How to save on gas prices in Canada

Updated Nov 8, 2024
Fact checked by
Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève Leclerc

Marie-Ève Leclerc

Marie-Ève Leclerc
Marie-Ève, Web Director at Milesopedia, is an expert in budget travel and a slow travel enthusiast. Specializing in Aeroplan, Scene+, and Marriott Bonvoy programs, she spends nearly six months a year abroad, making travel her way of life. Constantly seeking the best waves to surf, excellent coffee, and strategies to extend her travels, she is often found in coworking spaces with fellow digital nomads or by the sea, watching the sunset.
All posts by Marie-Ève Leclerc
Essence-2400×1260-01
To the point Check out our tips for saving money on gas purchases in Canada with loyalty programs and credit cards.

With gas prices rising steadily in recent months, it’s only natural to find ways to save money at the pump through loyalty programs. Here are a few tips! Subscribe to our newsletter for more money-saving tips!

Gas prices - Credit Card Rewards

Si vous dépensez beaucoup d’argent en essence chaque mois, le premier réflexe à avoir est de trouver une carte de crédit vous offrant davantage de récompenses dans la catégorie Station-service.

Voici 5 excellentes cartes pour vos achats d’essence :

Gas prices - Gift cards

Credit cards offering rewards points or cash back can help you reduce your bill.

Start by using one of our favourite tricks: buying gas gift cards.

If your credit card offers more points for grocery store purchases, buy gift cards from your favourite gas station.

5X The Points On Amazon.ca For Cobalt Cardmembers!

Like, for example, with the American Express Cobalt® Card, you get:

  • 5 points for grocery purchases ;
  • 2 points for gas station purchases.

You can buy Esso or Petro-Canada gift cards at Metro or Super C grocery stores, then use them to pay for gas. You will then have earned 5 points per dollar instead of 2.

For example, for a $100 weekly in-store purchase of gas and other items (milk, bread, lottery, candy, etc.) at Esso :

Buy directly from Esso Buy an Esso gift card at Super C
American Express Cobalt® Card

200 Membership Rewards points

($100 x 2 points)

500 Membership Rewards points

($100 x 5 points)

After one year, you will have :

Buy directly from Esso Buy an Esso gift card at Super C
American Express Cobalt® Card

10,400 Membership Rewards points

($104 value)

26,000 Membership Rewards points

($260 value)

The difference is enormous! These 26,000 Membership Rewards points can be converted into :

  • 26,000 Aeroplan points for a round trip to Florida
  • 31,200 Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night at the hotel
  • $ 260 cash back to pay for 2.6 weeks of gas!

The same principle applies to the National Bank World Elite Mastercard®, with 5 points per dollar spent.

It’s the same with the Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card, with which you earn 4% cash back on groceries and 2% on gas.

Gas: Partner programs

AIR MILES

Un autre truc est de combiner le programme de fidélité de la station-service à celui de votre carte de crédit.  Un des plus populaires et lucratifs est Shell avec AIR MILES.

Vous ferez coup double ! Et même beaucoup plus, car AIR MILES a souvent des offres mensuelles ou surprises très payantes via son application mobile.

Chez Shell, vous accumulerez un mélange de rabais sur l’essence et de milles AIR MILES :

  • Accumulation de milles de base
  • Accumulation de milles supplémentaires en payant avec une carte de crédit BMO AIR MILES
  • De 2 à 7 cents de rabais par litre sur l’essence avec une carte BMO AIR MILES
  • 3 cents de rabais sur l’essence pour les membres CAA
  • 3 cents à 42 cents de rabais sur l’essence s’il y a une promotion IGA Shell offerte en magasin
  • 2X les milles sur les achats d’essence et à la station-service Shell avec Shell Go+
  • Toute autre offre surprise et mensuelle (30x ou 40x les milles, milles en boni à l’achat du premier et deuxième plein du mois, journée boni jusqu’à 100 milles, etc)

En effet, vous accumulez des milles AIR MILES de base pour l’achat d’essence ET 3 milles AIR MILES pour chaque tranche d’achat de 12 $ chez Shell avec la Carte Mastercard BMO AIR MILES World Elite.

