Gas prices are marching higher again just as we head into spring severe weather and the start of hurricane season — but with a smart strategy, you can slash your cost per gallon and protect your budget all year long. Oil prices are up 40% as of the writing of this article.
Gas prices in the U.S. have hit their highest level in four years. This weeks jump was the biggest increase in more than a month.
Why gas is getting more expensive in 2026
Gas prices behave a lot like a storm pattern: several ingredients lining up at once.
- Global tensions, including the war with Iran, are pushing oil prices higher, which tends to show up quickly at the pump.
- Seasonal demand picks up in spring as people drive more, take road trips (with so many airport delays), and refineries switch blends and perform maintenance.
- Severe weather in spring and then hurricane season starting June 1 can disrupt refineries, ports, and pipelines, especially along the Gulf Coast, which can trigger regional price spikes or temporary supply issues.
You can’t control geopolitics or the atmosphere, but you can absolutely control the effective price you pay per gallon by stacking discounts and rewards.
Quick Tips: Save on Gas Fast
- Sign up for a fuel rewards program with a 25¢/gal new‑member promo.
- Stack a cash‑back gas app (like Upside) on every fill‑up.
- Always pay with your highest‑earning gas rewards credit card.
- Plan fill‑ups before big driving days during spring storms and hurricane season.
- Check traffic, construction, and weather ahead with Waze and Google Maps.
Step 1: Start with a fuel rewards program
In true Clark Howard frugal style: never buy gas without some kind of deal attached.
Many gas loyalty programs run strong new‑member offers, such as up to 25¢ per gallon off for new signups on your first fill‑up or first few fills. That’s easy money for entering a phone number or installing an app.
- Use your big intro discount when your tank is close to empty so you maximize discounted gallons.
- After the promo, keep the account for ongoing smaller savings (often 3–5¢/gal) plus occasional bonus offers tied to in‑store or grocery spending.
- Treat these cents‑off deals as your base layer of savings — you’ll stack apps and credit card rewards on top.
If you know you’ll be driving more as we move through spring storms and into summer, get enrolled now so your best discounts are ready when you actually need them.
Step 2: Add a gas cash‑back app (like Upside)
Next layer: use a gas cash‑back app so you get paid after you fill up.
Here’s how this typically works:
- Open the app, claim an offer at a participating station, and pay as usual with your credit card.
- Snap a photo of your receipt or use a linked card so the app can verify the purchase.
- A few days later, you see cash back in the app that you can send to your bank, PayPal, or convert into gift cards.
Why it matters:
- Everyday offers commonly run around 10–25¢ per gallon back.
- New users who sign up with a referral or promo link often get a special signup bonus on their first fill‑up, which can add even more cents per gallon on that first tank.
The key: these app rewards usually stack with your fuel rewards discount and your credit card earnings. You’re not choosing just one; you’re layering multiple savings streams on the same purchase.
Step 3: Put every gallon on a strong gas rewards card
Now add the points‑and‑miles layer so every dollar at the pump is working for you.
Based on the cards you mentioned, here’s how they line up for gas spending:
| Recommended Cards | Gas rewards (U.S. stations) | Current signup bonus (as of March 2026 – always check issuer site for latest) | Best use at the pump |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Surpass | 6x points on gas | 130,000 Hilton points + 1 free night. See more. | Everyday gas if you value Hilton stays highly |
| Marriott Bountiful | 4x points on gas | 85,000 Marriott points offer as incentive to sign up | Great if you’re building Marriott Bonvoy points |
| Marriott Boundless | 3x points (up to $6k/yr combined categories) on gas | Free night awards plus 120,000 points to sign-up. | Good hotel‑focused option with strong welcome offer |
| Southwest personal cards | 2x points on gas | 75,000+ Rapid Rewards points bonus. See more. | Best if you fly Southwest often and chase Companion Pass |
| Chase Freedom/Freedom Flex | 5% back when gas is a rotating quarterly category | $250 sign-up bonus back after $500 spend | Turn on during quarters when gas is a 5% category |
| Discover it | 5x on gas when in rotation (effectively 10x first year for new cardholders) | First‑year “cashback match” (Discover matches all cash back earned in year one instead of a fixed upfront bonus) PLUS: $100 after spending on the card. See here. | Powerful first‑year earner when gas is in the 5x rotation making it 10x back! |
Frugal Gas strategy:
- Use your highest‑earning gas card by default. If Hilton Surpass gets 6x at U.S. gas stations, that’s your everyday gas card when gas isn’t in a rotating bonus category.
