6 Best Gas Rewards Programs Save Money at the Pump

Grocery store loyalty programs used to be the way to go to save money on gas. But now that gas stations are offering their own gas rewards programs, it’s time to rethink your fueling strategy, especially as gas prices skyrocket.

We entered 2022 with prices $1 higher per gallon than at the start of 2021, which was already problematic for middle-class families facing stagnant wages and rising inflation — the highest it’s been in decades. But Russia’s war on Ukraine quickly drove gas prices to a 14-year high. The national average gas price officially surpassed $5/gallon over the summer but has slowly crept its way back down to $3.80 as we enter the holiday season, according to AAA.

It’s a notable drop, but that’s still more than half a dollar more than this time last year. It’s enough of a difference for families to feel the squeeze: Gas prices were still a hot topic going into the midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022.If you’re feeling helpless watching these record numbers at the pump, sign up for a gas rewards program to start your savings now.

6 of the Best Gas Rewards Programs

On the hunt for cheap gas? Check out this list of the best fuel rewards programs, plus some bonus tips for using free gas apps to save even more.

1. BPme Rewards

BPme Rewards replaced BP’s previous gas reward program (BP Driver Rewards) in June 2020. The previous program saved consumers up to 10 cents a gallon, but the most you’ll save under normal conditions with BMme Rewards is 5 cents a gallon at BP and Amoco gas stations.

To get started, download the BPme Rewards app and register for an account. Do this right before filling up at a nearby BP because the rewards kick in instantly. You’ll get 5 cents off at BP and Amoco gas stations nationwide for the month.

To keep the 5-cent discount going after that, you’ll need to spend at least $100 on fuel from BP each calendar month. Depending on your gas tank size and current gas prices, that’s roughly two to four fill-ups a month. As gas prices continue to climb, this target may be more attainable.

If you fail to hit the monthly $100 minimum, you will not qualify for a discount.

The BPme Rewards app does promise special bonus offers with additional savings from time to time.

Maybe the coolest feature of BPme Rewards, however, is Price Match. BP calls it a first-of-its-kind program. Subscribe for 99 cents a month, and the app will find prices at nearby competitor gas stations — within a 0.5-mile radius (up to 2 miles until competitors are found) — to earn you a discount.

While this gas rewards program is free, the optional Price Match could cost you roughly $12 a year.

BP also just rolled out an updated credit card: the BPme Rewards Visa. This card has no annual fee, gets you 30 cents off per gallon at BP and Amoco during your first 60 days (then 15 cents per gallon thereafter), plus 5% cash back on non-fuel purchases at BP and Amoco, 3% cash back on groceries and dining and 1% cash back on all other qualifying purchases.

2. Exxon Mobil Rewards+

After parting ways with Plenti, Exxon Mobil launched its own rewards program, Exxon Mobil Rewards+, which is one of the best fuel rewards programs on this list.

This points-based system awards 3 cents in points per gallon on fuel purchases, plus 2 cents in points per dollar spent on things like car washes and convenience store items. Lottery tickets, cash back and gift cards are among the exclusions.

If you use Exxon Mobil Synergy Supreme+ premium gas, you’ll earn an additional 3 cents in points per gallon. You’ve just got to pump 8 gallons of fuel three times a month to be eligible.

Members of AARP automatically earn an extra 1 cent per gallon of gas and 1 cent per dollar in the store. And if you pump 100+ gallons a month, you’re considered a Frequent Filler and will earn an additional 1 cent per gallon and 2 cents per dollar.

In total, this gas rewards program could earn you up to 8 cents in points per gallon pumped and 5 cents per store dollar spent

Members can redeem points on fuel, car washes and store items, with every 100 points equaling $1 off.

Let’s say you have a 10-gallon tank and are earning 3 points per gallon.

That means you’ll only have to fill up a little over three times at the gas station to earn enough points for $1 off fuel and other purchases — not too shabby. Combine that with any points you earn on car washes and in-store items, and you have an even better deal.

You can also keep track of your rewards in the Exxon Mobil Rewards+ app for Android and iPhone. You can even pay right at the pump with the app; no need to insert a credit card or step into the gas station.

Gas credit cards are a great way to save even more at the pump. The ExxonMobil Smart Card+ takes 30 cents off every gallon for the first two months after opening the credit card account (plus 12 cents off each gallon of Synergy Supreme+ premium gasoline or 10 cents off other grades of Synergy fuel).

After the introductory period, you’ll still save 12 cents/gallon on Synergy Supreme+ and 10 cents/gallon on all other Synergy fuel grades. Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back on all in-store purchases and car washes on the first $1,200 you spend each year.

