Gas can take up a substantial portion of someone’s budget. With many different gas station brands in different locations, it can be hard to decide who to fuel up with and how to get miles and points back from your purchase. Whether you’re commuting to work or going on a road trip across the country, knowing what gas station fuel programs have the best value and where to redeem points can be valuable for your car and easier on your wallet.
In this article, we will go over the various gas station rewards programs, as well as the best credit cards for gas station purchases, and how you can combine them both to maximize your savings.
Gas Station Affiliated Loyalty Programs
Journie Rewards & Aeroplan (Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar)
At Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas, and Ultramar stations in Canada, you can earn Journie rewards points. Accumulating these points allows you to redeem for snacks, drinks, and even 7¢/litre discounts on gas. Journie uses a cycle system where after 300 points, your progress is reset back with a rollover from purchases that exceed the 300 point mark. The earning rate is 1 point per litre and 2 points per dollar on store purchases.
| Journie Cycle Level | Journie Redemption | Aeroplan Linked Redemption |
|---|---|---|
| 75 Points | Various Snacks & Drinks | N/A |
| 150 Points | Various Snacks & Drinks | N/A |
| 300 Points | 7 cents/L off next fuel purchase | 300 Aeroplan Miles |
Journie is partnered with CIBC, where you can link your CIBC Account to your Journie number for an additional 3¢/litre off every fuel up. As long as you use a linked CIBC debit or credit card at the time of purchase, the discount will be applied. If you reach the 300 points mark in the Journie Rewards cycle, you can combine the 7 cents off discount with the 3 cents from CIBC, totaling 10 cents off per litre at fill-up.
Journie is also affiliated with Aeroplan where members earn 300 Aeroplan Points instead of the 7¢/litre discount. Aeroplan members can also redeem their points for various items at Journie stations including fuel savings, convenience store purchases, and even carwashes.
Once you link your Journie to Aeroplan, you will no longer receive the 7c/L savings and just the 300 Aeroplan points.
Deals and special points bonus events are sometimes offered from time to time. These can be points earning multipliers specific to a product purchase or offers that come as a result of a service such as a car wash.
Using the Journie app as a tool is a great way to track your earnings and be informed on upcoming promotions. Tools such as the map can help you find stations with special amenities such as EV Charging and car wash tunnels. The app also gives you quick access to your membership card barcode which is required for in-store purchases.
Shell Fuel Rewards & Air Miles
Shell gas stations have Air Miles as their main loyalty program, which can be earned through Shell Purchases, with bonus miles and fuel savings when using a BMO credit card. Shell also offers their own membership program called Shell Go+, which can increase your Air Miles earnings.
Air Miles Members earn one Air Mile per 10L of Shell V-Power fuel, 20L of Shell Bronze/Regular, Silver/Plus, and Diesel fuel, and every $5 spent on carwashes and non-fuel items. Shell Go+ members can take advantage of additional offers that can double their Air Miles earnings.
Air Miles can be redeemed for many different things, from travel to e-commerce. Air Miles also offers a Personal Shopper service for their Onyx members if they have Dream Miles that need to be spent or for redemptions beyond what’s available from Air Miles’ catalog.
Nationally, CAA members from all regional clubs except Quebec receive discounts at Shell. These discounts include 3¢/litre on fuel, 10% off car washes, and 10% off in-store purchases with some product exclusions. CAA discounts can also be combined with Air Miles earnings, maximizing the value of your fill-up.
Hometown Rewards/Irving Rewards & Air Miles (Irving Canada)
Most of Irving’s stations are in Eastern Canada. There are two separate loyalty programs for Irving Oil; Hometown Rewards, used in the Atlantic provinces, and Irving Rewards, used at stations in Quebec and Ontario.
Hometown Rewards allows earning towards Air Miles (1 mile for every 20 liters), like Shell, whereas Irving Rewards is the company’s in-house program. Both schemes cannot be used at locations in the United States, which also has its loyalty program.
Petro Points & Triangle Rewards (Petro Canada & Canadian Tire Gas+)
Petro-Canada announced a partnership with Canadian Tire’s Triangle Rewards. Linking a Triangle account with a Petro-Points card will allow members to earn points through both programs.
