rewrite this title Discover’s 5% Bonus Categories for Q3 2025: Gas, Transit, Utilities – NerdWallet

Discover’s bonus categories for the third quarter of 2025 are perfect for summer travelers and homebodies alike. From July 1 through Sept. 30, 2025, holders of eligible cards like the Discover it® Cash Back or Discover it® Student Cash Back can earn 5% cash back at gas stations, on public transit and utility payments, on up to $1,500 in combined quarterly spending, then 1% back on everything else.

Note that you must activate to start earning 5% back, and you’ll start earning bonus rewards from the date you activate them. You can activate this quarter’s bonus categories through your Discover account online, via the Discover app or by calling the number on the back of your card.

Here’s what Discover has offered so far this year.

Notably, this is the first time Discover has offered “utilities” as a bonus category. Eligible purchases include internet, water, electric, cable, phone service, satellite TV and more. Keep in mind that purchases made through retail stores don’t qualify. Similarly, purchases made via third-party management companies or landlords might not earn bonus cash back, nor may purchases of individual streaming services.

The “gas stations” category, which includes electric vehicle charging this quarter, has been a yearly bonus category for Discover for the past decade. Eligible purchases include those made at the pump or at EV charging stations, and on spending inside gas station stores, too. Note, however, that gas stations linked to wholesale clubs like Costco, or supermarkets, may not be eligible for bonus cash back.

“Public transit” is a less common bonus category for Discover, although it was offered in the second quarter of 2024. The category includes local commuter passenger bus, rail and ferry services, but it excludes taxi and rideshare services.