L’accumulation de milles de base chez Shell est de :

  • 1 mille par tranche de 10 L de carburant Shell V-Power
  • 1 mille par tranche de 20 L de carburant Shell Bronze et Argent et de carburant diesel Shell

Prenons par exemple un plein de 40 litres d’essence Régulier (Bronze ou Argent) chez Shell, au coût de 1,60 $ par litre. Le coût sera de 64 $.

Voici l’accumulation de milles et de rabais :

Sans carte de crédit AIR MILES Avec carte de crédit AIR MILES
  • 2 milles (valeur de 0,21 $)
  • 2 milles des offres Shell Go+ (valeur de 0,21$)
  • 50 milles (offre mensuelle d’AIR MILES selon le moment, pour le premier plein. Valeur de 7,89$).
  • 18 milles (2 milles de base + 16 milles de la carte de crédit) (valeur de 1,89 $) ;
  • Rabais de 2 cents par litre de type Bronze (valeur de 0,80 $);
  • Rabais de 3 cents par litre pour les membres CAA (valeur de 1,20 $) ;
  • 2 milles des offres Shell Go+ (valeur de 0,21$)
  • 50 milles (offre mensuelle d’AIR MILES selon le moment, pour le premier plein. Valeur de 7,89$).
12,9 % de remise (valeur de 8,31 $ divisé par 64 $) 18,7 % de remise (valeur de 11,99 $ divisé par 64$)

 

air miles essence

Pour obtenir encore plus, nous vous recommandons aussi de s’inscrire à Shell Go+.  Les promotions mensuelles sont nombreuses et vous obtenez un 2X les milles AIR MILES supplémentaire.

Les cartes-cadeaux Shell sont disponibles chez IGA.  Par ailleurs, il y a plusieurs IGA qui acceptent les cartes American Express.

La combinaison d’une carte-cadeau Shell achetée chez IGA avec une Carte CobaltMD American Express (remise de 5 %), afin de payer le plein d’essence est une autre possibilité très payante.

air miles promo essence

CIBC - Journie

On the CIBC side, with the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card or the CIBC Dividend® Visa Platinum* Card, you get discounts on gas at Ultramar (as well as Pioneer, Marché Express, On the Run, Fas Gas and Chevron) with the Journie :

  • 3 cents per litre every time you fill up
  • 7 cents per litre each time you earn 300 Journie points
cibc day

In addition, Journie Rewards is associated with the Aeroplan program. By linking Journie and Aeroplan accounts, you earn 300 Aeroplan points at the end of each 300 Journie Reward point cycle.

Then you can redeem those Aeroplan points for a discount or vouchers to treat yourself:

  • 300 Aeroplan points for a coupon entitling you to a $0.07 discount per liter of fuel for a single fill-up (up to 50 liters). Combine up to 5 coupons for a maximum rebate of $0.35 per liter
  • 500 Aeroplan points for a $5 convenience store voucher
  • 600 Aeroplan points for $5 off at M&M Food Market
  • 1,100 Aeroplan points for a Absolutely Everything Car Wash voucher ( $15.99 value)

In addition, these credit cards offer the highest cash back rates in Canada for gas:

This is handy if the gift card trick is too complicated for you! Especially since there are no Ultramar gift cards in grocery stores.

PC Optimum - Esso

On the PC Optimum side, you earn PC Optimum points on gas at Esso:

  • 10 points per liter ($0.01 value)
  • 30 points per liter with a PC Finance credit card ($0.03 value)

In addition, PC Optimum points can be redeemed for purchases at Esso :

  • 10 cents off per liter (up to 40 liters) when you redeem 4,000 PC Optimum points

Let’s go back to the example of a 40-litre tank of gas, at $1.60/litre = $64. You will earn:

Without PC Finance credit card With PC Finance credit card
400 PC Optimum points ($0.40 value) 1,200 PC Optimum points ($1.20 value)
0.63% return 1.88% return

In comparison, this $64 purchase charged to a non-PC Finance credit card earns :