Linked account members can earn up to 3¢/L, with Triangle credit card holders earning 5¢/L at gas stations. 10 Petro Points are also earned per litre for all Petro-Points members, with an additional 20% Petro-Points bonus if the accounts are linked. You can also convert Petro-Points into Canadian Tire money.
RBC Cardholders can also save 3¢/L when filling up at Petro Canada and Canadian Tire Gas+ station as well, with 20% Petro Point earning bonuses on fuel, car wash, and store purchases.
PC Optimum (Esso, Mobil)
The PC Optimum program is often known for grocery and drugstore purchases at Loblaws chain stores such as No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, and Shoppers Drug Mart. In January 2022, it was announced that PC Optimum members could earn and redeem their points at Esso stations, a few years after Superstore gas bars were rebranded to Imperial Oil’s Mobil branding. At the same time, Esso’s own loyalty program, Esso Extra, was retired.
At the base earning rate without a PC Financial account or card, you can earn 10 points per litre filled up. However, when paying with a PC Financial credit card, like the PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard, you can earn up to 70 points per litre, or about 7¢/L off. The PC Optimum app is also a helpful tool for earning points, where you can take advantage of bonus offers that earn you even more points during your fill-up.
7Rewards (7-Eleven)
At 7-Eleven stations, you can earn points from fuel and in-store purchases (excluding age-restricted items) earning 10 points per dollar spent on your purchases. Some gas stations are owned and operated by 7-Eleven franchises however, in Canada there does not seem to be a fuel discount program on the mobile app unlike what can be seen in the US version of the app. You also cannot use your 7Rewards points towards fuel or car washes either.
Be aware that not all gas stations with a 7-Eleven attached have the ability to earn 7Rewards at the pump, where the fuel side of things can be a different points program like Esso stations with PC Optimum and Petro Canada with Petro Points and Triangle Rewards.
Redeeming Gas Station Rewards
For most Gas Station rewards programs, the points you earn can be used towards redemptions for fuel purchases. Some programs however do extend redemptions beyond the fuel pump.
Travel
Arguably the most exciting way to use your points, you can redeem your fuel points for travel. Aeroplan and Air Miles probably come to mind when trying to book trips on points, however, Scene+ and Petro-Points also allow you to spend your points on travel.
With its partnership with Journie Rewards, Aeroplan takes the cake in terms of being able to use your hard-earned points towards travel. With its large list of airline partners and point transfer programs, it is the most versatile travel points program affiliated with fuel rewards.
Aeroplan also allows earning from travel bookings and other online retailers through their e-store. You can find some ridiculous redemptions from time to time, such as flying on Air Canada Signature Class from Vancouver to Tokyo for 55,000 Aeroplan points.
Air Miles, which can be earned from Shell and Irving fuel stations, are also a great way to spend your fuel rewards on travel. Although the range of travel redemptions for Air Miles is not as large as Aeroplan’s, there is still a bit of flexibility on how far your Air Miles can go.
You have the option to switch between Cash and Dream miles, where Cash miles are redeemed for short-term costs such as gift cards and gas, and Dream miles are for long-term goals like vacation bookings through Air Miles’ site. Although Air Miles isn’t affiliated with Safeway and Sobeys anymore, you can still earn with BMO’s Air Miles credit cards.
An interesting travel redemption opportunity that surprised me was that Petro-Points allows for redemptions towards travel. Redemptions can be booked through the OTA iTravel2000, but I was unable to determine the redemption rate when I tried to do a sample booking.
The site showed how many points I could earn if I paid cash, letting me put in a Petro-Points number, but no quote for how many points would be taken away was ever shown if I redeemed instead.
Groceries
For grocery redemptions, PC Optimum would be the best way to redeem. Directly correlated with Loblaws’ brands of grocery stores, not only can you use your points towards purchases but members can get exclusive grocery discounts. These PC Optimum loadable offers can also help regain your points back, with sporadic bonus redemption events where you can save even more.
7Rewards redemptions are usually towards their fast-food products, however they have a few things you can redeem for. Mostly smaller serving grocery products like drinks, cups of fruit, and pint-sized ice cream. Although the redemption level seems high compared to the cash price, 7-Eleven does have points bonus offers from time to time.
