Can I use a credit card for a gym membership?

You absolutely can! In fact, many gyms require a credit card or debit card to pay for a recurring subscription. But, if you use a credit card, you can accumulate lots of points and rewards throughout the year.

What are the best business credit cards for gym memberships?

The best business credit cards for gym memberships are the Amex Blue Business Plus card, Ink Business Unlimited card, and World of Hyatt Business card.

Why is using a credit card is better than using a checking account for a gym membership?

If you use your checking account, you could be leaving money on the table. By using a credit card, you can amass plenty of valuable points to use for rewards.

8 Best Credit Cards for Gym Memberships [2023]

Q: What are the best credit cards for gym memberships?

The best personal credit cards for gym memberships are the World of Hyatt card, U.S. Bank Cash+ Signature card, Double Cash card, Freedom Unlimited card, and Capital One Venture card.

Do you spend a sizable amount of money on gym memberships or fitness clubs every month?

Whether you are an Equinox fanatic, a passionate SoulCycler, a yogi, or just a casual gym-goer, you’ve probably got better things to do than worry about which credit card you’re paying for gym or fitness memberships on.

Still, if you’re spending a few hundred dollars per month on your gym routine, you might want to at least pick a credit card that can help you earn points.

Who knows, at the end of the year, you might have enough points to book a free flight or hotel night!

So in this guide, we’ll show you the best credit cards to pay for your gym or fitness memberships.

Table of contents

What To Look for in a Credit Card for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The 5 Best Personal Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The 3 Best Business Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness
Fitness Statement Credits and Discounts
- Equinox Monthly Credits
- SoulCycle Credit
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

What To Look for in a Credit Card for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The 5 Best Personal Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The 3 Best Business Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness
Fitness Statement Credits and Discounts
- Equinox Monthly Credits
- SoulCycle Credit
Final Thoughts

What To Look for in a Credit Card for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Despite how widespread gym memberships are, it’s somewhat surprising to see that there hasn’t been a credit card that offers stellar rewards specifically for these sorts of recurring subscriptions.

Nonetheless, there are still a number of great credit cards you can focus your spending on to make the most of your spending.

What you’ll want to do is focus on credit cards that offer the best rewards broadly, and then ultimately choose the option that has the best benefits for your specific situation.

As you can tell, there’s not a single best credit card for everybody out there — instead, we’re presenting all of the best options for you.

First, we’ll talk about the best personal credit cards for gym and fitness memberships. Then, we’ll show you our favorite business credit cards for those using gym memberships as a business expense (consult your personal tax and legal professional).

The 5 Best Personal Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Personal gym workout — Image Credit: Qilin’s prance Filmmaker via Shutterstock

Card Summary

Card	Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee	Benefits for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The World of Hyatt Credit Card	Earn 30,000 points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, up to 30,000 additional points by earning 2x in the first 6 months on purchases that normally earn 1x, on up to $15,000 spent. Annual fee of $95	2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card	Earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days. Annual fee of $0	5% cash-back on the first $2,000 each quarter in combined eligible purchases on 2 categories you choose, including gyms and fitness centers
Citi® Double Cash Card	No welcome offer available. Annual fee of $0	Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases (earned as ThankYou Points)
Chase Freedom Unlimited®	INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back! Annual fee of $0	1.5% cash-back on all non-bonus purchases 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.49% – 28.24%
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $95	Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, every day

1. The World of Hyatt Credit Card

Our favorite personal credit card for gym memberships is the World of Hyatt card.

Understandably, you might be a little bit confused as to why the best card to pay for gym memberships is a hotel credit card.

But if you look under the hood, this credit card offers the following benefits:

Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays — 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting, and on fitness club and gym memberships
Earn 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

Besides the fact that you could earn 9 points per dollar on your spending at Hyatt hotels, your fitness club and gym memberships will earn 2x points, which is a great multiplier.

Also, this card comes packed with extra perks for your travel. This card is currently offering a fantastic welcome bonus to kickstart your rewards.