Purchase with American Express Cobalt® Card only (2%) 128 Membership Rewards points ($1.28 value)
Cobalt + Gift Card Grocery Tip (5%) 320 Membership Rewards points ($3.20 value)
Purchase with Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card only (2% discount) $1,28
Tip Grocery Gift Card + Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card (4% discount) $ 2.56

RBC - Petro-Canada

From RBC, any credit card will save you up to 7 cents per liter in value, like the :

This way, you get discounts on gas at Petro Canada:

  • 3 cents per liter every time you fill up;
  • 20% more Petro-Points (worth about 1.2 cents per liter)
  • 20% more Avion Rewards points with an RBC credit card that earns RBC Rewards points, such as the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card (worth approximately 2.8 cents per liter).

To obtain them, you must first link your RBC credit card to your Petro-Points account.

In the Petro-Points program, the basic earning is:

  • 10 points per 1 liter of gas
  • 10 points for every $1 in store purchases and car wash

Every 1,000 Petro-Points gives you a $1 discount on items or free gas.

Let’s go back to the example of a 40-litre tank of gas, at $1.60/litre = $64. It will cost you at Petro-Canada:

Without RBC credit card With RBC credit card
64 $ 61,20 $
0% discount 4.4% discount ($2.80 value)

Here are some alternative payment methods and their benefits for the same $64 purchase:

Purchase with American Express Cobalt® Card only (2%) 128 Membership Rewards points ($1.28 value)
Cobalt + Gift Card Grocery Tip (5%) 320 Membership Rewards points ($3.20 value)
Purchase with Scotia Momentum® VISA Infinite* card only (2% discount) $1,28
Tip Grocery Gift Card + Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card (4% discount) $ 2.56

 

At Costco

No loyalty program is associated with Costco gas stations.

By default, gas at Costco costs less than elsewhere, thanks to revenues from Costco memberships.

Please note that gasoline purchases at Costco do not earn a 2% cash back for Executive members.

But there are credit cards that give more, and there are two that stand out:

Using the $1.60/liter example above, it’s probably around $1.50/liter at Costco. For 40 liters, you’ll earn $1.80 cash back (3%) with the CIBC Costco Mastercard.

Summary: Best fuel-saving combinations today

Voici les meilleures combinaisons pour économiser sur le prix de l’essence :

Station-service et programme Stratégie
Shell et AIR MILES
Ultramar, Pioneer, Marché Express, On the Run, Fas Gas et Chevron et Journie/Aéroplan 
Esso
  • Achat de la carte-cadeau Esso à l’épicerie (Metro ou Super C ou même chez Couche-Tard) avec la Carte CobaltMD American Express
  • Balayer sa carte de membre PC Optimum à la caisse Esso
  • Payer l’essence avec la carte-cadeau Esso
Petro-Canada
  • Achat carte-cadeau Petro-Canada à l’épicerie (Metro ou Super C) avec la Carte CobaltMD American Express
  • Balayer sa carte de membre Petro-points à la caisse Petro-Canada
  • Payer l’essence avec la carte-cadeau Petro-Canada
Costco

Fuel prices and savings

With the right credit card in your wallet and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can save money on gas by earning rewards or cash back.

And if you want to go electric, you can also save on electric recharging! Subscribe to our newsletter for more money-saving tips!

In addition to credit cards and loyalty programs, there are many other ways to reduce your gas consumption. See our article: 10 tips to reduce fuel consumption in 2024.

What is the price per liter of gasoline in Quebec?

For the latest gas prices, consult sites like EssenceQuebec.com.

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Caroline Tremblay

Caroline Tremblay

Caroline Tremblay
Caroline, a loyalty program specialist, helps families maximize their points to travel more frequently and affordably. With expertise in Disney, AIR MILES, and Costco, she travels the world with her partner and two children through rewards. Passionate about the latest in loyalty programs, Caroline shares tips to help you earn more points and turn your travel dreams into reality.
All posts by Caroline Tremblay

Suggested Reading

Receive our newsletter every week!

Savings are here:

Milesopedia