If you’re one of the millions of Americans who take road trips each year, you may be missing out on some big savings from the gas rewards programs. In 2020, the average price of regular gas was only $2.17 per gallon, which increased to an average price of $3.52 per gallon in 2023. Due to higher gas prices, it’s a great idea to earn rewards when you get fuel so you can cash in on the savings during a later visit.
Whether you’re taking your own car or a rental, you can get various perks at gas stations around the country. And, unlike with gas credit cards, you don’t need a good credit score to join a rewards program.
Keep reading to learn more about the best gas rewards programs, their benefits, and additional details that can help you pick the one that’s right for you.
Shell Fuel Rewards®
The Shell Fuel Rewards® Program is our top pick for the best gas rewards. Typically, your rewards start at Silver Status, saving you $0.03 per gallon, but you can save even more. When you sign up, you’re granted complimentary Gold Status, and you save $0.30 on your first fill-up at Shell. After that, Gold Status saves you $0.05 per gallon on your future fill-ups. You can stay at Gold Status by filling up six times every three months.
For those who use Shell stations more often, you can reach Platinum Status, and this saves you $0.10 per gallon. To achieve Platinum Status, you simply need to fill up 12 times per quarter. This is fairly simple to do for anyone who takes road trips, has a daily commute or has multiple cars in their household.
Shell doesn’t limit your fuel rewards to filling up, either. You can earn additional rewards by spending at partner locations. Some of the locations include:
- T-Mobile
- Bank of America
- Advance Auto Parts
It’s free to sign up to become a Shell Fuel Rewards member. You can use their mobile app to track your rewards and conveniently link the rewards card to a credit or debit card to automatically get your discounts.
Speedway Speedy Rewards
With the Speedway Speedy Rewards program, you can earn flexible rewards. In addition to rewards for fuel, you can get snacks and drinks with your points. Accumulating points doesn’t save you as much as some of the others on the list. It takes 1,750 points to save $0.10 per gallon, and you earn 10 points per gallon of fuel. Depending on the size of your fuel tank, it may take 14 to 20 fill-ups or more before earning the discount.
7REWARDS
The rewards program at 7-Eleven starts you off with saving $0.11 per gallon when you sign up. This is available for the first seven fill-ups, and then you receive $0.05 off per gallon after that. You can start to earn additional rewards by getting fuel or snacks and drinks inside. The additional rewards you earn are for in-store purchases. You will earn 10 points per dollar spent as a 7REWARDS member, and you can start getting free food and drinks at 500 points.
BPMe Rewards
As a BPMe Rewards member, you can save each time you go to a BP or Amoco station. BP has an app you can use like many of the others on the list, and you can also automatically get rewards by signing up for their credit card. Although the BPMe fuel discount is only $0.05 per gallon, there’s no minimum spending amount when you go.
Circle K Inner Circle Rewards
The Circle K Inner Circle Rewards program’s value starts off high but then decreases significantly. You will save $0.25 cents per gallon from your first five fill ups, and then it drops down to $0.03 off per gallon after that. You will receive five free drinks when you become a member, and you can earn rewards for snacks and drinks with future purchases.
Exxon Mobil Rewards+
One of the benefits of the Exxon Mobil Rewards+ programs is that they have accessible locations throughout the country. However, the rewards are fairly low with this program, and it’s structured a little differently. With this program, you earn $0.03 cents in rewards per gallon of gas purchased. This means that if fuel was $4.00 per gallon, you would need to purchase 133 gallons before earning a free gallon. You can earn an additional $0.02 per dollar spent when you make purchases in the store.
Pilot Flying J myRewards Plus
The Pilot Flying J myRewards Plus program is great for those who road trip in RVs. These fuel stations are designed for larger vehicles, but they also accommodate regular vehicles. When you become a member, you can earn points by getting fuel and making in-store purchases. You will save $0.05 per gallon as a member, and you also get additional rewards during your birthday month.
Maverik Adventure Club
The Maverik Adventure Club rewards program has one of the smallest gas discounts, but it may be good for those who live near these gas stations. The fuel discount is $0.02 per gallon, and you can earn “Trail Points” when purchasing fuel and items in the store. You can then use Trail Points to purchase in-store items and enter sweepstakes and drawings.
How Do Gas Rewards Programs Work?
Once you sign up for a gas rewards program, you’ll typically receive a membership card that you can use at the gas station.
Whenever you purchase gas, you can scan your card, input some of your information, like your phone number, or use an app to earn your reward points. Some programs also give you rewards for purchasing items like food and drinks inside the gas station.
Depending on the gas station, there may be different tiers of rewards. This means that you may save more or earn more as you continue to use the same gas station’s rewards program.
Each gas station may offer different types of rewards. The pump may ask you if you’d like to use points when you fill up, or they may have the option at the counter when you go inside. Some stations put small signs up by items inside the gas station showing how many points you can use to redeem food and drinks.
After you earn points, you should check to see if they expire. You can often find additional information like this on the gas station’s website or app if it has one.
How To Get the Most Out of Best Gas Rewards Programs
With multiple gas rewards programs to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which one is right for you. The following are some tips that can help you with your choice:
Consider gas station availability
Not only do you want to look at the rewards, but you should also consider convenience. If you don’t live near the gas station that offers the rewards program, it may be more beneficial to apply for one that’s closer to home.
For those who take regular road trips, you may also want to factor in the gas station’s availability throughout the country.
Compare gas savings vs. flexible rewards
Many of the rewards programs offer points that allow you to save money on fuel, but others have flexible rewards. The flexible reward programs may let you use points for snacks, drinks and other items in the gas station. They may also let you exchange your rewards for cash. Compare your options to see which one is right for you.
Get more than one card
Another option to consider is that you don’t need to limit yourself to just one card. You may want multiple cards that have different rewards or convenience factors. For example, maybe you want cards for a gas station with fewer locations because it’s close to you as well as a gas station with more availability for road trips. This strategy is also helpful for the programs that have higher fuel discounts during the first visits.
Plan your next road trip with AAA
If you’re planning to go on a road trip, be sure to take advantage of the AAA Discounts & Rewards® program. When you use the AAA mobile app, you can easily find locations for Shell gas stations while you’re on the road, and we also track current gas prices around the country.
While you’re saving on gas and earning rewards along the way, you can also get discounts on dining. For your listening pleasure, you can also get a two-month free subscription to Audible and four free months of SiriusXM. With AAA, the possibilities and discounts are endless, so sign up today.