The Best Credit Cards For Gas and Transit
With the constant increases in gas prices over the past few months, it’s only natural to find ways to save money at the pump.
The credit cards below are the best ones to help you lower the bill if you have a lot of expenses for local transportation or gas. Use one of our favorite tricks: buy gift cards.
If your credit card offers more points for grocery store purchases, buy gift cards from your favourite gas station.
For example, the American Express Cobalt® Card earns 5 points for grocery store purchases and 2 points at the gas station. You can buy Esso, Petro-Canada and even Uber gift cards at Metro or Super C and use them to pay for gas.
With this trick, a $100 grocery store gift card purchase will earn you 500 points ($100 X 5), instead of 200 points for direct purchase at Esso, Petro-Canada or Uber.
It’s the same with the Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card, which earns 4% cash back on groceries and 2% on gas.
Also, another trick is to combine the gas station’s loyalty program with your credit card.
With its CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card, CIBC offers gas discounts at Ultramar with the Journie program.
Here is a table summarizing the different offers. For more details, read on or click on the name of a card.
American Express Cobalt® Card
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cashback.
The welcome bonus is distributed monthly for the first 12 months. You earn 2,500 Membership Rewards points for every $500 in purchases charged to your card during the month (whether in the 1X, 2X, 3X or 5X category). That’s up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points.
You can easily use these points as statement credits for everyday or travel purchases. The value is the same for both: 1,000 points = $10.
Or, you can transfer your points to Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors. With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you can earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
| Grocery | 5 |
| Food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Streaming subscriptions | 3 |
| Gas station | 2 |
| Gas & Transit | 2 |
| Travel | 2 |
| Other | 1 |
This is a 1 to 5% return on all these purchases.
In addition, this card provides excellent insurance coverage: rental car theft and damage, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, flight delay, $250,000 travel accident, hotel or motel burglary, Mobile Device Insurance, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection Insurance.
Find out in this article how to maximize the welcome bonus to get 60,000 points with your everyday spending. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card
The CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card is one of the best Visa credit cards with cash back in Canada. The minimum annual income required for this card is $60,000 (personal) or $100,000 (household). With this Card, you earn:
- 4% cash back on eligible gas and groceries purchases
- 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments
- 1% on all other purchases
Currently, get 10% cash back for the first 4 statements on total purchases of up to $2,500. And you’ll get a first-year annual fee rebate!
And this card has comprehensive insurance:
- Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
- $500,000 Common Carrier Accident Insurance
- Flight Delay and Baggage Insurance
- Trip Interruption Insurance
- Out-of-Province Emergency Travel Medical Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card only requires a minimum income of $12,000.
For a limited time, you can earn up to 40,000 points in the first-year, which is a $400 value on travel purchases including Airbnb. Plus, the first year is free!
With the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card, you earn 5 points per dollar for:
- grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Entertainment
Note that starting October 1, 2022, you will earn 6 points per dollar at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.
You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb).
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is a no foreign transaction fee card. It has Premium travel and purchase insurance, Concierge services, Exclusive Benefits American Express (Front of the Line Program).
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
When you sign up for our exclusive offer for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points and have the$120 annual fee waived for the first year:
- 40,000 points after $3,000 in purchases in the first three months
- 30,000 points at annual renewal if you have made $25,000 in purchases with the card in the first 12 months
Plus, you’ll get a $50 annual lifestyle credit – per calendar year – to spend however you want.
With the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on:
- Groceries
- Dining
- Food delivery
- Gas
- Transit
And 1 BMO Rewards point for every $1 spent on everything else. Plus, if you add an authorized user to your account, you’ll earn 10% more points.
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card
With the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 3% cash back on :
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Recurring bill payments
And 1% cash back on all other purchases.
With this new welcome offer, you could earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to a total spend of $2,000). After your first $2,000 in Purchases, Gas Purchases, Grocery Purchases and Pre-Authorized Payments will continue to earn 6% up to a total spend of $3,500 for the first 3 months. That’s a total cash back of $290!
Plus, a first-year annual fee rebate for the Primary and Additional Cardholders.
Scotiabank American Express® Card
The Scotiabank American Express Card is one of the best no-fee credit cards in Canada.
For a limited time, you can earn up to 10,000 points in the first year, which is a $100 value on travel purchases including Airbnb.
With the Scotiabank American Express Card, you earn 2 points for every $1 in purchases at:
- grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Entertainment
- Gas stations
- Transit
- streaming services
Note that starting October 1, 2022, you will earn 3 points per dollar at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
And 1 point per dollar of purchase for all other purchases.
You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). Or through Scene+ partners.
American Express® Gold Rewards Card
Earn up to 50,000 Membership Rewards points with this great welcome offer for the American Express® Gold Rewards Card.
With this Card, you get many benefits like:
- $100 annual travel credit
- Priority Pass membership and 4 complimentary Plaza Premium visits per year
- $50 NEXUS credit
You earn 2 points per dollar for travel purchases, and at:
- gas stations
- grocery stores
- drugstores
And 1 point per dollar everywhere else.
Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement.
Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card
The Scotia Infinite Momentum Visa Card is recognized year after year as one of the best cashback credit cards in Canada.
Currently, there is no annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards. And you can earn 10% cash back on all your purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases).
With the Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card, you earn:
- 4% at grocery store and on periodic payments
- 2% on gasoline and public transit
- 1% cash back on everything else
And this card has premium insurance!