee
$200 welcome offer
$2,500 quarterly cap is low for heavy drivers
Must update category selection each month if you want to change it
Non-BofA customers get less value
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Sam's Club® Mastercard®

Synchrony · Best for Sam's Club members who buy gas

8/10

✨ 5% on gas (incl. Sam's Club fuel) up to $6,000/yr

⚠️ Cap: 5% on first $6,000 in annual gas purchases

Bonus: $30 Sam's Club statement credit

5% on gas at Sam's Club and most gas stations
$6,000 annual cap is solid
3% on dining
No card annual fee (Sam's membership ~$50 required)
Requires Sam's Club membership
Only 1% back at Sam's Club (except gas)
Rewards credited once a year
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from Amex

American Express · Best if you already have it for groceries

9/10

✨ 3% at U.S. gas stations

⚠️ Cap: No cap on 3% gas rewards

Bonus: $250 statement credit after $3,000 spend in 6 months

No cap on 3% gas rewards
6% on U.S. supermarkets (best grocery card)
3% on transit
Solid all-rounder
$95 annual fee
Only 3% on gas (others offer 4–5%)
Not the best card if gas is your primary goal
Apply Now *Sponsored — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

How gas rewards work — and the traps to know

What counts as a "gas station"

Credit cards use merchant category codes (MCCs) — 4-digit codes assigned to every business. Traditional gas stations and service stations get MCC 5541 or 5542. Your card's rewards engine checks this code. Most branded stations (Shell, BP, Exxon, Chevron, Mobil, Sunoco) qualify. What often doesn't:

Common gas reward exclusions
  • Costco fuel (coded as warehouse club — exception: Costco Anywhere Visa)
  • Sam's Club fuel (exception: Sam's Club Mastercard)
  • Grocery store fuel centers (Kroger, Safeway fuel stations)
  • Some truck stops coded under different MCCs

Spending caps — the math matters

The Citi Custom Cash caps 5% rewards at $500/month ($6,000/year). At $500/month in gas spend, you earn $300/year in cash back. Above the cap, you earn just 1%. At the average American's gas spending of roughly $150–$200/month, the cap is plenty. Heavy drivers or road trippers should look at the Costco Anywhere Visa's $7,000 annual cap on 4% rewards.

EV charging — the overlooked category

If you drive an electric vehicle, traditional gas rewards don't apply. The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa earns 5x points at EV charging stations with no cap — the only major card on this list that explicitly includes EV charging in the gas category. The Citi Custom Cash's "gas stations" category has not always covered EV charging networks (check your card's terms).

How to choose the right gas card

If: You want the highest rate with no strings

→ Citi Custom Cash (5%, no fee) if gas is your top monthly category

If: You shop at Costco and drive a lot

→ Costco Anywhere Visa (4% gas worldwide, $7,000 cap)

If: You drive an EV

→ PenFed Platinum Rewards (5x on gas and EV charging, no cap, no fee)

If: You're already a BofA customer with savings

→ BofA Customized Cash with Preferred Rewards = up to 5.25% on gas

If: You want gas + groceries covered by one card

→ Blue Cash Preferred (3% gas, 6% groceries) — but pay the $95 fee only if groceries justify it

💰 Dime's Take

The Citi Custom Cash is the cleanest answer for most people — 5% back on gas with no annual fee, no sign-up hassles, and automatic categorization. Costco members should pair their Anywhere Visa with it. If you're driving an EV, PenFed Platinum is the rare card that actually covers you. Don't overcomplicate it: maximize the category you spend most in and move on.

Frequently asked questions

The Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5% on your top eligible spend category — which can be gas stations — with no annual fee. The catch: 5% applies only to the first $500/month and only one category per billing cycle. If gas is consistently your biggest spend, the Citi Custom Cash is the winner. The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa is a close second at 5x points on gas and EV charging with no cap.

Usually not with most cards — but there are exceptions. Warehouse club gas stations are coded differently from traditional gas stations. The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi specifically earns 4% at Costco fuel (and most other gas stations). The Sam's Club Mastercard earns 5% at Sam's Club fuel. Other cards like the Citi Custom Cash and Bank of America Customized Cash may or may not include warehouse fuel — always verify with your card issuer before assuming.

For gas rewards, cash back is almost always better than points. Gas is a commodity expense — you're not buying a flight or hotel room where points can be worth 1.5–2¢ each. A 5% cash back card gives you a direct 5¢ back per dollar. Points on gas usually value out to 1¢ or less per point, which is the same as or worse than cash back rates. Stick to cash back for gas unless you're already heavily invested in a specific points program.

Most no-annual-fee gas cards (Citi Custom Cash, Bank of America Customized Cash) require good credit — typically 670+ FICO. The PenFed Platinum Rewards may be slightly more flexible for PenFed members. Premium cards with high annual fees (which happen to earn gas rewards) like the Amex Platinum require excellent credit — 720+ FICO. Check our credit score guides if you're not sure where you stand.
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