Best Gas Credit Cards in Canada: Cash Back, Points and Cents-Off at the Pump
The best gas card isn't just the highest percentage. Caps, what counts as a gas station, and fuel-loyalty programs all change the answer. Here's how to compare them.
By Andrew Updated How we review cards
If you drive a lot, a card that pays a higher rate at the pump can easily return more than its annual fee. In Canada, the strongest cash back rates on gas are 3% to 4%, but almost every one comes with an annual cap or a list of merchants that count. This guide walks through the main options, how the caps work, and how to stack a card with a fuel-loyalty program.
What counts as “gas”
Card issuers decide what counts as gas using the merchant category code (MCC) the station’s payment terminal reports. That usually covers stand-alone gas stations and automated fuel pumps. It often doesn’t cover fuel bought at a grocery store or warehouse club that codes the whole store as one merchant, the snacks and car wash bought inside if they’re rung up separately, or a station attached to a big-box store.
A few cards now include EV charging in the gas category. CIBC’s Dividend cards, for example, include electric vehicle charging (MCC 5552) alongside gas stations. If you drive electric, check that wording before you choose.
Top cash back cards for gas
| Card | Annual fee | Gas rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite | $120 | 4% on gas, EV charging and groceries | 4% and 2% rates apply to the first $20,000 a year in those categories or $50,000 in total card purchases, whichever comes first; then 1% |
| SimplyCash Preferred from American Express | $119.88 ($9.99/month) | 4% on gas and stand-alone grocery stores | Up to $30,000 a year combined, then 2% |
| TD Cash Back Visa Infinite | $139 | 3% on gas and EV charging | First $15,000 a year in that category, then 1% |
| CIBC Costco Mastercard | $0 (Costco membership required) | 3% at Costco gas in Canada; 2% at other gas stations and EV charging | First $5,000 a year at gas and EV charging, then 1% |
| SimplyCash Card from American Express | $0 | 2% on gas and grocery stores in Canada | Up to $300 cash back a year |
| Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa | $0 | 1.5% on gas, groceries, drugstores and pre-authorized payments | First $15,000 a year, then 0.5% |
The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite and TD Cash Back Visa Infinite both list a $60,000 personal or $100,000 household income requirement. American Express is accepted at many, but not all, gas stations in Canada, so if you pick an Amex card for gas, carry a Visa or Mastercard as a backup. Our Amex acceptance guide covers where it tends to work.
Points cards that pay well on gas
- Scotiabank Gold American Express ($120): 3x Scene+ points on gas, daily transit and select streaming, on the first $50,000 in accelerated purchases a year. At 100 points = $1, that’s about 3% back.
- BMO eclipse Visa Infinite ($120): 5 BMO Rewards points per $1 on gas, on up to $20,000 a year. BMO values points at 150 = $1 for travel with Pay with Points, so 5 points per $1 works out to about 3.3% on travel redemptions.
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite and CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite ($139): 1.5 Aeroplan points per $1 on gas and EV charging.
Fuel-loyalty programs you can stack
A card’s cash back and a gas station’s loyalty program are usually separate, so you can often collect both:
- Canadian Tire Gas+ and Petro-Canada. The Triangle World Elite Mastercard ($0) lists 7¢/L in CT Money on premium fuel and 5¢/L on other fuel at Gas+, with an $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income requirement. The base Triangle Mastercard also earns fuel cents per litre at Gas+ and Petro-Canada.
- Petro-Canada with RBC. RBC cards such as the RBC Visa Platinum list savings of 3¢/L at Petro-Canada when you link an eligible RBC card, plus 20% more Petro-Points.
- Journie Rewards with CIBC. CIBC cards list up to 10 cents off per litre at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron stations when you link a Journie Rewards card.
How to work out what a gas card is worth
- Look at a few months of statements and add up what you spend at gas stations (or EV chargers).
- Multiply by the card’s gas rate, but stop at the cap. For example, $3,000 a year on the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite at 3% is $90. Over $15,000, every extra dollar earns 1%.
- Add what the card earns on your other categories, such as groceries, since most gas cards also pay well there.
- Subtract the annual fee. A $120 card has to beat a no-fee card by more than $120 a year to be worth it.
If you spend modestly on gas, a no-fee card like the SimplyCash or Simplii may come out ahead once the fee is counted. If you’re on the road constantly, watch the caps: a 4% card with a combined cap can run out faster than you expect when groceries share the same limit.
FAQ
Do warehouse club gas stations count as gas? It depends on how the station codes. The CIBC Costco Mastercard pays a specific 3% at Costco gas in Canada; on other cards, check whether the issuer lists the merchant as a gas station.
Does EV charging earn the gas rate? On some cards. CIBC Dividend cards, the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite and the CIBC Costco Mastercard all list EV charging alongside gas.
Can I earn cash back and Petro-Points on the same fill-up? Usually yes. You scan or link the loyalty card and pay with your credit card, and each program awards its own rewards.
What to do next
Compare gas-earning cards on the cash back hub, or use the finder to match a card to your spending. Then confirm the current rate and cap on the issuer’s page before you apply.
Offers change. This is not financial advice. Approval is never guaranteed.
