What Qualifies as a Gas Purchase for the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi?

The Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi has two different cash back rates for gas purchases: 5% cash back on gas purchased at Costco and 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases. The 5% and 4% rewards share a combined $7,000 annual spending limit, after which eligible gas and EV charging purchases earn 1% cash back.

However, not every purchase made at a location that sells gasoline qualifies for the 4% rate. Citi's terms exclude certain purchases at supermarkets, superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs other than Costco. Understanding the difference between these categories can help you know when you should receive 5%, 4%, or only 1% cash back.

Affiliate Disclosure: We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review and recommend. If you click on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened, we may earn a commission. We are independently owned, and the opinions expressed here are our own.

What Gas Purchases Earn 5% Cash Back?

Gas purchased at Costco earns 5% cash back with the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi. Citi specifically identifies gas purchased at Costco warehouse locations as the 5% gas category.

This is the highest gas cash back rate available through the card. If you regularly fill up at Costco, the card can therefore provide particularly strong rewards on those purchases.

What Gas Purchases Earn 4% Cash Back?

Other eligible gas purchases can earn 4% cash back. This category covers eligible gas purchases outside Costco as well as eligible electric vehicle charging purchases.

The important word is eligible. Simply purchasing gasoline from a business that has gas pumps does not guarantee that the transaction will receive 4% cash back.

Citi says certain gas and EV charging purchases at superstores, supermarkets, convenience stores and warehouse clubs other than Costco do not qualify for the 4% rate. Those non-qualifying purchases earn 1% instead.

Citi also publishes a list of merchants that are excluded from the 4% gas category. If you are surprised by the rewards on a particular gasoline purchase, the merchant's classification may be the reason.

For more detail about this issue, see our article explaining why you may not get 4% cash back at all gas stations with the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi.

What Happens After $7,000 in Gas and EV Purchases?

The 5% and 4% rewards are not separate $7,000 limits. They share one combined $7,000 annual spending limit.

For example, if you spend $3,000 on eligible Costco gas and $4,000 on other eligible gas or EV charging purchases during the year, you have reached the combined $7,000 limit.

After that limit is reached, additional gas and EV charging purchases earn 1% cash back rather than 5% or 4%.

This means the location of the purchase matters, but so does the amount of gas and EV charging spending you have already made during the year.

What Gas Purchases Earn Only 1%?

Some purchases that look like gas purchases do not qualify for the higher rewards rate. Citi states that you earn 1% rather than 4% or 5% for gas or EV charging purchased at certain superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs other than Costco, as well as for fuel used for non-automobile purposes.

This is one reason a cardholder can buy gasoline at one location and receive 4% while receiving only 1% at another location.

The merchant category assigned to the transaction can determine whether the purchase falls into the eligible gas category.

Does Buying Gas at Costco Automatically Earn 5%?

Yes. Eligible gas purchases at Costco earn 5% cash back with the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi.

How the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi Gas Rewards Work

• 5% cash back: Gas purchased at Costco warehouse locations.
• 4% cash back: Other eligible gas and EV charging purchases.
• Combined limit: The 5% and 4% categories share a combined $7,000 annual spending limit.
• 1% cash back: Applies to eligible gas and EV charging purchases after the $7,000 combined limit is reached, as well as certain non-qualifying gas purchases.

The card also earns cash back in several categories beyond gasoline, including 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% on other Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. You can see the complete rewards structure in our Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi benefits and features guide.

Interested in the Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi?

➤ Check for Costco Credit Card Prequalification

If you want to find out whether you may be prequalified before submitting a formal application, see our guide to Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi prequalification. The current prequalification process uses a soft credit inquiry and does not affect your credit score.