- When gas becomes a 5% rotating category on Chase Freedom or Discover, move all gas spending to that card for that quarter. For new Discover cardholders, that 5x is effectively 10x in year one thanks to the double‑cash‑back feature.
- Avoid paying with cash or debit unless the station’s cash discount clearly beats the combined value of your loyalty discount, app cash back, and card rewards.
Think of your credit card as your always‑on savings engine: even when no promos are running, it’s still quietly earning you something on every gallon.
Step 4: Plan around spring and hurricane season
Use the calendar to your advantage by lining up your biggest savings before demand and disruption risks peak.
Spring severe weather season
Spring brings strong fronts, heavy rain, hailstorms, and severe weather that can disrupt travel and modestly stress logistics. Even without big supply hits, people naturally drive more.
Smart moves:
- Get your fuel rewards account, gas app, and best gas card fully set up before peak spring travel and storm season.
- Save major intro promos (like 25¢/gal new‑member offers) for weeks when you know you’ll be driving more — think road trips, holiday weekends, or heavy commuting.
- Try not to let your tank get critically low when a highly active pattern is setting up, so you’re not forced into the nearest station at any price.
Hurricane season (starting June 1)
Hurricane season adds another layer of risk, especially for regions tied to Gulf Coast refining and shipping.
- As storms form and threaten populated coasts, drivers often rush to top off tanks and fill gas cans, which can tighten local supply and push prices higher even before landfall.
- If a storm damages refineries, offshore platforms, or pipelines, regional prices can spike sharply and some stations may run out of fuel temporarily.
How to prepare:
- By late May, make sure you’re enrolled in at least one fuel rewards program, using a gas cash‑back app, and have a high‑earning gas card ready.
- Time your best intro and stacking deals around preseason or pre‑storm fill‑ups, because those purchases tend to be larger than normal.
- Treat fuel like any other severe‑weather supply: you want full tanks, but ideally at a discount, not at panic‑pricing levels.
Don’t forget to plan your route and forecast
One more way to save money — and time — is to plan your trips as carefully as you plan your fuel strategy.
- Check the weather forecast along your entire route and at your destination before you hit the road so you can avoid severe storms, heavy rain, or high‑impact systems that slow you down.
- Use navigation apps such as Waze and Google Maps to route you around accidents, construction zones, and major delays, which cuts idling, stop‑and‑go traffic, and unnecessary miles.
- Combining smart routing, awareness of severe weather, and efficient driving with your fuel rewards, cash‑back apps, and gas credit cards gives you the best shot at keeping your fuel costs under control.
The bottom line
Here’s what stacked savings might look like on a single fill‑up:
- Pump price: $3.60 per gallon
- Amount: 18 gallons
Savings layers:
- Fuel rewards intro promo: 25¢/gal off at the pump → $4.50 saved.
- Gas cash‑back app: 20¢/gal back → $3.60 back to you.
- Rewards card: 5% back on roughly $60 of gas → about $3 in value.
Total: around $11 in combined value from one tank of gas — without changing where you drive, only how you pay and how you plan.
Repeat that across a spring and summer of driving, and you’ve built a meaningful buffer against rising gas prices driven by both markets and weather disruptions, while also saving time and miles with smart routing and forecasting.