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Best Cash Back Credit Card For AvGas?

DanH

DanH

Legacy Member
Mentor
There are some good "everything" cards with cash back in 2% ballpark, but others advertise higher return rates in the "gas stations" category. Calling customer service to inquire if the typical FBO or city airport self-serve is a "gas station" is probably an exercise in frustration. Anyone have personal experience with a high rate cash back card for buying avgas?
 
DanH said:
There are some good "everything" cards with cash back in 2% ballpark, but others advertise higher return rates in the "gas stations" category. Calling customer service to inquire if the typical FBO or city airport self-serve is a "gas station" is probably an exercise in frustration. Anyone have personal experience with a high rate cash back card for buying avgas?
Click to expand...

I’m watching this one as well, but in the “fine print” for all of mine it does state that aviation gas is not part of
The discount.
 
I use the Costco Citibank card. It gives 4% back on gas purchases.

As you mentioned, however, the bigger question is whether the credit card company recognizes the vendor name as a fuel purchase. My home airport recently switched to Van Aire Skyport Fuel and now my rebate card works. Before, it was a more generic "Van Aire Skyport Corporation" and it didn't work. I've run into the same thing at a municipal airport where the vendor is "City of Steamboat Springs."

I'll also be following this thread to see if there's some way around this issue.
 
RWoodard said:
I use the Costco Citibank card. It gives 4% back on gas purchases.

As you mentioned, however, the bigger question is whether the credit card company recognizes the vendor name as a fuel purchase. My home airport recently switched to Van Aire Skyport Fuel and now my rebate card works. Before, it was a more generic "Van Aire Skyport Corporation" and it didn't work. I've run into the same thing at a municipal airport where the vendor is "City of Steamboat Springs."

I'll also be following this thread to see if there's some way around this issue.
Click to expand...
I also use the Cosco card and never thought to check if it recognized avgas purchases however the newer self serve 100LL pump systems recognize my N number when I insert the card so it is being tracked somewhere. I will have to check to see if I get the rebate.
 
DanH said:
There are some good "everything" cards with cash back in 2% ballpark, but others advertise higher return rates in the "gas stations" category. Calling customer service to inquire if the typical FBO or city airport self-serve is a "gas station" is probably an exercise in frustration. Anyone have personal experience with a high rate cash back card for buying avgas?
Click to expand...
I have a Chase card that codes anything from my local FBO as "gas" but because it doesn't have an accelerator on fuel it comes in at the base 1.5% rate. So I can't say that a different card that treats gas differently would offer a larger rebate.

One data point only.
 
The AOPA World Master Card gives 2% on aviation fuel AND car gas, 3% on AOPA partner purchases (Sportys, SeriusXM, etc), and 4% on select AOPA purchases, like AOPA insurance. 1% on everything else.
 
RWoodard said:
I use the Costco Citibank card. It gives 4% back on gas purchases.
Click to expand...
Me like. That's the goal. I have a "2% on everything" card, but like Oliver Twist, I want some more.
RWoodard said:
As you mentioned, however, the bigger question is whether the credit card company recognizes the vendor name as a fuel purchase. My home airport recently switched to Van Aire Skyport Fuel and now my rebate card works. Before, it was a more generic "Van Aire Skyport Corporation" and it didn't work. I've run into the same thing at a municipal airport where the vendor is "City of Steamboat Springs."
Click to expand...
Hmmm. Fuel at 08A would be billed "City of Wetumpka". Good point!
 
Mike S said:
Wonder if AOPA or EAA has a card that would fit the bill?
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The OLD AOPA BofA "My Rewards" Visa had / has 3% cash back on fuel purchased. I have used it for decades and have gotten 3% cash back on AvGas and all my fuel purchases. It has been over a decade since AOPA switched to another card but I did not change to the new card and still get 3% cash back.
 
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I’ve been using the Costco Citi card with decent luck over the years. Seems like a 50/50 chance at most avgas self serve pumps that the transaction is classified as a “Automated Gas Dispenser” when it is processed by the CC company and that is what allows the 4% back in lieu of the lesser 1%.

Started posting FBO comments in ForeFlight to help me remember and hopefully others know in advance. Believe it only works for SS; not FS gas.

So maybe 2% off all transactions would be more reliable. But it’s kind of nice when you hit the 4% discount stops!
 
From the Costco Visa "Non-qualifying gas purchases include fuel used for non-automobile purposes", I dont know how they check that.
 
