The Shell Platinum MasterCard is aimed at people who want a credit card that can be used anywhere and also allows them to save money on gasoline purchases. In comparison, the Shell Saver Card can only be used for fuel and purchases at Shell stations in the U.S. The rewards with the Shell Platinum MasterCard are simple – the more you spend, the greater your gas discount will be the next billing cycle. There is no annual fee, however the annual percentage rate on purchases is high (23.99%). Plan to pay off the entire balance each month to avoid the finance charges. This card is issued by Citibank.
There is no signup bonus offered with this card. A benefit of the Shell Platinum MasterCard is that you can use it to pay for things you buy everyday such as dry cleaning, groceries, fuel, and dining out. There are no categories from which to choose – simply use the card to pay for your purchases. To be eligible for gasoline or diesel fuel discounts, cardholders must spend a minimum of $500 in a billing cycle. A credit of 10 cents per gallon (or more) will be reflected on your next billing statement for the first 100 gallons of gas/diesel fuel purchased.
Shown below are amounts of qualifying purchases and their corresponding discounts:
| Total Qualifying Purchases in Billing Cycle | Per Gallon Credit Next Billing Cycle |
| $500-$999.99 | $0.10 |
| $1,000-$2,499.99 | $0.15 |
| More than $2,499.00 | $0.20 |
Card members are required to make at least $500 worth of qualifying purchases on the Shell Platinum MasterCard each billing cycle in order to qualify for any gasoline/diesel fuel discount. Total purchase amounts below $500 per cycle earn no discount reward. And any fuel purchases above 100 gallons per billing cycle are not eligible for a discount.
This card is a Platinum Mastercard and as such account holders receive additional benefits. These include:
- Concierge Services
- MasterAssist Plus
- Satisfaction Guarantee
- Purchase Assurance
This card charges account holders a 3% foreign transaction fee on the total amount of all purchases made outside of the U.S. If you frequently travel internationally, these fees can negate your rewards.
The Facts
Below we have broken down the specifics of the Shell Platinum MasterCard to help you decide if it’s worth getting.
The Good:
Simple process to earn gas/diesel discounts:
This card is straightforward as far as earning discounts on fuel. Card members have to spend a minimum of $500 on the card per billing cycle in order to receive fuel discounts for the next cycle. The discount levels are tiered as indicated below:
- 10 cents per gallon for total purchases made in a cycle ($500-$999.99)
- 15 cents per gallon for total purchases made in a cycle ($1,000-$2,499.99)
- 20 cents per gallon for total purchases made in a cycle (more than $2,499.00)
Cardholders receive no fuel discounts if they do not spend $500 or more in a billing cycle.
No spending categories:
This card allows card members to earn fuel rewards on everyday purchases like groceries, fuel, movie tickets, dry cleaning, and restaurants. There are no rotating categories to keep track of and cardholders do not have to sign up in order to earn fuel discounts.
Mastercard Platinum benefits:
The Shell Platinum MasterCard gives card members additional benefits:
- Concierge Services – Provides non-emergency assistance including help finding special gifts and arranging deliveries, locating translation services when traveling abroad, giving access to tickets for sporting and cultural events, and making reservations at hotels, sight-seeing services, and restaurants.
- MasterAssist Plus – Offers coverage up to $25,000 for eligible medical costs and emergency expenses that occur while traveling outside of the U.S.
- Satisfaction Guarantee – A refund of $250 per item may be allowed if a retailer will not accept the return of a purchase within 60 days from the date of sale. Exclusions and restrictions apply.
- Purchase Assurance – Provides coverage for items against theft or damage up to 90 days from date of purchase. Exclusions and restrictions apply.
No annual fee:
This card comes with no annual fee.
The Bad:
Discounts only available at Shell stations:
Any applicable discounts cardholders earn are only available at Shell stations located within the U.S. Before applying for this card, you should make sure that Shell stations are in close proximity to where you live or work so that using your fuel discounts will not be a hassle.
High APR:
The Shell Platinum MasterCard comes with a very high annual percentage rate of 23.99%. Anyone considering this card should seriously plan to pay off the entire balance in full each month to avoid costly interest charges.
The Ugly:
High spending requirements:
Card members have to spend at least $500 on the card every billing cycle in order to qualify for any fuel discounts. If you think you will use this card for everyday purchases, the $500 minimum probably won’t be a concern. An important factor to consider is that any month you don’t make $500 in purchases on the card, you will not earn any fuel discounts for the following cycle.
Limited amount of gallons receive discount:
The Shell Platinum MasterCard caps at 100 gallons the amount of fuel you may purchase each cycle that qualifies for a discount. Any fuel purchase over 100 gallons per cycle will not receive a discount. If your plan is to fill up multiple cars, multiple times per month, you should calculate if you will go over the 100 gallon cap. Your discount may be less than you thought.
This card is a solid choice for people who want the flexibility of no spending categories and a simple, tiered rate of discount. However, there is a minimum spending threshold of $500 per billing period which must be met to qualify for any discount in the next cycle. Additionally, the only rewards offered are fuel discounts at Shell stations.
A credit score of good to excellent (670+ FICO minimum) is generally needed to qualify for the Shell Platinum MasterCard.