However, the credit cards listed below are generally considered excellent for fuel benefits and do offer a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions at petrol pumps across India (with specific terms and conditions like minimum and maximum transaction values and waiver limits per statement cycle). They also often provide additional rewards or cashback on fuel purchases:
Top Credit Cards for Fuel Purchases with Surcharge Waiver (for POS transactions at fuel stations):
- BPCL SBI Card & BPCL SBI Card Octane: These cards offer excellent value back on fuel purchases at BPCL petrol pumps (including reward points and surcharge waivers). The Octane variant offers even higher reward points on fuel and other categories.
- IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card: This card provides significant fuel points on spending at IndianOil outlets, along with a fuel surcharge waiver. It also offers rewards on groceries and bill payments.
- IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card: This card offers a value back on fuel spends at IOCL outlets as reward points and includes a fuel surcharge waiver. It also has benefits on online shopping and dining.
- ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Credit Card & ICICI HPCL Super Saver Credit Card: These co-branded cards offer cashback and a fuel surcharge waiver on fuel purchases at HPCL pumps. The Super Saver card often provides higher cashback.
- IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit Card: This card focuses heavily on fuel benefits at IndianOil stations, offering a high value-back as fuel points and a surcharge waiver.
- IDFC FIRST HPCL Power & Power+ Credit Cards: These RuPay cards offer savings on fuel at HPCL outlets and include surcharge waivers.
- HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card: This card offers a fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India.
- IndusInd Bank Platinum Aura Edge Credit Card & EazyDiner IndusInd Bank Credit Card: These cards provide fuel surcharge waivers at all petrol pumps.
Key Considerations:
- Surcharge Waiver Terms: Always check the specific terms and conditions for the fuel surcharge waiver, including the minimum and maximum transaction amounts eligible for the waiver and the maximum waiver amount per statement cycle.
- Rewards and Cashback: Evaluate the rewards points or cashback offered on fuel purchases and other spending categories to choose a card that aligns with your overall spending habits.
- Annual Fees: Consider the annual fee of the card and whether it’s justified by the benefits you receive. Some cards offer annual fee waivers upon meeting certain spending thresholds.
- Partner Fuel Stations: Co-branded cards (like BPCL SBI or IndianOil HDFC) often provide the best rewards when used at their respective partner fuel stations.
- Online Fuel Purchases/Wallet Reloads: Be aware that the 1% fuel surcharge waiver typically does not apply to online transactions for fuel or when you load money into digital wallets to pay for fuel later. You might still earn regular rewards points on these transactions, but the surcharge will likely not be waived.
Recommendation:
To find the absolute “best” card for you, compare the features, benefits, fees, and terms and conditions of the cards mentioned above based on your individual spending patterns and preferences, particularly how often you refuel and at which fuel stations. Remember to confirm the applicability of the surcharge waiver for online fuel-related transactions directly with the card issuer.