The ExxonMobil Smart Card+ (introduced Feb. 1, 2022) effectively replaced the ExxonMobil Smart Card. If you were already a Smart Card member, you were automatically transitioned to this new program.

There is no annual fee for this gas station rewards program.

3. Maverik’s Adventure Club and Nitro Cards

Located in several states across the Northwest, Maverik is another convenience store offering its own fuel rewards program: Maverik’s Adventure Club. This program offers two rewards: the Adventure Club and the Nitro card.

The Adventure Club offers 2 cents off per gallon on fuel purchases. Card holders can earn Trail Points through fuel and in-store purchases, excluding gift cards, cash back, and age-restricted products.

You can use Trail Points to buy store items or win prizes in sweepstakes drawings.

The Nitro card offers all the same benefits and a little bit more, including 10 cents off per gallon of the posted credit price, 4x Trail Points from purchases, 1x Trail Point for every gallon of fuel pumped, $1 daily hot beverages up to a large, and $1 fountain drinks and refills up to extra-large. You’ll even get a free BonFire burrito with sign-up!

This represents a recent update to the Nitro program in May 2022. Maverik nearly doubled its fuel rewards (up from 6 cents a gallon) and added new incentives at a time when gas prices are surging.

Even better, the Nitro card now includes Nitro BestPrice. Maverik automatically monitors advertised gas prices in the area. If a competitor is lower and a customer pays with their Nitro card, they’ll get that lower price. (Remember, BP charges for this service!)

The main difference between the cards is that the Nitro card must be linked to your checking account, and you must pay using the card to save on fuel and earn points.

Though you use the Nitro card to pay, it is not a credit card. It is more like a gas station ACH card since it is tied directly to your bank account.

Track your Adventure Club rewards by logging in to the website or through the free app for Android and iPhone.

Right now, Maverik is offering a bonus for signing up: a free fountain drink when you register for the Adventure Club and a free BonFire burrito when you sign up for a Nitro card.

4. Pilot Flying J Preferred Customer Rewards

Pilot Flying J’s rewards program is built with professional and RV drivers in mind. If you are a professional driver or touring the country in an RV, sign up for the Preferred Customer Rewards card and the myRewards Plus app.

With myRewards Plus, you can earn points when you fill up and make in-store purchases, then use those points for future purchases (typical exclusions are lotto tickets, cash back and gift cards) with the myRewards card. You’ll also enjoy special rewards during your birthday month.

Now through the end of 2022, you can also save 10 cents per gallon just for signing up.

Look for special promotions each month. For the holiday season, Pilot Flying J is offering 4 points per gallon after just six diesel fills when you activate PushForPoints in the app. Professional drivers can also accrue points for showers, coffees, laundry and more with myRewards.

Professional drivers can also accrue points for showers, coffees, laundry and more with myRewards.

You can manage your rewards using the myRewards Plus app. And if you’re an active duty military member, veteran or immediate family member of either, you qualify for a 10% food and beverage discount with your ID.me number.

The app also allows you to track your receipts and find fuel prices. There is no annual fee for this gas station savings program.

5. Shell Fuel Rewards

Shell Fuel Rewards has two tiers: Silver Status, which saves 3 cents per gallon on fuel purchases, and Gold Status, which saves you 5 cents a gallon.

You’ll instantly receive Gold Status for the first six full calendar months of membership. To maintain Gold Status, you only need to fill up six times with at least 5 gallons every three months. If you can maintain Gold Status, you’ll find this is one of the top gas rewards programs out there.

Shell Fuel Rewards offers additional savings that can be stacked on to your status, including 5 cents off per gallon for every $50 you spend shopping online, 10 cents off per gallon for every $50 you spend on live event tickets and 10 cents off per gallon for every $50 you spend on dining at participating restaurants. You can earn additional savings for booking rental cars (25% off base rates for rental cars and earn 10 cents off per gallon for every $50 you spend).

So let’s say you earn Gold status, then another 25 cents off per gallon for shopping online and another 10 cents off for dining out. That means you’ll get a total of 40 cents off per gallon on your next fill-up of up to 20 gallons.

You can also earn more through featured offers.

You must opt in to the Link & Save feature to link Fuel Rewards with your Gold Status or Silver Status savings. This requires that you link your credit or debit card to your account.

To save more each time you head to the fuel pump, you can apply for the Shell | Fuel Rewards Mastercard. This is one of the best gas station credit cards on offer.

