Contents
The Offer
- Mastercard has a new transit benefit that runs from October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025. Get $2.50 statement credit when you spend $10 or more each month at participating transit locations in:
- Chicago, IL
- Boston, MA
- Miami, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Dallas, TX
Our Verdict
Full terms here. Useful offer if you live in one of those cities. Keep in mind this runs through the end of 2025, not 2024 as well so more than a year of use.
Hat tip to Ben C
I might have received the credit for October on my SoFi credit card?
Normally a one-way ride on my transit system is $2.50, and I usually use a transit card rather than tap-to-pay directly with credit/debit. When I used my credit card this month, it charged $5 on the first swipe, but then my return trip that same day wasn’t charged at all (so it averaged out to 2x$2.50 rides anyway). On my second time doing this, my card initially posted a charge of $5, and again there was no return trip charge when I swiped the same card later that day. When I checked online banking this morning, the second round-trip’s charge was only $2.50 on my transaction history (it wasn’t $5 charge+$5 charge-$2.50 credit=$7.50 total, but rather $5 charge+$2.50 charge=$7.50 total).
Complicating this slightly is that normally, my transit system allows for two free transfers when you swipe your transit card again within a certain amount of time after the first swipe (I think it’s within 2 hours). My round trips weren’t very long (I work remote now so don’t have to commute), and were probably within this transfer window (I was only out each time for 1.5-2.5 hours). My transit system also charges $5 for a day pass, so that could’ve been what they were doing when I did my first swipes each day I used my card (maybe that’s the default charge when you pay by tapping??). If so, then I definitely received the credit.
This is my first month trying for the bonus/credit so not sure if this is normal/typical for how it works.
I called in to the Mastercard Assistance Center (as suggested by the FAQs) to see which of my MC credit cards were eligible, and neither the agent nor her supervisor had any idea what I was talking about. After some gentle prompting to Google the promotion, they were able to locate the benefit and confirm that my Chase Freedom Flex, Citi Rewards+, and Barclaycard Rewards cards all qualify for the promotion.
If you have a Rewards+ it’s likely already your best card to use for public transit because of the 10 cent minimum.
Interesting, I have the old Chase Freedom card (Visa not MC), always assumed Freedom Flex was just a rebranding rather than a different card.
Has anyone received this credit or does it post end of month? I’ve spent over $10 in a participating city with the participating transit. This is for my Barclays HA Biz Card.
i get 3x back per dollar using ink preferred in illinois ventra card loads but it’s a visa card. sucks!
List of issuers not participating in the promo
https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/public/mastercardcom/na/us/en/documents/mastercard-transit-benefit.pdf
We knew Goldman Sachs was struggling, but Capital One and BoA are outing themselves as cheap and/or stingy. $38 in credits over 15 months is too much?
FWIW, Capital One Credit Cards are participating.
Oh interesting- I missed where it only says Capital One *Debit* cards aren’t participating. Might try a different card each month to see what they do.
PATCO is not a qualified subway system even it goes to Philly.
Best card for this promotion is Citi Custom Cash Card
Also doesn’t work on the Regional Rail because you can’t tap your credit card to enter. Wonder if it would work at a kiosk to reload your prepaid card.
SEPTA was piloting contactless payment on Regional Rail, but paused it last month. Hopefully will be active by the end of the promo, but it’s SEPTA after all.
Interesting, I wonder why it was paused? Their website makes it look like they are still recruiting participants. https://www.cognitoforms.com/SEPTA1/SEPTAContactlessPaymentPilotRegionalRail?mc_cid=4d599821f3
“Thank you all for your participation and feedback during this Pilot. Starting tomorrow morning, Saturday September 7th, the Pilot will be on pause while we work through some backend maintenance. We will be reaching out once you can start using your contactless media again on Regional Rail. This will not impact contactless usage on Transit.”
According to the terms, the offer only works at point of entry:
“Does this benefit apply to any contactless transactions at the transit agency?‎
No, this benefit will apply only to contactless transactions at the point of entry.”
The Apple Card and all Bank of America cards, and a fairly long list of other banks won’t work for this.
I wonder if EZPass reloads count as transit on MasterCard. I guess I’ll be the DP I want to see.
Welp it’s tap and go. So no EZpass reloads.
no NYC? sheesh
Yeah for real. Would’ve been clutch.
Different deal but there’s currently an amex offer for “MTA – Tap to Pay” on a few of my cards:
“Earn a $2 statement credit after using your enrolled eligible Card to make a single purchase of $2 or more by tapping to pay at MTA by 12/31/2024. Limit of 5 statement credits (total of $10).”
clutch – thank you. got it on my amex bce
That’s because people actually use the MTA
you should be happy! cos you don’t want to get shoved down, beaten mugged or crushed by the train when you are pushed down. nyc is dangeorus
Extract yourself from the fox news ecosystem and check out some actual statistics: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-09-16/why-is-new-york-city-so-safe-traffic
non-paywall mirror: https://archive.ph/UyWME
Which is why the national guard had to be posted at subway stations lol