10 Best Credit Cards for Fuel in India (2022)

To save on your daily fuel expenses, you can opt for a dedicated fuel credit card. Many credit cards offer fuel surcharge waivers. This article lists the 10 best credit cards for fuel that banks provide to help their customers make substantial savings on fuel charges. 

These cards usually have an annual fee that ranges between Rs.0 and Rs.1,000. The interest rates charged against these cards usually vary between 3.25% per month and 3.40% per month. Here are the 10 best credit cards for fuel in India that offer additional benefits like cashback, co-branded benefits and reward points. Read on!

Check out the most beneficial credit cards to save on your fuel expenses

What is a Fuel Credit Card? 

Banks offer credit cards for fuel to provide their customers with savings benefits on fuel expenses. Typically, fuel credit cards are co-branded with national oil giants such as Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.

Most fuel cards in India work on reward points where you can earn points every time you refuel your vehicle(s). Later you can redeem these accumulated reward points. 

10 Best Credit Cards for Fuel in India (2022)

1. BPCL SBI Credit Card 

This SBI card is in partnership with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and is extremely accessible. An individual needs to have an annual income of Rs. 20,000 per month to qualify for this card. The annual fee is also affordable, making the card extremely popular for fuel purchases. 

Joining Fee: Rs.499

Annual Fee: Rs.499

Features & Benefits:

• You will get 2,000 bonus points as a welcome gift
• Users will be rewarded 1 point for every Rs 100 spent on non-fuel purchases
• 1% surcharge waiver is applicable on fuel purchases up to Rs. 4.000 
• Additionally, you will get 5x reward points for every Rs. 100 expenditure on departmental stores, dining and groceries  

2. BPCL SBI Card Octane

The BPCL SBI Card Octane is the premium version of the previous card. However, it has many additional advantages that the BPCL SBI Credit Card does not offer. For example, you can get a 7.25% value back on BharatGas if you pay online or through some mobile application. 

Joining Fee: Rs.1,499

Annual Fee: Rs.1,499 

Features & Benefits: 

• As a welcome benefit, you will be gifted 6,000 reward points after you pay the annual fee
• Users will receive a 6.25%+ 1% fuel surcharge waiver on all transactions up to Rs. 4,000 
• Individuals will get 25 reward points for every Rs. 100 from the website and app on products like BharatGas, BPCL fuel and lubricants 
• You will also get 4 complimentary visits each calendar year to domestic VISA lounges
• Moreover, if you spend Rs. 3 lakh annually, you will be gifted a voucher worth Rs. 2,000 from partner brands
• 10 reward points will be gifted on every Rs 100 spent on groceries, movies, dining and departmental stores
• Except for mobile wallet upload & non-BPCL fuel purchases, you will  get 1 point on every Rs. 100 retail purchases

3. Indian Oil Citi Platinum Card 

Indian Oil and Citi Bank partnered for this platinum card where you can earn 4 turbo points (TP) for every Rs. 150 you spend on buying fuel from Indian Oil outlets. The USP for this credit card is that you can gain up to 267 points on a single transaction. 

Joining Fee: Bank will communicate at the time of sourcing 

Annual Fee: Rs. 1,000 + taxes

Features & Benefits: 

• Users will get free TP worth Rs 250 on successful credit card activation
• 2 and 1 TP reward on every Rs 150 spent on supermarkets or grocery expenditures and other purchases, respectively 
• Individuals can redeem these TP points for gift vouchers
• Additionally, one can get travel discounts and special privileges and discounts on dining 

4. ICICI HPCL Coral Credit Card

This fuel credit card allows users to earn PAYBACK and cashback points. It is highly accessible and easy to maintain as the joining and annual fees are extremely low. Individuals who purchase fuel from HP petrol pumps can often benefit greatly from this card. 

