It’s no secret that the last few weeks have put a lot of pressure on the public filling up their gas tanks. We started 2026 with the lowest gas prices in years, with a national average of $2.81. As of April 21, that average sits at $4.02, an over 40% boost from January.

If you drive and are worried about the price of gas, you may be able to leverage public transportation (or even something two-wheeled) to minimize costs, depending on your location. CNBC Select takes a look at popular credit cards that earn rewards on public transit, rideshare and bike-share purchases or offer easy-to-use credits toward alternative forms of transportation.

How to save on different forms of travel

Rewards on public transportation

General travel credits

There are a handful of travel credit cards that earn rewards on public transportation, but the mechanics can vary. For instance, some cards might offer 3% cash back on transit, but with a spending cap or the need to select it as a category in advance.

The Citi Custom Cash® Card comes with a spending cap, but you won’t have to activate or enroll to earn rewards. The card automatically earns 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, on up to $500 spent (then 1% back). There are 12 total spending categories, including select transit, and as long as it’s your highest spending category for the month, you’ll earn up to 5% back (until you hit the cap).

The Citi Custom Cash’s select transit category encompasses a lot of purchases, including bus lines, subways, passenger railways and ferries. You’ll even earn on niche expenses, like bridge and road tolls and parking lots. (Note that bike and scooter rentals are excluded.)

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Spotlight

Receive a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers

17.49% – 27.49% variable

Earn $200 in cash back

Information about the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

See rates and fees. Terms apply.

Read our Citi Custom Cash® Card review.

The Citi Custom Cash® Card is an especially simple and rewarding cash back card because you’ll automatically earn bonus rewards where you spend the most.

Offers a long intro APR on balance transfers

Easy-to-earn welcome bonus

No annual fee

Bonus cash back categories are capped

Charges a foreign transaction fee

Rewards

Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter

Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026

Balance transfer fee

5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)

Foreign transaction fee

If you spend more than $500 on public transit purchases each month (or simply want to earn rewards without a spending cap), the Wells Fargo Attune℠ Planet Elite Mastercard® could be a positive match.

The card earns an unlimited 4% cash rewards on purchases across three overarching themes: self-care purchases; select sports, recreation and entertainment; and planet-friendly purchases. The last category is the most relevant, as it includes spending on bus lines, local and suburban commuter passenger transportation, ferries, passenger railways and “other transportation services.”

One potential downside is that some Reddit users report the card doesn’t earn 4% back on rideshare services, like Uber or Lyft — but there are other credit cards that do (more on that below).

Wells Fargo Attune℠ International community Elite Mastercard®

Earn 4% cash rewards on fitness and wellness; 4% cash rewards on select sports, recreation, and entertainment (including live shows and sporting events); 4% cash rewards on gardening and floral stores, as well as pet supplies, boarding and grooming; 4% cash rewards on public transit, EV charging stations, and select thrift stores. Plus earn 1% cash rewards on other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn $100 in cash rewards when you spend $500 in qualifying purchases during the first 3 months after account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Intro APR

0% on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening

Regular APR

18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable based on your creditworthiness

Introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.

3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars

Credit needed

Excellent/Good

Terms apply

Earns bonus rewards in categories not typically seen in rewards cards

Introductory APR on purchases

No introductory APR on balance transfers

Outside of applying for a credit card with rewards on subways, buses, trains and more, you may already have a card in your wallet that can help cover the cost of alternative transportation.

Uber (including Lime e-bikes and scooters)

If you own the American Express Platinum Card®, you can take advantage of an Uber One credit when you pay for the membership using your Platinum card and receive up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year (for an auto-renewing membership, terms apply). Uber One gets you perks like 6% back on rides with Uber and automatic surge savings (or savings during typically higher-priced rideshare windows).

Besides a comped Uber One membership, Amex Platinum cardmembers also get up to $200 in Uber Cash each year after adding your card to your Uber account, spread out as $15 in Uber Cash per month (and an additional $20 Uber Cash in December). Uber Cash can be used for rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction (terms apply and enrollment is required).

If you live in a relatively dense city, chances are you’ve seen bike-sharing companies. Bike sharing can be a great way to get around town fairly quickly, but the fees can add up over time, especially if you adopt it for commuting or routine excursions. Luckily, the Uber Cash Amex Platinum cardholders earn can also be applied to unlock Lime e-bikes and scooters through the Uber app.

Lime bikes are typically pedal-assist, while the scooters are fully electric and have roughly the same speeds, so it’s mostly down to preference. While these probably aren’t ideal for cross-town trips, they can be great for shorter journeys.

