Saving on fuel expenses is easier than you think! With the right combination of credit cards and payment methods, you can earn significant returns at HP and IOCL petrol pumps. Here’s a breakdown of the best strategies for maximizing savings on fuel:
1. HP Petrol Pumps
Strategy: Load Amazon Pay Gift Card
- AmEx Gold Charge: Load ₹6,000 worth of gift cards every month to get a return of 16%.
- HDFC Infinia: Earn a 13.5% return.
- AmEx MRCC: Load ₹6,000 via 4 transactions of ₹1,500 each to get 13% back.
- AmEx Platinum Travel: Get 10% cashback on your fuel spends.
Bonus Tip: Recharge your ICICI Fastag using Amazon Pay and link the Fastag to the HP Pay app. Then, pay for fuel using the Fastag balance through the HP Pay QR code for an added benefit.
2. IOCL Petrol Pumps
Strategy: Purchase IOCL Vouchers via Park+
- AmEx Gold Charge: Get 9% cashback by purchasing ₹6,000 worth of vouchers every month.
- AmEx MRCC: Similar to Gold Charge, earn 9% cashback with 4 transactions of ₹1,500 each.
- AmEx Platinum Travel: Earn 8% back.
- HDFC Infinia: A decent 3% return on fuel spends.
Pro Tip: Always ask for the ITPS machine at IOCL petrol pumps to scan the voucher code. If the voucher is unused within a week, you’ll automatically receive a refund to the original payment source.
3. Direct Payment at Petrol Pumps
While paying directly for fuel is slightly less efficient, you can still earn decent rewards with the right credit cards:
Indian Oil Petrol Pumps:
- AmEx Gold Charge: Earn 8% cashback on ₹6,000 of fuel spends every month.
- AmEx MRCC: Get 7% return.
- AmEx Platinum Travel: A return of 6%.
HP Petrol Pumps:
- American Express cards offer a fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹25,000.
- AmEx Gold Charge: Earn 9% cashback on ₹6,000 of fuel spends monthly.
- AmEx MRCC: Get 8%.
- AmEx Platinum Travel: Earn 7% cashback.
Key Insights:
- HP Pay with Fastag and Amazon Pay Gift Card gives the highest returns of up to 16%.
- Park+ IOCL vouchers offer decent rewards, particularly for AmEx cardholders with 9% cashback.
- Direct payments are less efficient but still provide good rewards when using AmEx cards or other high-reward options.
Why Fuel-Specific Cards Are Less Necessary:
With cards like American Express Gold Charge and AmEx MRCC providing high rewards on fuel spends across various platforms, fuel-specific credit cards are not essential for maximizing your savings.
Make the most of your fuel purchases by leveraging these strategies for higher returns!