If you are in the market for a gas station credit card, you should review the offers from CITGO. CITGO is a well-known chain of gas stations across the U.S. CITGO has approximately 6,000 stations in 28 different states. CITGO itself is actually owned by PDVSA, the national oil company of Venezuela. In the U.S., CITGO operates under the wholly owned subsidiary PDV America, Inc.
As far as credit offerings go, CITGO offers both personal and business lines of credit. The CITGO Rewards Card (the focus of this review) is designed for the average consumer. Businesses can choose from three types of CITGO cards: the Fleet card, the Fleet Select, or the Fleet Universal. The company has also started offering re-chargeable gift cards which can be loaded with funds for purchases at any CITGO location.
What is the CITGO Rewards Card?
The CITGO Rewards card is a consumer level credit card that offers rebates for each gallon of gas purchased at a CITGO station. Current rebate rates are at 5 cents per gallon. The per gallon rebate will apply regardless of how often you use the card.
One thing to remember is that you won’t see the discounted amount at the pumps. As with any rebate, the savings are applied to your account at a later date. Each monthly statement will reflect a credit which equals the amount of the rebate earned in that particular month.
Unlike CITGO’s business credit cards, the CITGO Rewards card is a revolving line of credit. This means that the card user can opt to pay the balance in full each month, or can just submit the minimum monthly payment.
CITGO’s Rewards card is offered with an APR of approximately 24.99%. Some consumers might consider this APR to be a little high. Yet, if you are one of the people that pays off their balance each month within the grace period, you might come out on the winning end with this card’s rebate benefit.
On cash advances the Rewards card charges a 29.95% APR. Cash advances are also subject to an additional service fee of five percent, or a minimum of $10, whichever is greater. If you are looking to transfer a balance to your new credit card account, be aware that balance transfers are not allowed for the CITGO Rewards card.
With regard to billing, the CITGO Rewards card operates on a 25 day grace period from the time of purchase. If you make a late payment on this card, you are subject a late fee that can cost up to $35.
Other Benefits
The rebate is not the only benefit provided by the Rewards card. You also get total fraud protection, meaning that you will not have to pay anything for unauthorized charges. Another great benefit is that you can order additional cards for family members without further fees. CITGO also claims to offer flexible plans for payments to manage your balance.
What Are the Options for Account Management?
CITGO offers an online account management system where you can review your monthly statements, set up payments and interact with the customer support team. You are also able to obtain reports about your account, which you can download to your PC. Online account management is provided to CITGO customers at no cost.
What is Required to Get a CITGO Card?
To qualify for the CITGO Rewards card, you need to meet some standard credit application requirements:
- At least 18 years old
- Have an acceptable credit history
- Provide verification of your income
- Be a Citizen or U.S. Resident
How to Submit an Application for the CITGO Rewards Card
Applications for this card can be done through the CITGO website at www.citgo.com.
Although this card is technically a credit card, it can only be used to make purchases at CITGO. Therefore, if you need more flexibility with your spending options, you might want to seek out a regular credit card that incorporates gas savings or a more general cash back rewards credit card. However, if you are one of the people that has a CITGO near work or home and you find yourself constantly buying gas there, this would be a good choice.
