Is It Worth Using the Chase Sapphire Preferred To Pay for Gas? We Did the Math

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card has always been a strong all-around travel card. Gas just wasn’t part of the equation until June 15, 2026, when Chase finally added gas and EV charging as a 3x earning category.

If you fill up regularly, here’s what that change is actually worth, both as a return on spending and in terms of extra points over the course of a year.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Bonus Points on Gas

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card now earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 spent on gas and EV charging purchases — and there’s no annual cap on this category. Every dollar you spend at the pump or an EV charging station earns at that rate all year long.

Before June 15, 2026, gas was a 1x category on the card. The jump to 3x is substantial, and it puts the Chase Sapphire Preferred card in competitive territory with some of the most popular dedicated gas cards — and puts it ahead of most of them, once you factor in what those points are actually worth and limitations on the other cards.

What These Extra Points Are Worth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average U.S. household spent $2,411 on gas in 2024. At the old 1x rate, that spending earned 2,411 Ultimate Rewards points, worth about $48 at our valuation of Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each.

At 3x bonus points, the same $2,411 in spending yields 7,233 points, worth about $145 annually. That’s an extra 4,822 points from the category change alone, adding nearly $97 in value.

For households that spend more at the pump, the numbers climb higher. BLS data shows the top income quintile averages $3,477 on gas annually — a figure likely closer to what many Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders actually spend.

Comparing Credit Cards on Their Gas Earnings

Several cards offer higher earn rates on gas — up to 5x points in some cases. But the multiplier doesn’t tell the full story. Let’s compare the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s new 3x rate to other popular options, assuming $2,411 in annual gas spending:

*These numbers are based on our latest points and miles valuations and are not provided by the card issuers.

For example, the PenFed Platinum card earns 5x points on gas. That rate looks impressive until you see what those points are worth — about 0.85 cents each — putting the effective return on spending at 4.3%. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s 3x on points that are worth 2 cents each produces a 6% return, beating the PenFed Platinum card in total value despite the lower multiplier.

BEST FIRST TRAVEL CARD

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.24% - 27.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, gas, EV charging, vacation homes, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance and emergency evacuation. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation homes (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
• Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck^® or NEXUS application.
• Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The same principle applies to cards earning cash-back. The Sam’s Club card and Costco Anywhere card each earn 5% back on gas, which on paper, are solid returns. But the face value of cash-back is all you get, and remember that you earn rewards tied to the store with both of these cards.

Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents apiece on average, based on the value available with Chase’s airline and hotel transfer partners. The value of cash-back earnings can’t be stretched: It’s worth what it’s worth.

And then there are the cards with earning limits and restrictions to consider. The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card only earns 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations. Cards from Sam’s Club and Costco have solid earning rates as cash-back, but those have annual limits (though the limits are more than enough for the average household).

Similarly, a $500 monthly cap should be sufficient with the Citi Custom Cash card, but the 5% earnings only apply to gas if that’s your top spending category that month. If you spend more on some other purchase category during any billing cycle, you don’t earn 5% back on gas.

Final Thoughts

The 3x gas category turns the Chase Sapphire Preferred card into a competitive option at the pump — not just a strong travel card with a gap in earnings in a very common spending category. For the average household, the upgrade is worth close to $100 per year in additional value, and the value multiplies for those who spend more on gas each year.