Costco quietly boosts gas rewards for branded credit card holders to 5% cash back

Costco has discreetly increased gas rewards for holders of its branded credit card.

Members with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card, issued by Citi, can now expect to earn 5% cash back at Costco gas pumps, up from the previous 4%. 

The higher rewards apply only to gas stations located at the warehouse giant and do not extend to any gas purchases outside the company or electric vehicle (EV) charging.  

However, all other eligible gas purchased outside of Costco and EV charging will earn 4% cash back.  

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Both the 5% and 4% cash back rates apply only to the first $7,000 in a member’s annual purchases, allowing members to earn up to $350 instead of the previous maximum of $280.

After hitting that annual spending cap, the cash back rate drops to 1% for the rest of the year.

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"If you’re a Costco member, you may be able to earn Costco Cash Back Rewards on gas purchases with the Costco Anywhere Visa Card," Citi said. "It offers great cash back rewards on fuel as well as other purchases, allowing you to save money."

The move effectively incentivizes Costco’s more than 80 million paid members to upgrade to the co-branded credit card, boosting profitability while fostering even greater loyalty among its already devoted customer base.

Costco has repeatedly emphasized that a top company priority is maintaining a high renewal rate, which has been hovering roughly 90% over the years. 

Other rewards offered by the card remain unchanged. Cardholders will continue to earn 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel, 2% on purchases at Costco and 1% on all other purchases. 

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The Costco Anywhere Visa Card, which includes perks such as no foreign transaction fees and robust travel protections, carries no annual fee but requires an active Costco membership. 

Rewards are issued once a year as a certificate, typically after the February billing cycle, and are redeemable for cash or merchandise at Costco warehouses. 

FOX Business reached out to Costco for more information.