Aeroplan and Air Miles both allow you to redeem points towards gift cards or e-vouchers. You can also redeem through their online shopping portals, though the selection is very limited. Aeroplan allows redemptions towards LCBO gift cards if you ever fancy a drink.
You can earn miles from taking photos of your receipt if it has a specified item that the Air Miles app has an offer for as well.
Canadian Tire stocks a small quantity of grocery products on their shelves. Though more of a cashback program, Canadian Tire Money can be used towards these purchases as well. In addition, if you have an existing bonus-earning offer in the Triangle Mobile app, you’ll still be able to earn the bonus points after you complete your transaction.
Merchandise
Canadian Tire offers the best selection in terms of general merchandise. From toiletries to hardware and sporting equipment, Canadian Tire money through your Triangle Rewards offers a fantastic overall redemption opportunity beyond travel. You can also earn bonus CT Money from completing minimum spend offers at a substantial cashback rate, with an additional 4% if you have a Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard.
7 Eleven also has redemption opportunities for merchandise, although the only non-food or drink-related item I could find in the app was windshield wiper fluid.
You do get bonus-earning offers on gift cards from time to time though.
Best Credit Cards to Use for Gas Station Purchases
Credit Cards Affiliated with Gas Stations
Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas, & Ultramar
Earning both Journie and Aeroplan points, CIBC’s credit cards allow you to double-dip at Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas, and Ultramar stations. These cards are also a great way to accumulate travel rewards points.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Net Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card | 90,000 Aeroplan | $1,291 | Apply |
 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card | 30,000 Aeroplan | $630 | Apply |
 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Plus Card | 30,000 Aeroplan | $630 | Apply |
 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | 30,000 Aeroplan | $630 | Apply |
 | CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card | 10,000 Aeroplan | $210 | Apply |
Additionally, the CIBC Costco World Mastercard allows for 3% cashback on purchases from Costco Gas. Because Journie is linked to the CIBC account and not the specific card, users can take advantage of the 3¢/L discount when filling up at Journie-affiliated stations as well.
The CIBC Costco World Mastercard earns cash back and gives cardholders the opportunity to earn 3% cash back at restaurants and Costco gas stations.
Check out our CIBC Costco World Mastercard review for more details.
$0 cash back
$0
$0+
$0
Yes
–
Shell & Hometown
For Shell and Irving Gas Stations, all BMO credit cards receive a minimum of 3x Air Miles on Shell purchases.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Net Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | BMO AIR MILES World Elite Business Mastercard | 3,000 AIR MILES | $450 | Apply |
 | BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard | 2,000 AIR MILES | $300 | Apply |
 | BMO AIR MILES No-Fee Business Mastercard | 1,000 AIR MILES | $150 | Apply |
 | BMO AIR MILES Mastercard | 800 AIR MILES | $120 | Apply |
However, for the best earning rate, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard combines the 3x Shell bonus with its own 3 Air Miles per $12 earning rate.
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard earns Air Miles and provides cardholders with the opportunity to earn 3x Air Miles on all purchases made at Air Miles partners.
2,000 AIR MILES
$3,000
$300+
$120 (FYF)
Yes
May 31, 2024
Shell also offers a 5% cashback offer for Neo cards as well, and up to 7% for Neo purchases made through the Shell app. The Neo Secured Credit Card is a great way to take advantage of the cashback rate, especially for those who want to improve their credit score or are worried about credit checks.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Net Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Neo Secured Credit | 25 cash back | $25 | Apply |
 | Neo Credit | 0 cash back | $0 | Apply |
Petro Canada & Gas+
The Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard allows you to earn 5c/L in CT Money and up to 7¢/L if you fill up with premium fuel at Canadian Tire Gas+ and Petro Canada fuel stations.
The Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard earns Canadian Tire Money and offers cardholders benefits such as complimentary gold membership to the Canadian Tire roadside assistance program.
