Don't Overlook These Credit Cards When Signing Up for a Gym Membership

It's almost that time of year when seemingly everyone is signing up for a gym membership. Over 12% of gym members sign up in January, according to the IHRSA.

Whether you already have a gym membership or you're planning to sign up for one soon, how you pay for it is more important than you might think. A gym membership normally becomes one of your regular bills. Since you're going to be paying for it every month, it's worth picking a credit card that will earn you more back on every payment.

Now, gyms aren't the most common bonus category. But there are some rewards credit cards that could pump up your rewards on your gym membership.

Chase Freedom Flex®

The Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) has more bonus categories than most cash back cards. That includes 5% back on rotating bonus categories you activate each quarter, on up to $1,500 in combined purchases. From January through March 2024, the rotating quarterly categories are fitness clubs and gym memberships, grocery stores, and self-care and spa services.

>> Apply now for the Chase Freedom Flex®. <<

To maximize your cash back, consider paying for a six-month or one-year membership upfront. Not only can you get more back this way, but your gym may also offer you a discount for paying in advance. Remember that you need to activate those categories with Chase to earn the bonus rate.

In addition, this Chase card also earns:

• 5% on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 2% on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
• 3% on dining, including at restaurants as well as takeout and orders through eligible delivery services
• 3% at drugstores
• 1% on other purchases
• >> Apply now for the Chase Freedom Flex®. <<

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is another card that earns 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories. There's one key difference: You choose the bonus categories, and gyms/fitness centers are one of the category options.

You have your choice of two bonus categories from a list of 12. After you've chosen and activated your bonus categories, this card earns 5% back on up to $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter.

So, if you want to earn 5% back on your gym membership every month, you can do so with this U.S. Bank card. It also earns 2% back in one "everyday" spending category of your choice, including groceries, gas/EV charging, and restaurants. On non-bonus spending, it earns 1% back.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see rates and fees) isn't exactly a gym card. It's a rewards card that offers a great rate no matter where you use it. It earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, including at the gym, at the grocery store, and everywhere else you spend money.

For many people, a flat-rate card actually saves more money than one with bonus categories. Let's say you spend $2,000 on your credit card each month, including $100 on a gym membership. If you use a card that earns 5% on gym spending and 1% on other purchases, you'd earn $24 in cash rewards per month. If you use a card that earns 2% across the board, you'd earn $40 in cash rewards per month.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

If you're an avid gym goer who also likes to stay at Hyatt hotels, The World of Hyatt Credit Card could be a good pick. It earns 2 points per $1 on memberships at fitness clubs and gyms, as well as:

• Restaurants
• Airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
• Local transit and commuting

It earns 4 points per $1 at Hyatt hotels, and 1 point per $1 on non-bonus spending. Plus, World of Hyatt members earn another 5 points per $1 on Hyatt purchases. Combined with what you earn from this hotel credit card, you could earn 9 points per $1 at Hyatt.

Hyatt points are some of the most valuable hotel points out there. For an example of how valuable they can be, I once paid 29,000 points per night for a hotel in New York that otherwise would've cost $909 per night. For a five-night stay, I redeemed 145,000 points and saved myself $5,634.

Finding your gym credit card

Even though there aren't a ton of credit cards specifically for gym spending, there are options. If you want to earn 5% back, you could do that with the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card. The Chase Freedom Flex® also works, at least when gyms are one of its rotating bonus categories.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is worth checking out if you want to earn a competitive rate everywhere you go. And if you're interested in hotel rewards, The World of Hyatt Credit Card is the rare travel card with bonus gym rewards.