BJ’s Perks Elite Credit Card Review
This article was last updated Apr 28, 2020. Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
If you’re a die-hard BJ’s Wholesale Club customer who lives in one of the 16 states the company serves, you might be considering getting the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card . It’s one of two BJ’s credit cards from Comenity (the other is the BJ’s Perks Plus® Mastercard® Credit Card ).
The BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card offers cash back on most BJ’s purchases and a discount at BJ’s gas stations. This review examines where the card stands out and who it’s good for, as well as looking at alternative credit cards for fuel and grocery purchases.
- BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card pros
- BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card cons
- Alternative credit cards for gas and groceries
- Is the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card right for you?
Read our review of the BJ’s Perks Plus® Mastercard® Credit Card
BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card pros
Rewards. Earn 5% cash back on most in-Club and BJs.com purchases and get 10¢ off per gallon at BJ’s Gas every day. Cardholders also earn 2% cash back on dining out and on gas purchases outside of BJ’s and 1% cash back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted.
Once your cash back reaches $20, it’s converted into an “award,” which can be redeemed toward purchases over $20 when checking out at BJ’s. You can also request checks by calling 800-BJs-CLUB (800-257-2582).
No annual fee. This card’s annual fee is $0.
BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card cons
Redemption options are limited. Cash back can’t be redeemed at BJ’s gas stations. It can be redeemed toward purchases at the checkout at BJ’s clubs, but your purchase must be over $20.
Rewards expire. Once you accrue $20 worth of cash back, your rewards are converted into an “award.” If you don’t redeem awards within six months, they’ll expire.
Membership required. A Perks Rewards membership, which costs $110 per year, is required to be able to apply for the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card .
No sign-up bonus. While some cards offer a discount off your first purchase or a bonus amount of cash back, points or miles after meeting a spending requirement, this card does not.
Foreign transaction fee. The BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. You’re better off leaving it at home when traveling abroad and taking a card with no foreign transaction fee.
Alternative credit cards for gas and groceries
Three cards that offer generous rewards for gas purchases are the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card, the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card, and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express also offers the highest cashback rate we’ve found for supermarket purchases. Here’s how these three cards compare to the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card :
| BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card | Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card | Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards | Earn 5% cash back on most in-Club and BJs.com purchases and get 10¢ off per gallon at BJ’s Gas every day. Cardholders also earn 2% cash back on dining out and on gas purchases outside of BJ’s and 1% cash back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted. | Earn 3X points on eating out, ordering in and popular streaming services, 3X points on gas stations, rideshares and transit, and 3X points on travel including flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals. Earn 1X points on other purchases. | 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), 1% cash back on all other purchases | 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. 3% Cash Back on U.S. gas stations and transit (e.g., taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). |
| Welcome offer | None | Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value. | $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. | $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars. | None | 3% | 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. |
| Regular purchase APR | 16.49%- 26.49% variable | 14.49%-24.99% (variable) | 13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR | 13.99%-23.99% variable |
To see rates & fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
The 10-cent-per-gallon discount on BJ’s gas that the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card offers is generous. For example, if gas costs $2 a gallon, 10 cents off each gallon is a 5% discount. And if gas is $1.65 a gallon, that’s about a 6% discount. However, to get that kind of discount, you’ll be limited to BJ’s gas stations. Otherwise, you’ll only earn a lower cashback rate at other gas locations.
Read: Best Gas Rewards Cards
If you’d prefer to fill up your gas tank wherever you want, you can earn better rates with the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card, the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card or the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
And when it comes to earning a high cashback rate at U.S. supermarkets, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is unparalleled. It’s true there’s a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee, but that’s less than the $110 a year you’d pay for a Perks Rewards membership. And spending just $1,584 a year or $132 a month on purchases eligible for the 6% cashback rate can recoup the $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee.
Is the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card right for you?
You need a BJ’s Perks Rewards membership, which costs $110 annually, to be eligible to apply for the BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card . If you already have that membership, chances are you shop at BJ’s Wholesale Club frequently and would benefit from the card’s cashback rate at BJ’s and discount on BJ’s gas.
If you have a BJ’s Inner Circle membership ($55/year) and a BJ’s Perks Plus® Mastercard® Credit Card , you can upgrade to the higher membership level and you’ll automatically be sent a BJ’s Perks Elite® Mastercard® Credit Card .
However, if you’re on the fence about paying $110 a year for a BJ’s Perks Rewards membership or if your spending patterns require more flexibility, one of the other credit cards mentioned above might be a better choice. You’ll be able to earn great rewards without restricting your fuel purchases and grocery shopping to BJ’s locations.
