Walmart+ Fuel Discount Boosts Member Frequency and Loyalty Program Growth

Quick Facts

Walmart+ reached 28.4 million paid members in January 2026, growing roughly 12% year over year on a three-month rolling basis.
Members spend four times more than non-members and visit Walmart’s e-commerce site seven times more often, per CFO John Rainey.
Membership fee revenue hit $3.1 billion in fiscal year 2024, up from $2.6 billion in 2023.

Walmart says its fuel discount perk is turning Walmart+ members into repeat visitors. The retailer’s 10-cents-per-gallon discount, available at more than 13,000 Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy fuel stations, is bringing members back more often and strengthening the program’s overall value.

Deepak Maini, SVP and general manager of Walmart+ membership, made the comments during a recent conversation in Bentonville, Arkansas. ‘We see them come back and fuel more,’ Maini told Retail Brew. ‘The utilization is improving.’

CFO John Rainey echoed that during Walmart’s fiscal Q1 earnings call in May, saying members are using fuel savings benefits ‘even more.’ Rainey also credited faster delivery, improved accuracy, and the OnePay credit card, which offers 5% back on Walmart purchases, for membership growth.

Membership Momentum

Walmart+ hit 28.4 million paid members in January, the highest figure since Morgan Stanley began tracking the data. That figure represents about 15% of Amazon Prime’s estimated 201 million U.S. members as of the December 2025 quarter.

Total membership revenue, including Sam’s Club and Walmart+, rose more than 17% in the most recent quarter. Q1 also posted a new high in membership-fee revenue as new member sign-ups accelerated.

Maini framed the fuel perk as part of a broader habit-formation strategy. ‘If Walmart+ is useful enough, trusted enough, and relevant enough, choosing Walmart first stops being a decision and becomes more of a habit,’ he said. ‘That frequency drives habit, habit drives attention, and retention drives value.’

Fuel as an Engagement Tool

The standard 10-cent-per-gallon discount applies at participating stations nationwide, with the exception of Alabama and Oklahoma, where the discount is capped at 5 cents per gallon. During Walmart+ Week, held April 28 through May 4, 2025, Walmart temporarily boosted the fuel savings to 50 cents per gallon at approximately 12,000 Exxon and Mobil stations.

Walmart VP of Fuel and Convenience Dave DeSerio said the company plans to add more fuel and convenience stations this year. ‘We are bringing even more value to our customers,’ DeSerio said.

The Broader Business Picture

Walmart+ sits at the center of Walmart’s strategy to connect its marketplace, advertising, and delivery operations. Same-day delivery rose 180% year over year, with more than 5 billion items delivered to members. Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce sales contributed 4.3% to comparable sales in fiscal 2026, up from 2.9% in fiscal 2025.

The retail media business is growing alongside membership. Walmart’s global ad revenue grew 46% year over year in 2025, reaching $6.4 billion. When combined with membership income, high-margin advertising streams now account for roughly one-third of Walmart’s profit mix.

Maini said multi-benefit engagement is the key metric Walmart watches. ‘When members engage with multiple benefits, everything improves,’ he said. With fuel prices elevated globally, the gas discount gives Walmart a tangible, recurring touchpoint that competes directly with other loyalty programs on practical value rather than points accumulation.