Check out our Canadian Tire Triangle World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
0 Canadian Tire Money
$0
$0+
$0
Yes
–
RBC cardholders also get 3c off per litre filled up at Petro Canada stations. The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card will help you earn Avion Elite points, which can be transferred to many airline partners or at a fixed rate, providing great flexibility.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Net Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card | 55,000 Avion | $925 | Apply |
 | RBC Avion Visa Platinum Card | 55,000 Avion | $925 | Apply |
 | RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card | 60,000 Avios | $855 | Apply |
 | RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card | 55,000 Avion | $646 | Apply |
 | WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | 450 WestJet dollars | $331 | Apply |
 | RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card | 25,000 Avion | $300 | Apply |
 | RBC Avion Visa Business Card | 20,000 Avion | $260 | Apply |
 | RBC ION+ Visa Card | 7,000 Avion | $85 | Apply |
Esso & Mobil
At Esso and Mobil gas stations, using the PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard will help you earn 7c/L in points. Although you can only use PC Optimum points towards groceries, the program offers frequent bonus redemption opportunities in its mobile app.
The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard earns 40 PC Optimum points per dollar spent at Loblaws grocery stores and offers cardholders a complimentary PC Express Pass for free grocery delivery and pickup.
Check out our PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard review for more details.
150,000 PC Optimum
$3,000
$30+
$120
Yes
–
Credit Cards with Multipliers on Gas Purchases
If fuel loyalty programs are still confusing, there are a few credit cards you can use to get some value back without the hassle of loyalty at the pump. Cashback cards are the simplest to understand, and you get a percentage of your money back in cash as opposed to points.
The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite card gives 4% cashback for gas purchases. As a CIBC card, you also get an additional 3c/L off when filling up at Journie-affiliated stations such as Chevron and Fas Gas. The 4% can be redeemed back in $25 increments.
You can also earn 4% cashback from American Express, the American Express SimplyCash Preferred card. However, the cashback accumulated is only given back one month after your card’s anniversary date.
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard gives you 3% in cashback, up to $500 of spend per statement period. Because it’s a BMO card, you can save another 3c/L every time you fill up at a Shell gas station.
Putting It All Together: Maximizing Your Earning
With everything compiled above, you can maximize your return by focusing on one or two programs and combining loyalty rewards with credit cards and partner linkages. Here are a few example combinations that show how you can achieve some extreme savings.
CIBC + Journie + Aeroplan: Up to 10c/L in Savings & 4% Back
The combination that seems to attract the most attention is the CIBC, Journie, and Aeroplan pact. The CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite earns 4% cash back on fuel purchases plus Journie members will receive a 3c/L discount at Chevron. If you don’t have your Aeroplan account linked with Journie, you can effectively earn 10c/L off with the bonus 7c/L off once you hit 300 Journie points.
BMO + Shell/Air Miles: Up to 9c/L in Savings
BMO and Shell’s partnership is also an effective way to get your value back. The BMO Cashback World Elite Mastercard combined with Shell’s 3c/L off equals 6c/L off during fill-up. You can get an additional 3c/L off if you also present your CAA card, totaling the savings to 9c/L. You also still receive the Air Miles you would get if you entered your membership number.
PC + Esso/Mobil: Up to 8c/L in PC Optimum Points for Groceries
At Esso and Mobil stations, the PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard will get you 50 pts/L, or about 5c/L during fill-up. When you exceed 150L monthly, you can increase the earning rate to 70 pts/L or 7c/L off. If you use premium fuel, you get an additional 1c/L.
Triangle or RBC + Canadian Tire/Petro Canada: 3c/L with RBC or Up to 7% Back in Canadian Tire Money
At Petro Canada, you have a couple of options for earning points back. If you have an RBC card, you can get a discount of 3c/L while earning Avion points, which are great for travel redemptions. The Triangle World Elite Mastercard will earn you even more than you save compared to RBC, with a CT Money cashback rate of 5c/L (or 7c/L on premium fuel grades).
Conclusion
Gas station-affiliated loyalty programs can take time to track and decipher. However, learning which program and card combination can help get as much money or points back as possible. My combo winner would be the CIBC, Journie, and Aeroplan partnership, where you can get up to 14% back or 7% with CIBC plus 300 Aeroplan points and guaranteed drinks or snacks during the Journie cycle.
With continuous price increases everywhere in every category, saving money is always a good idea. Ultimately, fueling up at the pump is a significant expense in a driver’s budget. You can always win back a part of your pocketbook by taking advantage of gas loyalty programs and the right credit card combination.
Andy Leung
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