As many have illustrated, rewards for avfuel purchases can be hit and miss. It all ties back to the Merchant Category Code (MCC) the fuel provider's credit card processing account is set up under (that's how your credit card provider knows if your purchase qualifies for rewards). If your local government owns the airport and provides the fuel, their MCC on their credit card processing account can be something totally unrelated to fuel or aviation, thus no fuel rewards.

Might be more than you wanted to know, but at least now you know how the game works...
 
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Just checked my Costco card for a recent fill up at a local city airport and it was coded as "service station" so as noted it depends on how it is classified.
 
My Costco card seems to get me 4% on all the fuel I buy and I check my statement every month. 100LL, diesel, "cheap" car gas, and 87 ethanol free I run in the plane/tractor/mower/chainsaw. That all adds up in a hurry. Saved a bundle on cross country trips whether flying or driving.
 
Big fan of the Costco card. Cash back trumps rewards or points but to each his own. Screenshot below of categories. As others have said, the card isn’t going to matter regarding aviation fuel.

That said, we have a second card that never leaves the house. All of the automated payments for internet, utilities, etc. comes from this one.

If and when the everyday card gets compromised, we don’t have to do the long dance of resetting long forgotten passwords and changing all of the accounts for the new cc info.

IMG_9578.jpeg
 
TajMahal said:
As many have illustrated, rewards for avfuel purchases can be hit and miss. It all ties back to the Merchant Category Code (MCC) the fuel provider's credit card processing account is set up under (that's how your credit card provider knows if your purchase qualifies for rewards). If your local government owns the airport and provides the fuel, their MCC on their credit card processing account can be something totally unrelated to fuel or aviation, thus no fuel rewards.

Might be more than you wanted to know, but at least now you know how the game works...
Click to expand...
Not at all; this is exactly what I wanted to know. I’m gonna talk to the local FBO manager now and see if they might be willing to change the Merchant Category Code so I can get my 4 percent!
thanks!
 
For those that use their RV for business and it’s in the company name, there are several Fuel programs that do provide discount.
 
Current fuel charges from the City of Wetumpka appear on my current card as "Approved Gas Purchase", so I guess the MCC is suitable.

Take a look at the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card. They're offering 4% on fuel, hotels, airline, and rental cars. Seems like the right card for an RV driver. There is a $95 annual fee after the first year, but you can get a $500 sign up bonus for spending $2000 in the first 120 days. Easy enough, the practical result being no annual fee for six years.
 
Not to thread hijack, but the topic is largely about saving money on fuel.

Here in Wenatchee I can buy fuel at the FBO or I can buy it off airport at Wenatchee Petroleum. The off airport price is nearly 1.50/gal cheaper and I already own a 77 gal fuel transfer tank that I used for mogas before I moved here.

Now I don’t bother with mogas because 100LL is only $0.40/gal more.

Moral of the story is to check some fuel distributors and see if you can buy it off airport for cheaper.
 
DanH said:
There are some good "everything" cards with cash back in 2% ballpark, but others advertise higher return rates in the "gas stations" category. Calling customer service to inquire if the typical FBO or city airport self-serve is a "gas station" is probably an exercise in frustration. Anyone have personal experience with a high rate cash back card for buying avgas?
Click to expand...
I use the 2% Citi Cashback card. I know it's only 2% but:
No annual fees.
No everchanging categories.
No poring over your monthly statement to verify your FBO is in the netwok and has added the extra point(s).
My card is a Mastercard, so it's good everywhere, except Costco.
 
erich weaver said:
Not at all; this is exactly what I wanted to know. I’m gonna talk to the local FBO manager now and see if they might be willing to change the Merchant Category Code so I can get my 4 percent!
thanks!
Click to expand...
Good luck. Moving to a merchant category code that gives greater discounts will almost certainly result in the merchant paying a higher transaction fee to the credit card company. They won't want to do that just so you can get a discount.
 
The new AOPA card is lame, I liked the old one from years ago, read the fine print on the new AOPA card, the cash back limits are low and most AvGas purchases will exceeded the quarterly limit. (Also it does not recognize every avgas purchase because the way some of the smaller airports name their credit processing provider, they use them for multiple entities such a small cities and counties/parishes for Louisiana) You also have to jump through hoops to get the cash back, on AOPA. Many other cards have no limit for cash back and offer 2% on everything. Synchronies DBL cash back card, credit is automatically issues each month. CITI has a Dbl Cash Card, however you have to manually apply the credit from time to time. EAA does not have a card at this time.
 
I use a Chase Southwest Airlines credit card.
It's not "cash back" but as a 25 year GA Pilot, I've found that one never knows when they might need a commercial flight home and/or back out to pick up an airplane.
Just an option. It's good to have options.
 
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