Fill ‘er Up: Earning Credit Card Cash Rebates while Filling your Tank

 Chances are you’ve just been to the gas station.

 With gasoline prices soaring, many are searching for ways to cut costs at the pump. If you’re one of them, credit cards that offer rebates for gas purchases might be up your alley.

 Traditionally, gas rebate credit cards (or gas credit cards) have been affiliated with a particular company or brand of gas, such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, and Marathon, among others. These cards are great if you habitually purchase your gas from a specific company, but not so handy if you’re not particular about where you fill up and find it aggravating to have to search for a certain gas station.

 Newer cards give more versatility by offering rebates regardless of where you fill your tank. Ira Stoller, Senior Member on the CardRatings.com Message Board, asserts “ten years ago, credit cards charged consumers a premium for using their credit cards at the pump. Now these same companies have recognized that pay-at-the-pump business is huge, and they’re engaging in a ‘semi-battle’ competing for that business by offering increasingly better rewards and rebates.”

 While many cards offer rebates or rewards for many types of purchases including gas, a few are catering specifically to consumers looking for breaks on gas purchases. Most do not charge an annual fee, or the annual fee is waived with a minimum annual purchase(s).

 Chase Perfect Card

The Chase Perfect Card offers a 6% rebate on all gas purchases made at any gas station during a 90 day introductory period, and 3% thereafter. Also offers 1% rebate on all other purchases with the card. Rebates are automatically credited towards future purchases.

 AAA Visa® Card

AAA Cards offers a 5% rebate on any brand of gas that is purchased at the pump. While it does not offer a cash rebate on other purchases, the 5% gas rebate is the highest flat rate rebate offered for gas regardless of where it’s purchased, making this a great card to utilize strictly for gas purchases. Rebates are automatically credited towards future purchases. Stoller names the AAA card among the best of the gas rebate cards. Citing the versatility of the card, he states “every other card gives lower discounts or is limited to one type of gas and the rebates can only be used to purchase gas. The AAA Card gives cash rebates credited to your card for any purchase that you make, including any brand of gas or any other purchase.”

Discover Platinum Card is a card that offers rebates on most purchases including gas. The card offers up to 5% of each gas purchase, plus up to 1% of each purchase on other purchases – based on the annual level and type of purchases. Gas purchase awards are applied when you pay at the pump or in the station. The site states consumers can earn “up to 10% Cashback Bonus® award when you exchange cash award for up to double the amount in certificates for products and services from our Cashback Bonus® Partners,” so this is one to investigate if you like the products and services affiliated with the Discover Cashback Bonus® program.

Important Note! The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date that the article was written. Please keep in mind, though, that credit card offers and terms change frequently. Therefore, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card offer prior to applying.