Thrifty Thinking: Gas Rewards Credit Cards

With 59% of U.S. families saying they are more likely to drive than fly for their next trip, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released three key reports to help people maximize both savings and fun:

• 2021’s Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips (along with accompanying videos)
• 2021’s Best Gas Rewards Credit Cards
• 2021 Gas & Travel Survey

 
Below, you can see some report highlights and commentary from WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.

 

Best States for Summer Road Trips	Worst States for Summer Road Trips
1. New York	46. Arkansas
2. Texas	47. Hawaii
3. Louisiana	48. Connecticut
4. Maine	49. Delaware
5. North Carolina	50. Rhode Island

 
Survey Key Findings & Best Gas Rewards Cards

• 63% of people want rewards on gas more than any other type of travel purchase.
   
• 54% of people consider the price of gas when making summer travel plans.
   
• 84 million people think each individual should have to take a test to get a credit card, just like a driver’s license.
   
• 12X more people want gas rewards from a credit card than rewards for Uber/Lyft rides.
   
• 37% of people need to save at least $30 at the pump monthly to get a gas credit card.
   
• The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card is the best gas rewards credit card of 2021, offering 5 points per $1 spent at all gas stations, along with 3 points per $1 on supermarket purchases and a $100 initial bonus. It has no annual fee.

 
Q&A with WalletHub Analyst Jill Gonzalez
 
What is the best type of gas rewards credit card?
 
“The best type of gas rewards credit card is one that offers bonus rewards on gas from any gas station regardless of brand, in addition to bonus rewards on other common spending categories. Credit cards that give bonus rewards on all travel purchases, including gas, are a good choice as well,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “Credit cards that are co-branded with one specific gas station are not as desirable because they offer less flexibility when it comes to earning and redeeming rewards. Station-specific cards are also less likely to have large initial rewards bonuses for new cardholders.”
 
When is it worth applying for a gas credit card?
 
“Around 37% of people say that they would apply for a gas credit card if it would save them at least $30 per month at the pump,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “It might be difficult to get that much money per month from gas rewards alone, but if you spend at around $200 per month on gas, getting a gas rewards credit card is worthwhile. Between bonus rewards on purchases and an initial bonus, which many rewards cards have, you can save quite a bit of money.”
 
Do you agree with the 1 in 3 people who say you should have to take a test before getting a credit card?
 
“It’s easy to understand why 1 in 3 adults think you should have to pass a test in order to be able to get a credit card, considering the mountain of credit card debt that Americans have,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “We collectively owe nearly $900 billion, and that balance is not sustainable, though it’s less than we owed a year ago thanks to big paydowns from stimulus checks. Despite our debt level, though, a test is not the answer. Instead, we should focus on offering more financial literacy education to people from a young age. Plus, if we created a credit card test, then we’d likely have to create tests for other types of financing, too, like home loans and auto loans, which doesn’t make much sense.”
 
Do credit cards offer ridesharing rewards?

“Some credit cards offer ridesharing rewards, and they’re becoming more common as time goes on,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card is a good example of a card that offers bonus rewards on rideshare services. However, 12 times more people want gas rewards from a credit card than rewards for rideshare services, which isn’t surprising given the record-setting auto sales over the past few years.”