Hot Tip: One of the best benefits of the World of Hyatt card is that after each of your cardmember anniversaries, you will get 1 free night at any Category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel or resort! You also have the ability to earn an extra free night at any Category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year.

As long as your card account is open, you’ll also enjoy World of Hyatt Discoverist status, plus 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening (and each year after that)! If World of Hyatt elite status is on your mind, you can earn another 2 elite night credits for every $5,000 you spend on the card.

This credit card allows you to access numerous travel protections, including trip interruption and cancellation insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, and secondary car rental coverage.

Lastly, you’ll enjoy other important benefits like purchase protection, extended warranty protection, and zero liability protection against unauthorized purchases.

Why We Like Earning World of Hyatt Points

As it happens, World of Hyatt points are the most valuable hotel points by a wide margin, worth 1.5 cents each, according to our valuations.

That means earning 2x points is worth a 3% return on spend, though it’s certainly possible to get outsized value.

The best way to redeem World of Hyatt points for superb value is for stays at some of the most luxurious properties around the world.

You can redeem points wholly for a hotel stay, use a mix of points and cash (and even free night certificates) via Pay My Way, or even utilize points to upgrade a paid stay.

You can also convert your World of Hyatt points to airline miles, but this is typically not a good redemption, as you’ll have to redeem about 5,000 Hyatt points for every 2,000 airline miles you get (transfer ratios vary).

2. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Signature card could be an excellent credit card if you’re looking for cash-back and don’t really care about travel rewards.

This card earns up to 5% cash-back on spending and has a welcome bonus and common credit card protections.

But what you’re probably interested in are the bonus categories:

Earn 5% cash-back on the first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on 2 categories you choose (including gyms and fitness centers)
Earn 2% cash-back on 1 everyday category like gas stations, grocery stores, or restaurants
Earn 1% cash-back on all other eligible purchases

At the moment, the list of 5% cash-back categories is:

Cell phone providers
Department stores
Electronics stores
Fast food
Furniture stores
Ground transportation
Gyms and fitness centers
Home utilities
Movie theaters
Select clothing stores
Sporting goods stores
TV, internet, and streaming services

So if you happen to spend big on gym equipment at sporting goods stores, this credit card could help you earn 5% cash-back.

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Signature card also comes with benefits like zero fraud liability protection, and no annual fee.

3. Citi® Double Cash Card

The Double Cash card is our next favorite choice for purchases at gyms and fitness centers. This also happens to be an incredible rewards credit card with no annual fee, so you’ll want to pay attention to this one.

Offering 2% cash-back (earned as 1% at purchase and 1% when you pay, earned as ThankYou Points) with no caps on earning, it’s easy to see why the appeal is high here. Imagine getting 2% wherever you go!

This credit card offers an introductory 0% APR benefit as a bonus, as well as fraud protection, zero liability protection, access to Citi Private Pass, flexible pay dates, World Elite Mastercard benefits, and even a late fee pass (one-time)!

Why We Like Earning Citi ThankYou Rewards Points

Citi ThankYou Rewards is a major points currency, and if you have a ThankYou Rewards credit card like the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card, you can transfer your points to Citi’s full list of airline and hotel partners. This opens up a huge new world of redemptions, like Emirates first class or Etihad First Class Apartments.

For context, on its own, the Double Cash card can only transfer ThankYou Points to Choice Privileges at a 1:1.5 ratio and Wyndham Rewards and JetBlue TrueBlue at a 1:0.8 ratio, which is severely limiting.

But if you have access to the full list of Citi ThankYou transfer partners, your points will instantly increase to 1.6 cents each. That means your return on all purchases, including gym or fitness spending, would be worth 3.2%.

4. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Freedom Unlimited card is one of our favorite credit cards, period. With no annual fee, it’s stunning to learn that this card offers up to 5% cash-back on your purchases.

Here’s the earning structure:

5% cash-back on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal
3% cash-back on dining
1.5% cash-back on all other purchases

In addition to earning 1.5% cash-back on gym memberships and fitness clubs, the card currently has a 0% introductory APR period, plus a welcome bonus.

