"best way" to pay for fuel

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classicrock

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as a PPL in training, its my expectation that by the end of Mar 16', I will have my checkride scheduled and passed. after that I have some ideas for trips. the initial ones will be within Texas(for ex: KDWH to KADS, or KDWH to KFTW, or KSGR to KAUS...all round trips). the school I would also rent from quotes rental rates "wet" but I know I will have to refill the plane during the trip. they fuel up the single engines Piper Warriors and Cessna 172 with 100 low lead Avgas.( I just called Universal Weather and Aviation about their UVAir fueling card but was informed that only deals with Jet A.)

i have been paying Amex for my lessons and could continue to use it for fuel purchases but looking for other options.

what paying options are other pilots.... using besides cash?

comments appreciated
 
My Visa card on the road, and a check once a month to my local FBO.
 
Doesn't Phillips 66 have something like that?

Anyway I just use cash or a regular visa. I get reimbursed by the club and don't really buy enough fuel to use a card like the UVAir type.
 
Nearly all public airports have a self serve station with 100LL. Taxi up to the pumps, set the brake, chock the wheel, clip on the bonding cable, unreal the hose. There is a kiosk that will accept your credit card. Follow the instructions, turn on the pump, dispense the fuel. Once done, secure the fuel caps, retract the hose and bonding cable, finish with the kiosk, and collect your receipt.

Not every kiosk will accept AmEx, so be prepared for that.

Many FBO's at the "larger" fields have full service fuel. They fill your tanks, you pay the customer service agent at the desk. AmEx is often accepted with no problems.
 
What is "cash" where would you get it and who would you give it to?

Seriously, ATM or credit card, most fuel islands are completely unattended.
 
At some point during your instruction, consider going on a reasonable distance XC with your instructor for lunch. Then have him walk you through purchasing and dispensing fuel at the Self Serve.

I did that and it really helped me know what to expect when it came time for me to do it on my own.
 
I would suggest make sure you have a Visa or MC, easiest and fastest and many airports will have a self service kiosk with a card reader. I find a lot of places that do not accept AMX...and rarely someone to pay cash to unless you are at a full service FBO.

Post PPL when you rent "wet" be sure you are clear on your FBO's policy when YOU need to buy fuel but it is in the "wet" rental price. Most places you just keep the receipt and they will reimburse you or deduct from final rental rate...but I say make sure you are clear on the policy as some have provisions that they will only reimburse a certain dollar amount above their home FBO fuel price if it is more expensive. Basically they don't want you to go roll into Signature aviation at a major airport and get full service fuel and expect the rental FBO to pay the stupid high rate.
 
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Also, depending on the rental company. Most will have their own fuel card that you will use during your trip.

Then when you get back you pony up for the bill. :)
 
I like my paypal debit card. It links to my normal debit card, doesn't lock out when I'm moving around the country, also send you a email receipt the second it's run, with the option to report as fraud if needed, of course it acts as a proxy between your "real" bank, even gives you like 1% cash back.
 
Debit card after pumping my own to save money (when there is SS)
 
AggieMike88 said:
At some point during your instruction, consider going on a reasonable distance XC with your instructor for lunch. Then have him walk you through purchasing and dispensing fuel at the Self Serve.

I did that and it really helped me know what to expect when it came time for me to do it on my own.
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And get to know the routine by heart so you can do it blindfolded because eventually you are going to stop for fuel at some Podunk little strip in the middle of nowhere and the poor LCD screen on the kiosk is going to be so bleached out by the sun you won't be able to read any of the characters.
 
Silvaire said:
And get to know the routine by heart so you can do it blindfolded because eventually you are going to stop for fuel at some Podunk little strip in the middle of nowhere and the poor LCD screen on the kiosk is going to be so bleached out by the sun you won't be able to read any of the characters.
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thanks to everyone.at the schools(where I have been taking lessons) at Sugarland Regional and at David Hooks(Tomball Tx)staff have made a phone call to the Avgas supplier who dispatched a gas truck to the plane. its nice to know that there are some self serve gas kiosks at some of the other airports. I guess I wiil have to make a phone call to the FBO's at the destination airports I will land at and inquire if they have self serve gas kiosks. (this kind of detail obviously isnt listed in a sectional or AFD-AFAIK)
 
