Top 3 Credit Cards for Gas Stations

Filling up the gas tank these days is getting more and more expensive, and for most of us, it’s an unavoidable cost.

Each trip to the gas station takes a notable toll on our wallet as we use our cars to get to and from work, to get the family to appointments and lessons, and maybe even to get out of town for the weekend.

Luckily, whether you gas up weekly or just once in a while, there’s a way to extract extra value from this expense by using the right credit card and the right gas station.

In this article, we share the best credit cards to use at gas stations to earn you rewards towards travel, statement credits, and more.

The Players and the Programs

In Canada, there are a handful of popular gas station brands that make up most of the market share. These brands are Shell, Esso, Petro-Canada, Ultramar, and Costco Gas.

You may also be familiar with smaller brands, private gas companies, and the sister brands of these bigger names.

Many gas stations offer rewards programs to entice brand loyalty, and while we don’t have the space to go over every single brand in Canada, let’s explore the five main gas station brands and their rewards programs.

Shell

Shell gas stations participate in the Scene+ rewards program, which is now live at more than 1,400 Shell locations across Canada.

At Shell, Scene+ members earn 1 Scene+ point per litre on all grades of fuel, plus 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent on car washes and eligible convenience items, simply by scanning your Scene+ card (all figures in CAD).

Linking your Scene+ account to the Shell Go+ app unlocks a bonus layer on top: 10% more points on regular fuel, diesel, and convenience purchases, plus double the bonus points on Shell V-Power.

The bigger savings come from paying with an eligible Scotiabank or Tangerine card linked to Shell Go+, which triggers instant cents-per-litre discounts right at the pump:

• 3 cents per litre off all grades of Shell fuel with a linked Scotiabank or Tangerine card
• An additional 4 cents per litre off Shell V-Power as a launch promotion, running through June 1, 2027 for Scotiabank Scene+ cards and March 6, 2027 for the Tangerine Rewards World Elite Mastercard

You have to pay with the linked card itself (or its mobile wallet token) for the instant savings to apply. CAA members can stack a further 3 cents per litre at participating Shell stations on top of everything else.

Once you combine base earning, Shell Go+ bonuses, and instant savings, a Scotiabank Scene+ cardholder filling up with V-Power can see up to around 10 cents per litre in value, or roughly 13 cents per litre with a CAA membership in the mix.

Scene+ points are worth 1 cent each, redeemable at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 off fuel, car washes, or eligible in-store purchases, with no loss of earning on the pre-discount value. It’s the same currency you already collect at Sobeys, Cineplex, and on travel, so your gas spend now feeds the same balance.

Esso

Esso gas stations (and its sister brand Mobil) use the PC Optimum rewards program, offering customers the chance to earn PC Optimum points.

With the PC Optimum program, you can earn 10 points per litre purchased and 10 points per dollar spent at the gas station convenience store.

PC Optimum points can also be earned at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws brand grocery stores (including No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, valu-mart, Zehrs, The Independent Grocer, Fortinos, and Wholesale Club).

The points can be redeemed for credit at participating stores, and online at beautyboutique.ca, JoeFresh.ca, and PC Express websites at a rate of 1,000 points = $1.

Petro-Canada

Petro-Canada uses an in-house points program called Petro-Points.

You can earn 10 points per litre of fuel purchased and 10 points per dollar spent at the convenience store.

Petro-Points can be redeemed for discounts on fuel, car washes, and more at a rate of 1,000 points = $1. The points can also be redeemed for e-gift cards for many popular brands (e.g., Apple, Walmart, Uber, Tim Hortons).

Petro-Canada is also partnered with RBC. When you link an eligible RBC card to your Petro-Points account, you instantly save 3 cents per litre on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points. If your RBC card earns Avion points (like the RBC ION+ Visa featured below), you’ll also collect 20% more Avion points on those fuel purchases.

Ultramar

Ultramar and its sister brands Pioneer, Fast Gas Plus, and Chevron-branded stations in Alberta and BC use a points program called Journie Rewards.

Journie Rewards are earned at a rate of 1 point per litre purchased and 2 points per dollar spent in the gas station convenience store.

As you earn Journie Rewards points, you’ll access free snacks and a savings of seven cents off gas once you accumulate 300 Journie Rewards points.

Journie Rewards are also partnered with Aeroplan, allowing you to earn Aeroplan points on fuel purchases when you link your accounts.

Costco Gas

Costco consistently has some of the cheapest gas among the big brands, but you do need to purchase a Costco membership to access it. Also, Costco’s gas station doesn’t have a points program.

In lieu of a points program, Costco has the CIBC Costco Mastercard that offers 3% cash back on spending at Costco gas stations and restaurants, 2% cash back at other gas stations and on Costco.ca, and 1% cash back everywhere else.

The cash back earned with this card comes in the form of cash back gift certificates that can be used exclusively at Canadian Costco Warehouses.

Should You Use a Gas Station Reward Program?

As you can see from the brief program descriptions above, gas station reward programs don’t provide overwhelming value or rewards.

