Gas cards compared
| Card | Gas rate | Cap | Annual fee | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | 3% at U.S. gas stations | None stated for gas | $0 first year, then $95 | Also 6% U.S. supermarkets, 3% transit |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | 3% at U.S. gas stations | $6,000/yr, then 1% | $0 | Also 3% groceries and online retail |
| BofA Customized Cash | 3% if gas and EV charging is your choice (6% in year one) | $2,500/quarter combined with grocery | $0 | Includes EV charging |
| Citi Double Cash / Wells Fargo Active Cash | 2% | None | $0 | Works at any pump, including warehouse clubs |
| Discover it Cash Back | 5% in Q3 2026 only; 1% in Q4 | $1,500/quarter | $0 | Gas was a Q3 2026 category |
Amex Blue Cash Preferred: gas plus groceries
The Preferred pays 3% at U.S. gas stations, 3% on transit, and 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year. It makes sense when gas is one of several big categories rather than your only one. Its $95 fee (waived the first year) is easier to justify on grocery spending than on gas alone.
Regular APR is 19.74%–28.74% variable (as of October 2026). Our Amex comparison covers the break-even.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday: 3% with no fee
The Everyday pays the same 3% at U.S. gas stations, with no annual fee. Gas has its own $6,000 annual cap, separate from groceries and online retail. That cap is well above what a typical household spends on fuel, so most people won't hit it. It also comes with 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.
BofA Customized Cash: pick gas, including EV charging
Bank of America lets you choose one 3% category, and gas and EV charging is one of the options. In the first year, the current offer adds another 3%, for 6% total. Both rates apply on the first $2,500 in combined choice-category, grocery and wholesale-club purchases each quarter. After that it's 1%.
BofA says pay-at-pump at wholesale clubs may or may not qualify. Note that Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program became BofA Rewards on May 27, 2026. The exact boost for this card at each tier wasn't confirmed when we checked.
What gas rewards are worth
The average U.S. household spent $2,411 on gasoline, other fuels and motor oil in 2024, according to the BLS. Here's what that earns:
- 3%: about $72
- 2%: about $48
- 6% (BofA first-year offer, under the quarterly cap): about $145
The gap between a 3% gas card and a 2% flat card is about $24 a year for that household. A gas card is most worth it if you drive a lot, or if the same card also pays a bonus on groceries.
Commuting and other driving costs
If you split time between driving and public transit, the Blue Cash Preferred pays 3% on transit too, so both costs earn the same rate. Freedom Unlimited pays 2% total on Lyft through 09/30/2027.
Rotating cards occasionally feature gas. Discover's Q3 2026 categories were gas stations, transportation and drug stores, at 5% on up to $1,500. Q3 has ended, though, and Discover's Q4 categories don't include gas. If you hold a rotating card, check each quarter's list; don't count on gas coming back on a set schedule.
U.S. Bank Cash+ doesn't list gas among its 5% choices. Its list includes ground transportation, but check the terms for what that covers before relying on it at the pump.
Pumps that often don't count
Gas categories follow the merchant category code. Issuers commonly exclude:
- Gas at warehouse clubs and supermarkets: Amex excludes gas stations attached to supermarkets and warehouse clubs.
- Wholesale-club pumps at BofA: BofA says they may or may not qualify.
If you mostly fill up at Costco or a similar club, a flat 2% card (see no-fee cash back cards) is the safer choice.
Picking a gas card
- You drive a lot and buy groceries at supermarkets: Blue Cash Preferred
- You want no annual fee: Blue Cash Everyday
- You charge an EV or want 6% in year one: BofA Customized Cash with gas and EV charging selected
- You fill up at warehouse clubs: a 2% flat card
Driving for a road trip? Pair a gas card with a travel card for lodging. For groceries, see best grocery cards. For the full field, see best cash back cards or rotating categories. Card terms change often, so check the issuer's site before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the current first-year offer, BofA Customized Cash pays 6% when gas and EV charging is your chosen category, on up to $2,500 in combined quarterly purchases. After year one it's 3%. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred and Blue Cash Everyday pay 3% at U.S. gas stations.
Often not. Amex excludes gas stations attached to warehouse clubs and supermarkets, and BofA says wholesale-club pay-at-pump may or may not qualify. A flat 2% card earns the same at any pump.
Probably not on its own. At the 2024 average household gas spend of $2,411, a 3% card earns about $24 more a year than a 2% flat card. Choose a gas card when it also pays a bonus on groceries or other big categories.
On BofA Customized Cash, the choice category is gas and EV charging, so both qualify. For other cards, it depends on how the charging network is coded, so check the card's terms.
Yes. The Blue Cash Everyday pays 3% at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 a year, then 1%. That limit is separate from its supermarket and online retail caps, and it's well above the 2024 average household gas spend of $2,411.
Blue Cash Preferred Card — American Express
Blue Cash Everyday Card — American Express
Bank of America cash back credit cards — Bank of America
New BofA Rewards program — Bank of America Newsroom
How credit card issuers classify purchases for bonus rewards — CNBC Select
Discover cash back calendar — CNBC Select
Citi Double Cash Card — Citi
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card — Wells Fargo
Consumer Expenditures in 2024 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Card terms, rates and fees change often and APRs are variable. Information was checked in October 2026; confirm current terms on the issuer's website before applying. MoneyVerge may be compensated by some card issuers; this does not affect our assessments.