The Chase AAA credit card used to be the best gas card out there: 5 points per $1 spent on gas. But as of November 2011, it’s gone. But thankfully, there are more than a few decent gas cards to take its place. Sure, the AAA credit card was one of the greats: high gas rewards, no annual fee – it’s a loss. But dry your tears, because we have 5 no-fee gas credit cards whose rewards don’t end with petroleum.
Chase Freedom: Our most popular cash back credit card, the Chase Freedom gives 5% rewards on rotating bonus categories and 1% elsewhere. This year, gas is one of the lucky 5% for two quarters, so your average rewards rate is 3% over the course of the year, not to mention that you can also get bonus rewards on Amazon.com, groceries, dining out and more. The card has a signup bonus of $100 cash back when you spend $500 in first 3 months. Plus, it has no annual fee. If you’d like to transfer a balance, you can get a 0% balance transfer APR for 12 months and purchase APR for six, though your signup bonus is halved. Keep it in the family: Chase doesn’t leave you without options.
Hilton HHonors from American Express: The Hilton credit card pays out substantial rewards in a number of categories. We value HHonors points at 0.5 cents each, so the percentage rewards rate is half the points rewards rate. For no annual fee, you receive:
- A 40,000-point signup bonus (worth $200, in our estimations) when you spend $3,000
- 3% back on gas, groceries, cable, utilities, and internet; and at the Hilton
- 1.5% back everywhere else
- Complimentary Silver elite status
If you’re willing to pay a $75 annual fee, the Hilton HHonors Surpass gives complimentary Gold status for the first year, airport lounge access, a 60,000-point signup bonus and a few other perks. Mind you, it does pay out in HHonors points, so if you don’t stay there often you may not get as good of a value. But hey, wasn’t the AAA Visa all about the open road? The Hilton card keeps the wanderlust alive.
American Express Blue Cash: The Blue Cash Everyday is a suburbanite’s dream, offering 2% back on gas as well as 3% on groceries and 2% on department stores, plus 0% purchase APR for 12 months. Like the Chase Freedom, it’s a cash back credit card, so you don’t have to worry about complicated point systems. The card kicks off the honeymoon phase with a $100 signup bonus, but its high rewards keep the relationship strong. Like the Hilton, it has a premium version with a $75 annual fee. The Blue Cash Preferred gives 6% on groceries, 3% on gas and department stores and 1% elsewhere, and offers one of the highest rewards rates out there.
Discover More: The Discover More is the Chase Freedom’s little brother, always tagging along but never quite able to keep up with the big boys. It, too, is a 5% rotating bonus category card that gives preferential treatment to gas in two quarters. It’s also cash back and no fee, but that’s about where the good points end. It gives a 1% base rewards rate only after you’ve spent $3,000 – before that, you get only 0.25%. That’s a quarter of rewards for every $100 spent. It also has no signup bonus, and Discover doesn’t have quite the acceptance of Visa or MasterCard, especially abroad.
So don’t mourn the AAA Visa too much. Chase giveth, and Chase giveth away. Thankfully, there are still quite a few credit cards that fit the bill for travelers, drivers and more.
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