Fueling cards like UVAir, EPIC, AVcard are really for Jet operators that fly often or have fleets of jets. Usually they get a fixed price on gas or other things but it gets charged to one central account and makes it easy for the operators to know how much fuel is going to each airplane. Not really for the small GA flyer. Some companies such as Phillips 66 offer a personal credit card you can get and will usually give a credit on gas bought at a FBO offering Phillips 66 gas. Realize that most of those self service pumps won't recognize a fleet card such as AvCard or something like that, so best to stick with a personal credit card. Or if the FBO you are renting from has a fleet card for each aircraft to buy gas with, use that.
 
No need to call. Almost all airports have self serv.

www.airnav.com and 100LL.com are two of many sites that have fuel info. Usually the pumps are within sight or short walk from the terminal building.

That your school sends the fuel truck over after your training flight isn't uncommon. They want to get that aircraft to the next instructor and student as soon as possible.
 
Always use a credit card, not debit. At the self service pumps, specify max dollars or gallons. If you just say "fill up" your card will get hit for about $500 until the transaction clears in a day or two.

Keep the receipt for credit with the flight school when you get back. Check their policy before you go, some only reimburse up to what the fuel per gallon would cost them.

I agree, your instructor should teach you about self service fueling in one of your trips. Or if your airport has self service pumps, find someone to instruct you.
 
Best way is to get someone else to pay for it :) Almost everyone uses a credit card, or a debit card. Credit cards are generally better for everything because if you get into a dispute (double billed or someone steals your card and uses it, or just steals your number) YOU have the power to not pay the bill in a dispute. If it is a debit card, they immediately take the money out of your account and you have to TRY and get them to refund it due to fradulent use. And guess what? They might not in some cases for example if you knew the guy who stole the card, claim collusion etc. Also, a credit card gives you up to 30 days free loan of the money. Debit, there goes the money immediately.
 
My visa rewards card gives double points for gas and airline tix. Sometimes avgas is counted as gas and sometimes, usually when billed by an FBO, it is counted as airline fees. Either way it helps the point totals grow.
I put virtually everything on my visa (credit) card. I carry a small amount of cash hidden in my car for emergencies.

And I pay the card off in full every month.
 
classicrock said:
as a PPL in training, its my expectation that by the end of Mar 16', I will have my checkride scheduled and passed. after that I have some ideas for trips. the initial ones will be within Texas(for ex: KDWH to KADS, or KDWH to KFTW, or KSGR to KAUS...all round trips). the school I would also rent from quotes rental rates "wet" but I know I will have to refill the plane during the trip. they fuel up the single engines Piper Warriors and Cessna 172 with 100 low lead Avgas.( I just called Universal Weather and Aviation about their UVAir fueling card but was informed that only deals with Jet A.)

i have been paying Amex for my lessons and could continue to use it for fuel purchases but looking for other options.

what paying options are other pilots.... using besides cash?

comments appreciated
Click to expand...

What I would do is start a separate free debit account for flying. Make your purchases with that, both fuel and rental. Normally a rental reimburses fuel purchases out of the rental settlement. Flying on a credit card is a risky thing unless it's debt margin you've decided to take on for a purpose.;) Debit accounts make you say 'whoa' when you've hit your budget.
 
The best way to pay for fuel is to let someone else pay.

AggieMike88 said:
No need to call. Almost all airports have self serv.
Click to expand...

That's true in large swaths of Texas, but not necessarily true up this way.
 
wsuffa said:
The best way to pay for fuel is to let someone else pay.



That's true in large swaths of Texas, but not necessarily true up this way.
Click to expand...

Yeah, self serve is hit and miss in some regions. Other people's credit cards are also my preferred way to pay for fuel. :lol:
 
CapitalOne Visa with 1.5 % cash back. Unlimited. On everything purchased. Personalized with a picture of the aircraft on the front of course... ;)

Also a member of the AirNav "AirBoss" fuel discount program which may or may not benefit you in the area you fly (look on AirNav).

It's good for $0.10/gal off at my home field and I've gotten as much as $1.00/gal off at KNEW.
 
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