The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi is the card most US members use at the pump. The headline rates are easy; the fine print is which "eligible gas stations" earn 4%, why a fill-up at Walmart or Kroger earns only 1%, and what the card really pays a normal driver. This post covers Citi's terms, the 2025 increase, the payout, and the numbers from our own Costco price data.
Short answer: The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi pays 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, on the first $7,000 a year of combined gas and EV spending, then 1%. "Eligible" means the merchant is coded as a gas station or fuel dispenser. Citi pays only 1% on gas at supermarkets, superstores and warehouse clubs other than Costco, including Walmart, Sam's Club, BJ's and Kroger. At our September 29, 2026 average of $4.643/gal, 5% is worth about 23¢ a gallon.
What are the Costco Citi Visa gas rewards in 2026?
The rates on Citi's card page, checked September 30, 2026, are the same for the personal card and the Costco Anywhere Visa Business card.
| Purchase | Cash back | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Gas at Costco warehouse locations, worldwide | 5% | Shares a $7,000 yearly cap with the 4% category |
| Other eligible gas and EV charging, worldwide | 4% | Shares the same $7,000 cap |
| Gas and EV charging after the $7,000 cap | 1% | None |
| Restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel | 3% | None |
| Other Costco and Costco.com purchases | 2% | None |
| Everything else | 1% | None |
There is no annual fee as long as you keep a paid Costco membership, and no foreign transaction fee. The $7,000 cap is combined: Citi's terms say the 5% and 4% apply "for the first $7,000 per year in combined Costco and other eligible gas and/or EV charging purchases, and then 1% thereafter." So the most you can earn at the top rates is $350 a year, and only if all $7,000 goes through Costco pumps.
Citi's reward year follows your January through December billing statements, not the calendar day you buy gas. The cap resets when a new reward year starts.
When did Costco increase gas cash back to 5%?
On January 19, 2025. Before that date, the card paid 4% on all eligible gas, Costco included. Citi raised the rate at Costco pumps to 5% for both the personal and Business cards and left everything else alone: other gas and EV charging stayed at 4%, and the $7,000 combined cap did not change.
That lifted the most you can earn on gas from $280 a year to $350. For most drivers the gain is smaller: someone spending $2,229 a year at Costco pumps gets an extra 1%, about $22. The change got little publicity, which is why the old 4% figure still circulates. As of September 2026, 5% is still the rate on Citi's page.
Which gas stations are "eligible" for the 4%?
A station is eligible if its card transactions carry a gas station merchant category code (MCC). That is the whole test. Citi does not look at what you bought, only at the code the merchant's payment system sends.
Citi's rewards terms put it this way: merchants are assigned an MCC "in accordance with Visa procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell," and Citi does not control those codes. The terms give gas as their own example: "you won't earn additional rewards for purchases at a gas station if it is assigned a 'convenience store' code instead of a 'service station' or 'automated fuel dispensers' code."
On top of that, Citi names a group of merchants that never earn the bonus. The personal card's terms say:
You will only earn 1% cash back, not 5% or 4%, for gas or EV charging purchased at some superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs other than Costco or for fuel used for non-automobile purposes.
The Business card's terms use the same sentence and add "convenience stores" to the list.
Citi's list of excluded gas merchants
Citi publishes the named exclusions in a one-page PDF at citi.com/Costco_Exclusions. As of September 30, 2026, it lists these as "Superstores, Supermarkets and Warehouse Clubs excluded from the 4% earn on Gas purchases":
- Warehouse clubs: Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale
- Superstores: Walmart, Target, Meijer, Canadian Tire Corp.
- Kroger family: Kroger, Fred Meyer, Fry's, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smith's, City Market, Food 4 Less, Loaf N Jug
- Albertsons family: Albertsons, Safeway, Vons
- Other US grocers: Ahold, Giant, Giant Eagle, Food Giant, IGA, Ingles Markets, Piggly Wiggly, Super Valu, The Fresh Market, Wakefern Food Corp., Winn-Dixie
- Outside the US: Loblaw Companies, Carrefour, Tesco, Fresh Food Centres
Eligible vs not eligible at a glance
| Where you fill up | What the Citi Costco card pays |
|---|---|
| Costco gas station (US, Puerto Rico, or any Costco that takes Visa) | 5% |
| Standalone gas station coded as a service station or fuel dispenser (Shell, Chevron, Exxon, BP, independents) | 4% |
| EV charging station coded as EV charging | 4% |
| Gas station coded as a convenience store | 1% |
| Walmart, Sam's Club, BJ's, Target or Meijer fuel | 1% |
| Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway and other listed supermarket fuel | 1% |
| Fuel for non-automobile use (for example, a boat) | 1% |
| Anything after $7,000 of combined gas and EV spend in the year | 1% |
The brand on the pump does not decide the rate. A Shell-branded pump in a supermarket lot can earn 1% if the supermarket runs the payments. Citi's terms also warn that purchases made "through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional cash back rewards depending on how the technology is set up," which can matter for app-based payments at some chains.