Plus, take note of other important benefits like secondary rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, zero liability protection, and fraud protection.

The cash-back earned on the Freedom Unlimited card can be converted into transferable rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards in this case.

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

If you hold the Freedom Unlimited card and an Ultimate Rewards credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can convert your cash-back 1:1 to Ultimate Rewards points.

Earning 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points is equal to a return on spend of approximately 3% on your gym and fitness spending, though it’s totally feasible to get a higher return on spending if you redeem your points through transfer partners for luxury business and first class flights or hotels.

5. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture card is loved by plenty in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why.

This credit card offers a fantastic welcome bonus, access to a transferable rewards system, and earns an unlimited 2x Capital One miles on all purchases.

You’ll also get a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.

Other travel insurance benefits include lost luggage insurance, and roadside dispatch.

The Capital One Venture card includes purchase security, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and access to Capital One Miles.

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

Capital One miles are valuable because of their ability to be transferred to airline and hotel partners.

Earning 2x Capital One miles is equal to around a 3.6% return on spending according to our valuations.

Capital One miles can be transferred mostly at a 1:1 ratio and sometimes at ratios of either 2:1.5 or 2:1.

This program allows you to redeem your miles for great premium cabin flights like Lufthansa first class and Cathay Pacific business class.

Also, you can redeem your points for statement credits, gift cards, travel purchases booked through Capital One Travel, experiences, and more.

The 3 Best Business Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Business gym — Image Credit: Veres Production via Shutterstock

What if you have the ability to use your gym membership as a business expense? Perhaps you’re a freelance personal trainer looking to get clients or you offer gym memberships to your employees as a benefit?

Whatever the case, you’ll want to ensure you’re separating business expenses from personal expenses.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best business credit cards for gym memberships and fitness clubs.

Card Summary

Card	Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee	Benefits for Gym Memberships and Fitness
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express	Earn 15,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Annual fee of $0 (Rates & Fees)	Earn 2x points on everyday purchases, up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year; 1 point per dollar thereafter
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card	Earn $750 cash-back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months Annual fee of $0	1.5% cash-back on all purchases
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card	Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Annual fee of $199	2x points on fitness club and gym memberships

1. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Our favorite business credit card for gym and fitness purchases is the Amex Blue Business Plus card.

Offering the ability to earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business transactions (up to $50,000 per calendar year; 1x thereafter), this is the most rewarding business credit card for gym memberships. Also, the Amex Blue Business Plus card offers an introductory 0% APR benefit on purchases (as listed in the above table).

Earning 2x Amex points is equal to a return on spend of around 4.4%, which is an industry-leading percentage. Once you hit the $50,000 cap every year, your earnings will drop down to 1x points, which is equal to a 2.2% return on spend.

Last, but not least, this credit card is also one of the no-annual-fee credit cards offering access to Amex Membership Rewards.

Why We Like Amex Membership Rewards Points

Amex Membership Rewards is the most valuable transferable rewards program in the world, and Amex points are also easy to earn.

That’s why this rewards system is so popular and has withstood the test of time.

You can technically redeem Amex points for Amazon purchases, travel bookings through Amex Travel, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, and charity, but these options are never the most valuable.

The reason why Amex points are so valuable is that if you transfer your points to travel partners, you can book some incredible flights such as Emirates first class or ANA first class.

2. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

Being able to transfer your points to travel partners with a single no-annual-fee credit card is an incredible benefit that should not be taken for granted — just one of the many reasons why we love the Ink Business Unlimited card.

The Ink Business Unlimited card is one of the best business credit cards out there. With this card, you will earn 1.5% cash-back on all your business purchases with no earning caps. This means you’ll earn 1.5% cash-back on gym memberships, fitness clubs, and virtually any other purchase out there. In this vein, the Ink Business Unlimited card is similar to the Freedom Unlimited card.

