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Update: BP Driver Rewards and BP United Miles are ending on 9/30. If you have any rewards you’ll want to use them by that date. You won’t earn rewards or miles after 9/30.
Originally posted on 3/7/18:
Which option is better for you will depend on several factors:
Fuel rewards earns $.01 off per gallon for every $10 that you spend. Those rewards expire 365 days after the end of the month in which they were earned and can be redeemed for a purchase of up to 20 gallons of gas.
-In other words if your household spends $200 on gas per month then after a year you’ll spend $2,400 and earn $2.40 off per gallon in fuel rewards. If gas costs $2.40 per gallon you’ll get 20 gallons, or $48 of free gas when you redeem your rewards. That’s an effective 2% rebate if you use the full 20 gallons.
-If you only redeem the rewards on a 15 gallon purchase you’ll only get $36 of free gas, or a 1.5% rebate.
-If you only redeem the rewards on a 10 gallon purchase you’ll only get $24 of free gas, or a 1% rebate.
Alternatively, you can select United miles and you’ll earn 200 miles for free at signup after linking a credit card and making your first purchase. The value of United miles can be half a cent or it can be 5 cents, it all depends on the what you to with your United miles. For this exercise let’s say you’ll redeem them at a value of 1.8 cents each.
You’ll earn 1 mile per gallon of gas purchase, or 2 miles per gallon if you use a credit card that you link to the program, or 3 miles per gallon if you buy premium grade gas and use a credit card that you link to the program.
Note that you can only earn miles for purchases up to 20 gallons.
If your household spends $200 on gas per month that cost $2.40/gallon then after a year you’ll spend $2,400 on 1,000 gallons of gas.
- If you make those purchases on a gift card or unlinked card you’ll earn 1,000 miles, which we’ll say is worth about $18 at 1.8 cents per mile. That’s a 0.75% rebate.
- If you make those purchases on linked card you’ll earn 2,000 miles, which we’ll say is worth about $36 at 1.8 cents per mile. That’s a 1.5% rebate.
- If you make those purchases on linked card and buy premium gas, you’ll earn 3,000 miles, which we’ll say is worth about $54 at 1.8 cents per mile. That’s a 2.25% rebate.
So which option is better?
It’s complicated. The value per United mile will vary between people depending on how well they use their miles. But if you go with my 1.8 cent per mile value assumption:
- If you maximize your fuel rewards by redeeming them on a full 20 gallon purchase and you never let any rewards expire, then fuel rewards is probably the way to go.
- If you want to use BP gift cards, which are often posted on sale on this site, then you’ll also probably want to go with fuel rewards.
- If you will pay with a linked credit card and buy premium gas then miles are probably the way to go.
- If you will pay with a linked credit card and buy regular or mid-tier gas then it’s probably a toss-up. If you may not redeem your fuel rewards for a full 20 gallon purchase then miles will be the way to go.
Either way, it’s worth signing up for United miles for the 200 miles signup bonus and then switching over to fuel rewards should you prefer to earn discount gas.
Of course these rewards are on top of credit card rewards that you’ll earn.
The Chase Freedom card is offering 5 points per dollar on gas this quarter. That 9% back at a value of 1.8 cents per point.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers 2 points per dollar on gas. That 3.6% back at a value of 1.8 cents per point.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers 3% cash back on gas.
You can also also redeem 60 United miles to save 50 cents off gas. That’s a horrendous value for your miles, so please don’t do that.
Which rewards earning option will you select?
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20 Comments On "BP Driver Rewards: Are You Better Off Earning United Miles Or Fuel Rewards?"
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Another gas related promo is shell and chase….can save 35 cents per gallon on first fill up
Yes – but rare to find a shell station that isn’t 20-40 cents more expensive per gallon. at least in the Northeast. Not sure what they think is in their gas
How?
https://www.chase.com/digital/digital-payments/chase-pay/shelloffer?u1=71d3c33421ad11e8bd9e76a70f53cfb20INT&id=lw9MynSeamY&jp_cc=%2F20764625%2Fext%2F98157111%2F214799312
You will never have an option to choose to pay $2.40 for cheaper gas (2 points) or $2.40 for premium gas (3 points) at the same time.
The 200 miles will apply just by signing up or only after first bp gas purchase?
Sounds like a great way to keep United miles from expiring-is that correct?
Didn’t think about that, but it is a great idea to keep daughter’s miles active and even add a bit. Thanks.
GAs buddy is offering $0.15 off per gallon on first fill and then $0.05 per gallon thereafter. Granted it direct to a bank account but works at 95% of places not just BP. It seems like this is a better deal – At the end of the day though I think it is dependent on how much gas you end up using.
Of course, the amex 3% has to have them all beat which is what I use in conjunction with the BP savings if at BP.
So I linked my CC, and then when I pumped gas, there was some prompt, that I selected yes. (TBH, I really did not understand it. I actually pressed no at first, and pumped $5. Then I swiped again and hit yes at the prompt).
I then get the following email—
Date: March 9, 2018
Confirmation number: 18123456789012345678
Fuel purchase amount: $32.60 ($6.71 discount)
Miles used: 800
Miles remaining*: xxxx
*As of March 9, 2018
Thanks you for choosing MileagePlus. We hope you’ll continue to take advantage of this easy way to earn and use miles with Driver Rewards every time you visit the pump.
If you need assistance with this program, please contact BP Driver at 1-877-852-3025, 7 days a week from 7 a.m to 11 p.m. EST, excluding major holidays.
Had exactly same story prompt says 60mile=-0.50$ (Y/N) didnt understand it till I got the email
Had the same thing except that it was in NJ, so I didn’t pump. The attendant did, and i have no clue what he clicked.
Can anyone confirm that it extends the life of miles from expiring?
yes it does
Isn’t the Costco card that gives you 4% back a better deal?
Living in Cleveland I use the Amex gold to buy gift cards at giant eagle I get 4 points at supermarket and giant eagle/getgo deal for every $50 spent get 10 cents off per gallon up to 30 galloons
Today I’ve got an email saying that BP won’t earn United miles anymore.
“After September 30, Driver Rewards members will no longer be able to earn or use United MileagePlus® miles at BP and Amoco.”
thank you
They’re offering a new perk called price match within the closest nearest gas station.
Go into the app to see more details about it.