Joining Fee: Rs 199 

Annual Fee: Rs 199 (exempted after spending Rs 50,000 in a year) 

Features & Benefits:   

• Members will be rewarded 5 PAYBACK Points for every Rs. 100 purchase
• Users will get 2.5% cash back on fuel purchases and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver at HPCL pumps
• You can redeem 2000 PAYBACK points for fuel worth Rs. 500
• 25% off on movie ticket booking from BookMyShow 

5. Indian Oil HDFC Credit Card 

Indian Oil HDFC credit card is one of the best credit cards for fuel purchasers residing in non-metro cities. Further, it comes in both VISA and RuPay variants. You can use this card to earn ‘fuel points’ by spending on any category. Later you can use these points to buy fuel from Indian Oil petrol stations.  

Joining Fee: Rs. 500

Annual Fee: Rs. 500 (waived off on an expenditure of Rs. 50,000 using this card)

Features & Benefits: 

• Individuals will get a complimentary Indian Oil XTRAREWARDSTM Program (IXRP) membership with this card
• You will get 5% of the bill amount as fuel points from fuel purchases from Indian Oil outlets 
• Additional 5% fuel points on purchases from groceries and bill payments
• You will also get a 1% surcharge waiver on a minimum transaction of Rs. 400
• Moreover, one can get up to 50 litres of fuel for free in a year with these fuel points 

6. Indian Oil Axis Bank Credit Card

This card gives you decent returns on both fuel and online expenditures. Moreover, it rewards users with 4% returns on fuel expenses in the form of Edge rewards. The card is designed specifically to waive the annual fee. 

Joining Fee: Rs. 500

Annual Fee: Rs. 500 (waived when you spend Rs. 50,000 in the previous year)

Features & Benefits: 

• Rs. 250 cash back on all fuel transactions within 30 days after the card is issued 
• One can get accelerated reward points on a transaction between Rs. 100 to Rs. 5,000 per month from any Indian Oil outlet
• Additionally, you will get a 1% surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 200 to Rs. 5,000
• 4% and 1% value back on fuel transactions and online shopping, respectively

7. HDFC Bharat Cashback Credit Card

As the name suggests, you can earn cashback with this credit card. Moreover, this is a beginner-level credit card for petrol expenses. Therefore, you can save a lot from using PayZapp/EasyEMI/ SmartBUY for online payments. Additionally, you can save up to Rs. 3,600 with this credit card.  

Joining Fee: Rs. 500

Annual Fee: Rs. 500 (waived off with Rs. 20,000 expenditure)

Features & Benefits: 

• 5% cash back on purchases made through payment gateways like PayZapp/EasyEMI/ SmartBUY
• 5% cashback on fuel expenses and IRCTC tickets booking, groceries, bill payments, and mobile recharges
• Individuals will get a 1% surcharge waiver after spending Rs. 400 on fuel

8. Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card

With this card, You will get 5% cashback on fuel transactions at all petrol pumps in India with this credit card from Standard Chartered Bank. Further, the bank will exempt the renewal fee if the annual expenditure increases by Rs 60,000. 

Joining Fee: Rs. 499

Annual Fee: Rs. 750 

Features & Benefits:

• Users will get 5% cashback on fuel purchases, telecom and utility bill payments
• Additional 20% cashback on every Uber ride
• You will receive 1 reward point on every Rs 150 spent on all categories 

9. HPCL ICICI Platinum Credit Card

This is easy to avail of, and cardholders get various offers that help them earn points and cashback that they can redeem during fuel transactions. Moreover, this card waives off the first year’s annual fee for all its users.

Joining Fee: Rs. 199 + GST

Annual Fee: Rs 199 + GST 

Features & Benefits: 

• Cardholders will receive 2.5x payback points every time they spend Rs. 100
• 5x payback points on every purchase at any HPCL outlet 
• Further, this card offers a 2.5% surcharge waiver for all fuel transactions at an HPCL outlet
• You will also get an additional 2.5% cashback on all fuel transactions from HPCL petrol pumps 

10. RBL Platinum Maxima Credit Card

This card is an all-rounder credit card where you can earn extra points every time you purchase fuel. One should be above the age of 18 to avail this card and also have a high credit score. 