The Ink Business Unlimited comes with a 0% introductory APR benefit, as well as free employee cards, primary rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, zero liability fraud protection for unauthorized purchases, and more!

By itself, the rewards on the Ink Business Unlimited card can’t be converted from cash-back to Ultimate Rewards points. But, if you have an Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card, such as the Ink Business Preferred card, your 1.5% cash-back can become 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points, which would net you a return on spend of 3%.

3. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Much like its consumer companion, the World of Hyatt Business card offers 2x points per $1 spent on fitness clubs and gym memberships. As we mentioned above, we value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, which means you’ll be getting a 3% return on all your spend.

In addition to earning bonuses on gym purchases, you can expect:

9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt — 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels and 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent in your top 3 spend categories each quarter through December 31, 2023, then your top 2 categories each quarter
1 Bonus Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits — spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property and earn $50 statement credits up to 2 times each anniversary year
5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status and Milestone rewards for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year

Again, like the consumer card, you can also expect Discoverist elite status as long as you hold the card.

Fitness Statement Credits and Discounts

Equinox Monthly Credits

American Express and Equinox have partnered to offer up to $300 in statement credits each year for holders of The Platinum Card® from American Express.

In addition to its in-person club memberships, Equinox has a digital membership that will run you $40 per month. The Amex Platinum card will give you statement credits of up to $300 per year, which will bring you down to an out-of-pocket cost of $180.

SoulCycle Credit

Those who have the Amex Platinum card will receive a $300 credit each time they purchase a SoulCycle bike and use their Amex card to pay.

Final Thoughts

There is an abundance of credit cards out there. There aren’t a whole lot of credit cards that offer gym memberships or fitness club purchases as a bonus category, but that doesn’t mean you can’t maximize your spending!

The World of Hyatt card, U.S. Bank Cash+ Signature card, Double Cash card, Freedom Unlimited card, and Capital One Venture card are the best options for personal spending at gyms and fitness clubs.

The Amex Blue Business Plus card, Ink Business Unlimited card, and World of Hyatt Business card are the best business credit cards for gyms and fitness clubs.

Be sure to also do some research into which credit cards offer the most valuable points for your situation, and then you can make an informed decision.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

The information regarding The World of Hyatt Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
The information for the Citi Prestige® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

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The 8 Best Credit Cards for Gym & Fitness Memberships [2023]

What To Look for in a Credit Card for Gym Memberships and Fitness

The 5 Best Personal Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Card Summary

1. The World of Hyatt Credit Card

Why We Like Earning World of Hyatt Points

2. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

3. Citi® Double Cash Card

Why We Like Earning Citi ThankYou Rewards Points

4. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

5. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

The 3 Best Business Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Card Summary

1. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Why We Like Amex Membership Rewards Points

2. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

3. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Fitness Statement Credits and Discounts

Equinox Monthly Credits

SoulCycle Credit

Final Thoughts

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a credit card for a gym membership?

What are the best credit cards for gym memberships?

What are the best business credit cards for gym memberships?

Why is using a credit card is better than using a checking account for a gym membership?

About Stephen Au

Any thoughts or questions? Comment below! Cancel reply

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What To Look for in a Credit Card for Gym Memberships and Fitness

The 5 Best Personal Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Card Summary

1. The World of Hyatt Credit Card

Why We Like Earning World of Hyatt Points

2. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

3. Citi® Double Cash Card

Why We Like Earning Citi ThankYou Rewards Points

4. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Why We Like Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

5. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Why We Like Earning Capital One Miles

The 3 Best Business Cards for Gym Memberships and Fitness

Card Summary

1. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Why We Like Amex Membership Rewards Points

2. Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

3. World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Fitness Statement Credits and Discounts

Equinox Monthly Credits

SoulCycle Credit

Final Thoughts

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a credit card for a gym membership?

What are the best credit cards for gym memberships?

What are the best business credit cards for gym memberships?

Why is using a credit card is better than using a checking account for a gym membership?

About Stephen Au

Any thoughts or questions? Comment below! Cancel reply

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Advertiser Disclosure