How to check if a station counts
Check your statement. The rewards category shown for a fill-up in the Citi app or on citi.com tells you how it was coded. If a station keeps earning 1%, it is coded as something other than a gas station, and Citi reserves "the exclusive right to determine which purchases qualify," so there is no appeal on a code.
What counts as EV charging?
Citi's terms say "eligible electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases" without listing networks, so it works like gas: the charging company's MCC decides. If you charge at a Costco parking lot, the charger is usually run by a separate network rather than Costco itself, so expect it to count as other EV charging at 4%, not as Costco gas at 5%. Check your statement to confirm.
Does Costco gas outside the US earn 5%?
On paper, yes. Citi's terms say 5% applies to "gas purchased at Costco warehouse locations worldwide." The catch is that you can only use the card where Costco gas takes Visa.
Canada is the big exception for American drivers. Costco Canada's gas bars take Mastercard credit, debit and physical Shop Cards, not Visa credit, so the Citi card cannot be used at a Canadian Costco pump at all. At other Canadian gas stations the card works and still earns 4%, with no foreign transaction fee, except at the excluded chains, which include Canadian Tire and Loblaw. For more on Canadian payment rules, see how to pay at Costco gas in Canada. If you are weighing a trip north, our Bellingham vs Langley and Abbotsford comparison runs the numbers.
In other countries, check that the local Costco accepts Visa at the pump before relying on it.
How are Costco Citi gas rewards paid out?
Once a year, as a paper-style credit card reward certificate. Citi issues it after your February billing statement closes. It covers everything you earned in the previous January through December billing statements, so gas bought in March 2026 pays out in February 2027.
What Citi and Costco say about using it:
- Where: "at any U.S. Costco warehouse, including in Puerto Rico, for merchandise or cash back," in a single transaction. Costco says Citi certificates can't be used on Costco.com.
- Deadline: it must be redeemed by December 31 of the year it was issued. Unused certificates expire.
- Direct deposit: Costco says rewards "of $300 or more are eligible for direct deposit" through citicards.com or the Citi app. Smaller amounts must be redeemed in a warehouse.
You can't hand the certificate over at a gas pump, since pumps take cards only. The workaround is to use it in the warehouse to buy a physical Costco Shop Card, which Costco says is allowed and which US pumps accept. Our post on the Executive 2% reward and gas walks through that route, and our guide to using a Shop Card for gas covers the card itself.
The Citi certificate is separate from the Executive 2% reward. That reward excludes gasoline completely, so the card's cash back is the only rebate you get on Costco fuel.
How much does the 5% actually earn per year?
For a typical driver, a bit over $100. We used our September 29, 2026 average Costco regular price of $4.643/gal across 592 US stations, and assumed every fill-up is at Costco.
| Driving per year | Fuel economy | Gallons | Spent at Costco | 5% cash back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,000 miles | 25 mpg | 320 | $1,486 | $74 |
| 12,000 miles | 25 mpg | 480 | $2,229 | $111 |
| 15,000 miles | 25 mpg | 600 | $2,786 | $139 |
| 20,000 miles | 25 mpg | 800 | $3,714 | $186 |
| 15,000 miles | 15 mpg (truck or large SUV) | 1,000 | $4,643 | $232 |
| 25,000 miles | 15 mpg | 1,667 | $7,738 | $357 ($350 + 1% on $738) |
At that price, the $7,000 cap is about 1,508 gallons. A car at 25 mpg would need to drive roughly 37,700 miles a year to hit it; a 15 mpg truck reaches it at about 22,600 miles. Most households never do, but a family with two big vehicles, or anyone who also charges an EV or fills up elsewhere on the card, can get there.
Per gallon, 5% is about 23¢ at our US average, and it scales with price: at our Texas average of $3.66 that is about 18¢, and at our California average of $6.05 it is about 30¢. Today's prices at every station are on the station finder.
How the 5% stacks with Costco's lower price
The card rebate comes on top of Costco's pump discount. In our comparison with AAA state averages, Costco regular was a median 24¢ a gallon cheaper; the full breakdown is in why Costco gas is so cheap.
Take a station charging 24¢ more than Costco's $4.643, so $4.883:
- Costco at 5%: $4.643 minus 23.2¢ = about $4.41 a gallon
- The other station at 4% (if it is eligible): $4.883 minus 19.5¢ = about $4.69 a gallon
- The same station at 1% (a Walmart or Kroger pump): about $4.83 a gallon
So the Costco pump is roughly 28¢ a gallon better than an eligible station for this cardholder, and the 5% versus 4% part is only about 4¢ of that. The price gap does most of the work. If you already use the card everywhere, the reason to choose Costco is the pump price, not the extra 1%.
