Which gas stations earn the Costco credit card's highest cash back rate

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by American Express gives you 4% cash back on gas purchases, but only at Costco gas stations and at stations branded Costco. Gas bought at Shell, Chevron, Exxon, or any independent station does not earn the 4% rate — it earns 1% instead, the same as most other purchases.

The card also caps the 4% gas reward at the first $7,000 you spend per year on Costco gas, then drops to 1% after that. This means the maximum cash back you can earn on gas in a year is $280, even if you spend more. After you hit that cap, every gallon costs you the same reward rate as a grocery store purchase.

Costco gas stations are located at Costco warehouse locations only. You must be a Costco member to buy gas there, and you must use the Costco Anywhere Visa Card to get the 4% rate — other payment methods do not earn it.

Key Takeaways

  • The 4% cash back rate applies only to Costco gas stations, which are located at Costco warehouse locations.
  • Gas purchased at any other station, including branded Costco stations outside warehouses, earns 1% cash back instead.
  • The 4% rate is capped at $7,000 per year in gas spending, after which all gas purchases earn 1% for the rest of the year.
  • You must be a Costco member and pay with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card to earn any cash back on gas.

How the 4% gas reward actually works

The 4% cash back is not automatic — it only posts when you meet two conditions at the same time. First, you must be buying gas at a Costco warehouse location. Second, you must be paying with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card itself. If you use a different card or pay with cash, you earn nothing extra, even if you are a Costco member.

Cash back appears on your monthly statement as a credit. You do not have to do anything to claim it. The card issuer, American Express, tracks your spending and applies the rate based on the merchant code reported by the gas station.

The $7,000 annual cap resets on January 1 each year. If you spend $6,500 on Costco gas in December, you have $500 of the cap remaining for January. Once you cross $7,000 in a calendar year, every gallon after that earns 1% for the rest of that year.

What counts as a Costco gas station

Costco gas stations are the pumps located in the parking lot of a Costco warehouse. These are the only locations where the 4% rate applies. You cannot earn 4% at a Shell station, a Chevron station, or any other independent gas retailer, even if you are a Costco member.

Some Costco locations do not have a gas station. If your nearest warehouse has no pumps, you cannot earn the 4% rate anywhere else. You would earn 1% on gas at any other station.

The card does not earn bonus cash back at truck stops, car washes, or convenience stores, even if they sell fuel. Only the Costco warehouse gas pumps trigger the 4% rate.

The $7,000 annual spending cap and what happens after

The 4% rate applies to the first $7,000 you spend on Costco gas each calendar year. This is a total across all Costco gas stations — if you fill up at multiple warehouses, the spending adds up toward the same cap.

Once you reach $7,000, the rate drops to 1% for the rest of that calendar year. This happens automatically; you do not need to do anything. If you spend $8,000 on Costco gas in a year, you earn 4% on the first $7,000 ($280 cash back) and 1% on the remaining $1,000 ($10 cash back), for a total of $290.

The cap is per calendar year, not per statement or per month. It resets to zero on January 1. Heavy Costco gas users often hit the cap by mid-year and then earn 1% for the rest of the year.

Other cash back rates on the Costco Anywhere Visa Card

The card earns different cash back rates depending on what you buy. At Costco warehouses and Costco.com, you earn 2% on most purchases. On travel (including airfare, hotels, and rental cars booked through Costco Travel), you earn 3%. On restaurants and gas stations other than Costco, you earn 1%.

These rates do not have annual caps except for the 4% gas rate. You can earn 2% on warehouse purchases all year with no limit. The 1% rate on non-Costco gas and restaurants also has no cap.

The card charges an annual fee of $120. Costco members receive a $120 Costco Cash reward each year, which offsets the fee if you use the card regularly. Non-members pay the fee without the reward.

How to track your $7,000 gas spending cap

American Express does not send you a separate notice when you approach or reach the $7,000 cap. You have to track it yourself by reviewing your monthly statements or logging into your online account.

Your statement shows each gas purchase and the cash back earned. If you see the cash back drop from 4% to 1% on a purchase, you have hit the cap. You can add up the gas purchases from January onward to see how much of your $7,000 you have used.

Some cardholders set a reminder in their phone or calendar around mid-year to check their spending. If you know you will hit the cap, you can plan to use a different payment method for gas after that point, or straightforward accept the 1% rate for the rest of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I earn 4% cash back on gas at a Shell or Chevron station?

No. The 4% rate applies only to Costco warehouse gas stations. Gas at Shell, Chevron, Exxon, or any other branded station earns 1% cash back, the same as most other purchases on the card.

What happens if I use a different payment method at Costco gas?

You earn no bonus cash back. The 4% rate requires both a Costco gas station location and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card. If you pay with cash, a debit card, or another credit card, you earn nothing extra.

Does the $7,000 cap reset if I get a new card?

No. The cap is tied to your account, not to a physical card. If you request a replacement card or upgrade your account, the $7,000 limit for that calendar year stays the same. It resets only on January 1.

Can I earn 4% on Costco gas if I am not a warehouse member?

No. You must have an active Costco membership to buy gas at a Costco station. Non-members cannot access the pumps, so the question of the card rate does not explore.

Does the card earn cash back on Costco.com gas orders?

Costco does not sell gas through its website. Gas is available only at warehouse locations. Purchases on Costco.com earn 2% cash back on most items, but not gas.