Changes are being made to the BP Visa Credit Card, these changes will go into effect from October 1st 2019.
- Get 10¢ off** per gallon on fuel purchases at participating BP and Amoco stations.
- Plus earn 3% cash back** on groceries, and 1% cash back** on purchases made everywhere else Visa credit cards are accepted (excluding BP and Amoco fuel purchases)
I’m actually not too familiar with the rewards on this card, so I’m unsure if this an improvement or a devaluation or combination of the two.
Do I need a new card? I don’t have a cell phone how will is work, Can I still get my regular cents of on the card I have?
I’ve had this card for many years and it’s one of my oldest cards so I plan to keep it to increase my average age of credit. I got it when it was originally issued by Chase and was (at the time) one of the best fuel rewards cards out there. It left Chase for Synchrony back in 2011 and hasn’t been the same since. The Synchrony rewards program on this card is CONFUSING! They quote you how many cents/gallon you earn in different spending categories, which is very hard to work into a percentage back on your purchases. I think they kept it confusing for their own benefit. Here was the breakdown for earning rewards: Earn 25¢ per gallon for every $100 you spend at BP. Earn 15¢ per gallon for every $100 you spend for eligible groceries, dining and travel. Earn 5¢ per gallon for every $100 you spend everywhere else Visa® credit cards are accepted (excluding non-BP gas stations). You can choose to redeem your Rewards in the form of a statement credit on your Card Account. Terms Apply. When redeeming as cents/gallon at BP it was only up to a maximum of 20 gallons, which was hard coded into the pump and would cut you off at exactly 20 gallons. If you needed to fill more it had to be a separate transaction. When redeeming rewards on a 20 gallon fill-up you’d earn at the following percentages of cash back (only on BP gas mind you) in each category: 5% @ BP 3% @ groceries, dining, travel 1% everywhere else (excluding non-BP gas stations) There was also an option to redeem for cash back as a statement credit, but it was only equivalent to a 15 gallon fill-up, so each category would give the following effective cash back: 3.75% @ BP 2.25% @ groceries, dining, travel 0.75% @ everywhere else (excluding non-BP gas stations) If you redeemed for a BP gas fill up of between 15 and 20 gallons then you’d be redeeming for value somewhere in the middle of these numbers. If you redeemed on BP fuel to fill up less than 15 gallons (like most cars) then you were earning rewards at rates even lower than the above numbers! In this case you should have redeemed for a statement credit, but due to the confusing earning/redeeming process I’m fairly certain a large number of cardholders were redeeming for far less than they could/should. Are the new changes effective 10/1/2019 an improvement or a devaluation? I’d say, on the whole, this is an improvement. The change will remove a significant amount of complexity in the earning/redeeming structure and doubles the earning rate at (eligible) BP locations. I doubt many cardholders will miss the increased earning in the dining/travel categories. Since this is a co-brand relationship it makes sense that the increased earning rate on BP gas will more effectively create brand loyalty on gas, which for most consumers is an equivalent product regardless of the… Read more »
Here’s the link for more details about the new program starting 10/1/19.
https://bpcreditcardinfo.com/
There are also changes coming to their rewards program that isn’t linked to their credit cards.
https://www.mybpstation.com/bp-driver-rewards
This is going to be a downgrade for the BP Gasoline reward, right? From 25 cents/gallon to 10 cents/gallon – or 5% down to 2%?
Ok sounds like starting Oct. 1, you will get the 10 cents/gallon off at the pump immediately at BP/Amoco stations. So the reward will be a bit worse than it is currently – and even more as gas prices go up (10 cents off at $2.50/gallon would come out to 4% cash back)..
Appreciate all your work Adam B. but I don’t have time to digest all your good effort. I put EVERYTHING on my BP visa and I spend a lot of $ so my rewards have been $1.50 to $2.10 off PER GALLON when I go for 1 fuel-up. If the changes in Oct 2019 have me at the pump getting $0.10/gallon off I’m ditching my BP card after a really LONG time of being with them. I’ve been card holder as long as you have, it sounds.
I think it’s like the Staples Reward Program. Used to get $3/ink cartridge and coupon in mail. Then $2/ink cartridge, no mailing, an email notification. Then you have to buy the ink within a certain time frame of turning in your old cartridges. These companies take a great INCENTIVE and ruin it by changing it. We’re not stupid and notice the insidious changes. I ditched Staples.
You were fortunate that you could redeem the rewards. I’ve run into several BP stations where I could earn, but not redeem the rewards. The biggest loss is the dining and travel bonus rewards.
I’ll keep the card, but it will get less use. If you’re a Sam’s member, their Mastercard offers 3 % on travel and gas, with only a few travel items requiring the Citi Premier.
Agree, I was getting a tank of gas just about free every month. 10 cents off a gallon doesn’t even come close. Which is why I’m looking at this site in the first place. Will start using another card.
Join the discussion…I have been using my BP card for everything and my daughter has one too, I have had the card for 20 years. I am used to getting $1 or more credit per gallon. I am 83 years old and I don’t understand the change, Is it now limited to 10 cents off per gallon no matter what your balance is?
There’s a second part to this story, that their rewards program is changing on the same date. There will still be some sort of rewards program, not specifically detailed yet, although appears will to not be tied to having their card any longer. Fuel programs offered by grocers won’t change. There was an option to earn / spend United miles, and that option ends on September 30th also.
Years ago the card earned 5% at BP. They changed it to a system where you earned cents off per gallon, up to 20 gallons, which meant it became harder to get full value from the program. With the changes, it’s simpler at least. If I had to guess, the credit card program may be moving to another issuer again.
There is inconsistency in how independent stations offer a cash discount, and whether they extend the cash price to BP card customers.
What are the rewards program changes? Haven’t heard anything yet about that.
No BP or Amoco gas stations anywhere near me, here in the SF Bay area, so I’ll just stick with my Costco card, which gives me 4% back on ALL gas purchases, not just at Costco, plus 3% back on all Costco purchases.
How are you earning 3% on Costco purchases with the Costco card? Isn’t the Costco VISA 2% at Costco, and 2% if you’re an Executive member? I just used a BoA card yesterday because it offered (2%*1.75=3.5)+2% as Executive for an in-club purchase.
Thanks for the correction, Bill. That 3% is for restaurants and travel, 2% for Costco purchases. But I do like that 4% rebate on gas, because I do a lot of driving, but I wish the rebate was more frequent than annually, although a big check is pretty impressive.