That said, there is zero downside to signing up for one, or all, of the programs we’ve mentioned since each one does provide some sort of rewards return.

By simply signing up for the available rewards programs, you’re setting yourself up to save on gas purchases, earn gift cards, or enjoy a free snack every so often.

However, if you really want to increase the value of your gas station spending, you need to consider which credit card will provide the best return at which gas station.

With gas being a large and consistent expense, finding the right credit card and using it at the right gas station can help you earn rewards quickly.

The 3 Best Credit Cards for Gas Rewards in Canada

Earning rewards by spending on specific credit cards is an excellent way to access bonus value from your day-to-day spending.

The Canadian gas landscape is now defined by bank partnerships: Shell with Scotiabank (through Scene+), Petro-Canada with RBC, and Ultramar with CIBC (through Journie Rewards). With that in mind, we’ve matched each of our top picks to the gas station where it shines brightest.

Scotiabank Gold American Express – Best for Shell

With Shell now on Scene+, the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is the natural pairing for filling up at Shell.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns Scene+ points, the same currency you collect at Shell, at the following rates:

• 6 Scene+ points per dollar spent at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo, Foodland, and other Empire-owned grocery stores
• 5 Scene+ points per dollar spent on other groceries, dining, and entertainment
• 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent on gas, transit, and select streaming services
• 1 Scene+ point per dollar spent on everything else

At 3 Scene+ points per dollar on gas, and with each point worth 1 cent, you’re earning the equivalent of 3% back when you fill up. On top of that, paying with this card at Shell unlocks the Scotiabank discount of up to 7 cents per litre when your account is linked to Shell Go+, and you’ll still collect 1 Scene+ point per litre from Shell itself.

Scene+ points earned with this card can be redeemed at a fixed value of 1 cent each for travel (as a statement credit against any travel purchase), groceries at Empire-owned stores, dining, and more. The card also charges no foreign transaction fees, making it a strong companion for trips abroad.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card comes with an annual fee of $120, which is typically waived for the first year alongside a welcome bonus of Scene+ points.

RBC ION+ Visa – Best for Petro-Canada

Petro-Canada’s partnership with RBC makes the RBC® ION+ Visa our pick for drivers who frequent Petro-Canada.

The RBC® ION+ Visa earns RBC Avion points at a strong rate, including 3 Avion points per dollar spent on gas with no annual cap. Its full bonus categories are as follows:

• 3 Avion points per dollar spent on gas, groceries, dining, food delivery, rideshare, transit, EV charging, and streaming
• 1 Avion point per dollar spent on all other purchases

When you link your RBC ION+ Visa to your Petro-Points account, you also save 3 cents per litre and earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada, stacking nicely on top of the card’s 3 points per dollar.

At just $48 per year (billed as $4 per month), the RBC ION+ Visa is one of the most affordable ways to earn 3 points per dollar on gas. The points you earn sit in the Avion Premium tier; to unlock airline transfer partners and the best redemption options, you’ll want to pair it with an Avion card like the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite^†, which lets you move your points to the Avion Elite tier at par.

CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite – Best for Ultramar

Rounding out our top three is the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card.

As a Visa, this card is widely accepted, and we recommend using it at Ultramar (and sister brands Pioneer, Fast Gas Plus, and Chevron-branded stations in Alberta and BC).

With the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn a strong cash back rate in key spending categories, including 4% cash back on gas purchases. The complete earning rates for the card are as follows:

• 4% cash back on gas, groceries, and EV charging
• 2% cash back on dining, recurring payments, and transportation
• 1% cash back on everything else

Additionally, when you link your CIBC Dividend Visa Card to your Journie Rewards account, you save 3 cents per litre at Ultramar, Pioneer, Fast Gas Plus, and eligible Chevron stations. Once you accumulate 300 Journie Rewards points, you can redeem them for a savings of 7 cents per litre, up to 100 litres (equalling up to $7 in savings), for a total of up to 10 cents per litre in combined savings.

The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card has an annual fee of $120, though the card often comes with a first-year fee waiver and a welcome bonus of elevated cash back rates.

We picked the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card for gas station spend because it offers the best straightforward cash back rate for gas, plus you can link the card with Journie Rewards to save up to an extra 10 cents per litre at Ultramar.

As a cash back card, the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite earns cash back that is accumulated monthly. Your accumulated cash back can be redeemed for a statement credit at any time, with a minimum redemption amount of $25.

Conclusion

Spending at gas stations is a considerable expense for many of us, and although it’s a necessary evil, there are ways to leverage this spending to your benefit.

With Shell now partnered with Scotiabank through Scene+, Petro-Canada with RBC, and Ultramar with CIBC, the best results come from matching your credit card to the station you visit most. Pair the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card with Shell, the RBC® ION+ Visa with Petro-Canada, and the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite with Ultramar.

By using the right credit card when you fill up your tank, you can earn valuable rewards for travel, cash back, and more, all from an expense you were going to have anyway.