The credit card earns you 30 cents off per gallon (up to 35 gallons) on your first five Shell fuel purchases made by June 30, 2023, but the rewards keep going after: You’ll continue to earn 10 cents off for every gas fill-up at Shell. You can also earn Shell rebates (ranging from 1% to 10%) on qualifying purchases.

While the gas station credit card is a nice add-on to the fuel rewards program, credit card power users will likely find they earn more with traditional cash back credit cards.

You can also apply for the basic Shell | Fuel Rewards Card that has the save gas savings but does not offer discounts on everyday purchases.

Another hallmark of Shell is its partnership with grocery stores. Earn fuel points by shopping at your favorite grocery chain and use them for discounts at Shell gas stations.

Shell’s grocery store rewards represent supermarket chains from all across the country. Here’s the complete list:

• Dillons
• Food for Less
• Fred Meyer
• Fry’s
• Giant
• Homeland
• HyVee
• Jay C
• Kroger
• King Soopers and City MArket
• PayLess
• QFC – Quality Food Centers
• Ralph’s
• Stop & Shop
• Smiths

There is no annual fee for this gas rewards program.

6. Speedway Speedy Rewards

Just like Shell’s program, Speedway Speedy Rewards is packed with a ton of ways to save, and it comes with a free mobile app to keep track of it all. It might possibly be the best of the best gas rewards programs on our list.

With Speedy Rewards, you’ll earn 10 points per gallon at the pump and 20 points per dollar spent in-store, plus bonus points on select items. You can also earn reward points for shopping online through the Speedy Rewards Mall.

And if you want to use points for free stuff, a minimum of 1,250 points gets you free drinks and snacks, while 5,500 points can get you a whole large pizza (or just 1,350 for a single hot slice). You can even buy gift cards.

Want to use points on fuel discounts? It takes 1,750 points to earn 10 cents off per gallon.

You can earn even more free stuff when you become part of the Speedy Club. All you have to do is purchase one item from the club, and you’re in!

With the Speedy Club, if you frequent the car wash, you can earn a free wash for every six you purchase. And if you’re all about the coffee, fountain drinks and Speedy Freezes, you can be part of the Beverage Club — which allows you to choose a reward for every six beverages you buy. This could be a free beverage, 1,000 bonus points or 10 cents off fuel.

There are a whole list of other clubs, from donuts to gaming cards, all with similar offers of receiving a reward when you buy six.

As an added perk for using the Speedy Rewards Pay Card, you’ll earn extra benefits that vary by state:

• In Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania (excluding the Pittsburgh area), you’ll save an extra 5 cents per gallon every day.
• In the Pittsburgh area, you’ll save an extra 11 cents per gallon every day.
• In Delaware, New Hampshire and New York, you’ll save 10 cents per gallon every day (plus save 15 cents a gallon for the first 60 days).
• In Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Utah, you’ll earn double fuel points every day (plus save 5 cents a gallon for your first 90 days).
• In Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, you’ll earn double fuel points every day (plus 70 points per gallon for your first 90 days).
• In select Indiana markets (including Fort Wayne, Anderson, Lafayette and Kokomo), you’ll save 10 cents per gallon every day (plus save 15 cents a gallon for your first 90 days).
• In Hilton Head, South Carolina, you’ll save 5 cents per gallon every day (plus save 10 cents a gallon for your first 90 days).

Speedway also offers the Speedy Rewards Mastercard. When you swipe it at Speedway stores, you’ll earn 50 points per dollar spent. You’ll earn 10 points per dollar spent everywhere else Mastercard is accepted. And you’ll get 25,000 bonus points when you spend at least $500 in the first three billing cycles after account opening.

There is no annual fee for this gas station rewards program.

​​Use Apps to Find the Cheapest Gas

Maybe you are signed up for gas station rewards programs but are traveling and not near your usual fill-up spot. Take advantage of several websites and apps that tell you the price of gasoline at nearby stations. Upside, GasBuddy and Waze are popular options.

The price of gas can vary significantly across state lines, so if you’re planning a trip, check where prices are lower along the way. Avoid getting gas at stations just off a highway exit or in the middle of a major city — stations in those locations tend to charge more than ones a little more out of the way. Planning is a crucial part of finding the cheapest gas, especially when traveling.

Timothy Moore covers bank accounts, loans, insurance and credit cards for The Penny Hoarder from his home base in Cincinnati. He has worked in editing and graphic design for a marketing agency, a global research firm and a major print publication. He covers a variety of other topics, including travel, taxes, budgeting, pet care and automotive. He’s worked in the field since 2012 with publications such as The Penny Hoarder, Insider, Sound Dollar, Chime, SoFi, Debt.com, Ladders, WDW Magazine and Glassdoor.