American Express Platinum Card®

On the American Express site

The Amex Platinum Card provides access to Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs® , Lufthansa Lounges, Escape Lounges and more. (Enrollment required)

See Pay Over Time APR

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points

See rates and fees, terms apply. Read our Amex Platinum Card review. The American Express Platinum Card® Welcome Offer: To view your personalized offer, you must first submit an application. If approved, you will: (1) receive your Welcome Offer details, (2) have the option to accept the Card with that offer, (3) be required to spend $12,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership, and (4) earn Membership Rewards® points. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. If you’re approved and accept your offer, a credit check may be conducted, which could impact your credit score. Terms apply.

The American Express Platinum Card® is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)

Access to 1,550+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ Select lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges

Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs

Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)

High annual fee

Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases

Highlights

Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your fresh Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted. 

Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. 

With over 1,550 airport lounges – more than any other credit card organization on the market* – enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges.* As of 07/2025. 

$200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to leverage on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you leverage the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply. 

$300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you apply your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The Fresh York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required. 

$600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. 

$400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you employ the Platinum Card® to construct eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you.

$209 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal. 

$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details. 

Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out. 

$300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you apply the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required. 

$155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®.* Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible. 

Whenever you need us, we’re here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7. 

$895 annual fee. 

Terms Apply.

See Rates & Fees

Lyft (including Citi Bike)

If you’re more partial to Lyft, three out of four tiers of Mastercard credit cards have credits that cover the cost of Lyft rides. If you adopt an eligible Planet Mastercard, Globe Elite Mastercard and Earth Legend Mastercard, you’ll earn $5 in Lyft credit after taking three eligible Lyft rides per month (offer expires Jan. 31, 2027). Plus, Earth Elite and International community Legend Mastercards get 10% off scheduled rides to and from U.S. airports.

Bilt and Lyft also have a partnership that helps you earn rewards on rideshares. Once you connect your Lyft and Bilt Rewards accounts, you’ll earn 2X Bilt points on Lyft rides. You can also leverage Bilt Points to pay for Lyft rides. While these two perks don’t require you to have a Bilt credit card, owning one can help you accelerate your points earning for utilize throughout the Lyft ecosystem. The Bilt Obsidian Card (see rates and fees), for example, earns 3X Bilt Points on either dining or groceries (if you choose groceries as the category, there’s a $25,000 yearly spending cap).

Bilt Obsidian Card

On Bilt’s site

The Bilt Obsidian Card offers you the choice of 3X Bilt Points on your choice of dining or groceries (up to $25,000 per year), 2X on travel, and 1X on everyday purchases

26.74 – 34.74% variable 

$200 of Bilt Cash

See rates/fees and rewards/benefits. Terms apply.

The Bilt Obsidian Card offers 3X Bilt Points on key everyday categories, like dining or groceries, plus comes with a $100 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit (split semi-annually each calendar year)

Earns ultra-valuable flexible rewards This also touches on aspects of bear market.

Can earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage

High return on dining or grocery purchases

Additional steps for no-fee rent payments

Cap on earning bonus Bilt points for groceries

Earn points on housing with no transaction fee

Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Employ Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.

3X points on your choice of grocery (up to $25K/year) or dining. Your 3X category choice remains in effect for the entire calendar year.

2X points on travel

1X points on everyday spend

Welcome offer: $200 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved.

$100 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $50 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.

Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.

Greater of 5% or $5

Lyft also owns and operates the bike-share service Citi Bike, which is mostly available around the Fresh York City area. You can access and pay for Citi Bike rides directly through the Lyft app, and you can also book a bike using your Bilt Points.

One of the pain points of credit card statement credits is enrolling and tracking your usage. Some credit cards, though, offer a larger, blanket travel credit that automatically applies to qualifying purchases.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) offers a flexible $300 annual travel credit that includes more than just hotels and airfare. The credit automatically applies to all eligible travel purchases, including train tickets, taxi fares, rideshares, subways and more (in other words, you can get reimbursed for your travel purchases simply by paying with the card). There’s no activation required, and the credit automatically renews each year on your account anniversary date.

Even after you hit the $300 annual limit, the card earns 5X total points on Lyft rides and offers up to $120 in Lyft credits (up to $10 in monthly in-app credits for utilize on rides). Both of these perks are available through Sept. 30, 2027.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

On Chase’s site

Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.

19.49% – 27.99% variable

Earn 125,000 bonus points

See rates and fees. Terms apply. Member FDIC.

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.

Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.

Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year

You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including International community of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more

Top-tier travel and shopping protections

Requires a high credit score Furthermore, experts in bear market note the continued relevance.

Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases

$300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.

Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years

Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.

Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.

Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually

Member FDIC

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can produce informed decisions with their wealth. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, click here.

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