Joining Fee: Rs. 2,000

Annual Fee: Rs. 2,000

Features & Benefits: 

• Individuals can save up to 2.5% on every Rs. 100 transaction on fuel
• Further, users can also get 10 reward points on every Rs.100 they spend on fuel purchase
• One can save Rs. 11,500 just on fuel with this card  

Benefits of Having a Fuel Credit Card

Given below are some of the benefits of having a fuel credit card:

1. Annual Charge Waiver

If the fuel credit card holder carries out transactions of a certain amount, he gets an annual charge waiver benefit. Moreover, the financial institution might increase the card’s transaction limit as well.

2. Surcharge Waiver

Certain banks also provide the benefit of surcharge waivers at designated partner outlets. As the surcharge comprises a considerable portion of fuel price, waiving off even a small percentage leads to large savings over a long time.

3. Cashback

Every time people spend a minimum amount at petrol pumps across the country, they receive a certain cashback. The amount is directly credited to the user’s bank account.

4. Reward Points

Another important benefit of fuel credit cards is it allows cardholders to accumulate reward points. They can redeem these reward points while purchasing from various stores or websites.

5. Discounts at Partner Restaurants

Many fuel credit card providers offer lucrative discounts at partner restaurants. As a result, people get the opportunity to save money while using the card.

6. Bill Payments

The vouchers and reward points people receive when using a fuel credit card can be used to pay electricity, telephone and water bills. 

How Do Fuel Credit Cards Work?

Fuel credit cards are specially designed to help people save money when they stop at a petrol pump to fill their vehicle. However, in order to avail the benefits of a fuel credit card, people must use it for fuel transactions. 

With every transaction, the user accumulates reward points, cashbacks, discounts and some exclusive benefits.

Generally, these cards offer a waiver on the fuel surcharge that people are required to pay when they use a normal credit card. They are suitable for people who use their vehicles frequently as it lets them save a considerable sum of money.

Let us illustrate this further with an example. Suppose you have a fuel credit card from a bank which is partnered with Indian Oil. Then, you will get many attractive benefits whenever you refuel your car at an Indian Oil petrol pump.

How to Apply for a Fuel Credit Card?

Given below are the steps that individuals can follow to apply for a fuel credit card:

Offline

Given below are the steps to apply for a fuel credit card offline: 

Step 1: Visit the nearest financial institution branch from where you wish to procure a fuel credit card.

Step 2: Fill up the application form.

Step 3: Attach and submit all the requisite documents.

Step 4: Wait for the bank to complete the verification process and provide the fuel credit card. 

Online

Given below are the steps to apply for a fuel credit card online:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the bank from where you would like to get a fuel credit card.

Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Credit Cards’ section.

Step 3: Choose a credit card after checking its benefits, rewards and transaction limits.

Step 4: Provide all the required details and attach the necessary documents.

Step 5: Click on the ‘Submit’ button. 

Please note that the application process could vary from card issuer to issuer.

How to Choose the Best Credit Card for Fuel in India?

Here’s what you should keep in mind while choosing the best card for fuel purchases are: 

• Usability: You need to choose a card that you can easily use at all petrol pumps.
• Annual fees: The cards with higher annual fees provide a lot of additional advantages than cards with lower joining and annual fees. 
• Fuel surcharge: You can choose a card that offers a fuel surcharge waiver to save money.
• Redeemable points & rewards:  While opting for a fuel credit card, you should check that the points and rewards are redeemable; otherwise, it’s of not much use. 

Final Word

This list of best fuel credit cards will help you find a suitable fuel credit card that will let you save money on annual fuel expenses. You can choose from co-branded credit cards or cards from banks where you have been loyal customers.

However, before applying for a credit card, you must do thorough research to check what fits your needs and which card will fetch you maximum cashback and savings. And always consider the annual fee and other charges like interest rates before signing up for a fuel credit card.

FAQs