How does it compare with other gas cards?
The Costco Citi card is hard to beat at Costco itself, but it is not the only option, and US Costco pumps accept any Visa. A few no-annual-fee cards, with rates checked on the issuers' sites on September 30, 2026:
| Card (network) | Gas rate | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi (Visa) | 5% Costco gas, 4% other eligible gas and EV | $7,000 a year combined, then 1%; needs a Costco membership |
| Wells Fargo Autograph (Visa) | 3X points at gas stations, automated fuel dispensers and EV charging | No cap listed |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards | 3% if you pick gas and EV charging as your choice category (6% in the first year) | First $2,500 a quarter, shared with grocery and wholesale club spending, then 1% |
Two things to keep in mind. Card rates change often, so check the issuer before applying. And a card on another network, however good its gas rate, can't be used at a US Costco pump; our guide to which credit cards Costco gas accepts covers the network rules and workarounds. Once you pass the Citi card's $7,000 cap, a second Visa with an uncapped gas rate earns more than the Citi card's 1%.
Canada: the CIBC Costco Mastercard instead
The Citi card is US only, and Canadian Costco gas bars don't take Visa credit anyway. The Canadian equivalent is the CIBC Costco Mastercard, which pays 3% at Costco gas and 2% at other gas stations and EV charging, with no annual fee. Card reviewers report a cap on the gas earn at the first $5,000 of annual gas spending, then 1%. At our September 29, 2026 Canadian average of 173.0¢/L, 3% is about 5.2¢/L. Full details are in how to pay at Costco gas in Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Does Walmart or Sam's Club gas count as eligible gas on the Costco Citi card?
No. Walmart and Sam's Club are on Citi's list of merchants excluded from the 4% gas rate, along with BJ's, Target, Meijer, Kroger and several other grocers. Fuel from them earns 1%.
Is the $7,000 cap separate for Costco gas and other gas?
No. The $7,000 is one combined limit for Costco gas at 5% and other eligible gas and EV charging at 4%. After you reach it, all gas and EV charging earns 1% for the rest of the reward year.
Does the Costco Anywhere Visa Business card earn the same gas rewards?
Yes. Citi's Business card page lists the same 5% at Costco gas, 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, and the same $7,000 combined cap. Its terms also name convenience stores among the non-qualifying gas merchants.
Why did my gas purchase only earn 1%?
Either the station is coded as something other than a gas station, such as a convenience store or supermarket, or you have already passed the $7,000 yearly cap. Citi decides the category from the merchant category code, and it won't reclassify a purchase.
Can I use my Costco Citi reward certificate to pay for gas?
Not at the pump. You can redeem it in a US warehouse for cash, merchandise or a physical Costco Shop Card, then use the Shop Card at the pump. Rewards of $300 or more can also be deposited to a bank account through Citi.
When does the Costco Citi reward certificate expire?
On December 31 of the year it is issued. The certificate arrives after the February statement closes, so you have about ten months to use it.
Do authorized users' gas purchases count toward the reward?
Yes. Citi adds cash back earned by authorized users to the primary cardholder's total, and only the primary cardholder receives the certificate.
Sources
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, Citi — 2026 rates, $7,000 combined cap, "worldwide" wording, cash back program terms (non-qualifying purchases, MCC classification and the convenience-store example, February certificate, December 31 expiry, January–December reward period, authorized users), no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
- Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi, Citi — same rates and cap for the Business card; terms that add convenience stores to the exclusions.
- Superstores, Supermarkets and Warehouse Clubs excluded from the 4% earn on Gas purchases, Citi (PDF) — the named list of excluded gas merchants.
- When will I receive my Costco Cash Rewards from Citi?, Costco Customer Service — February issue, $300 direct deposit threshold, December 31 expiry.
- Is my reward certificate from Citi accepted on Costco.com?, Costco Customer Service — certificates are warehouse only and can buy a Shop Card.
- Citi Costco Cards Add 5% Cash-Back on Costco Gas Purchases, Upgraded Points — January 19, 2025 change from 4% to 5%, personal and Business cards, shared cap.
- Costco Credit Card Hikes Rewards for Gas at Its Pumps, NerdWallet (seen in search results) — the 2025 increase and the $280 to $350 maximum.
- Autograph Card, Wells Fargo — 3X points on gas stations, automated fuel dispensers and EV charging, $0 annual fee.
- Customized Cash Rewards credit card, Bank of America — 3% choice category (6% first year) including gas and EV charging, $2,500 quarterly combined cap, $0 annual fee.
- CIBC Costco Mastercard, CIBC — 3% Costco gas, 2% other gas and EV charging, $0 annual fee in Canada.