Free air by chain
Which gas stations have free air?
Short answer
Wawa, Sheetz, QuikTrip, Kwik Trip, Royal Farms, GetGo, QuickChek, Stewart's Shops, Kum & Go, Family Express and Pilot and Flying J usually have free air, no purchase needed, and so do many Kroger and Hy-Vee fuel centers. Tire shops like Discount Tire, Les Schwab, Belle Tire and Mavis Discount Tire fill your tires for free. At Shell, BP, Chevron, Exxon, Circle K and 7-Eleven the owner of each station decides, so expect a coin machine unless you are in California or Connecticut, where air is free by law.
- chains compared
- 44
- chain locations mapped
- 22,864
- free or usually free
- 76 %
- chains free by policy
- 18
Usually free
These chains offer free air at most of their stores, usually without a purchase. Many run every store themselves, which keeps the policy consistent.
- Wawa805 locations mappedYes, at most stores. Wawa is one of the few big chains where free air is the rule: the machine is free to use without buying anything, and almost every Wawa is open 24 hours.
- Sheetz912 locations mappedYes. Nearly every Sheetz has a free air machine, and the stores are open 24/7.
- QuikTrip1,345 locations mappedYes. QuikTrip, better known as QT, has free air at almost every store, usually without coins or a purchase.
- Kwik Trip1,016 locations mappedYes. Kwik Trip stores, called Kwik Star in Iowa and a few nearby areas, have free air at most locations, and many are open 24 hours.
- Royal Farms34 locations mappedUsually, yes. Royal Farms, the Baltimore chain famous for its fried chicken, offers free air at most of its stores in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia.
- GetGo200 locations mappedYes, most GetGo stores have free air. GetGo is the fuel and convenience brand of the Pittsburgh grocer Giant Eagle, with stores around Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis.
- QuickChek91 locations mappedUsually. Many QuickChek stores in New Jersey and New York have a free air machine, and many are open 24 hours.
- Stewart's Shops365 locations mappedYes, at most shops with gas pumps. Stewart's Shops, the upstate New York chain known for its ice cream, offers free air at most locations that sell fuel.
- Kum & Go185 locations mappedUsually, yes. Kum & Go stores have long offered free air, and many still do as the chain changes its name to Maverik.
- Kroger832 locations mappedAt many fuel centers, yes. Kroger fuel centers often have a free air machine at the edge of the lot, though some have a coin-operated machine or none at all.
- Hy-Vee143 locations mappedAt many locations, yes. Hy-Vee Gas and Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh stations across Iowa and the Midwest often have a free air machine.
- Family Express53 locations mappedYes. Family Express, the Indiana convenience store chain from Valparaiso, has free air at most of its stores, along with free vacuums at many.
- Pilot and Flying J873 locations mappedAt many travel centers, yes. Most Pilot and Flying J locations have an air hose for cars near the car fuel islands, and it is free at many of them.
- Lowe's1,747 locations mappedAt many stores, yes. Lowe's often has a free air hose outside, usually near the garden center or the contractor entrance.
Tire shops: staff fill for free
No self-serve hose, but staff check and fill your tires for free while the shop is open, whether you bought your tires there or not.
- Discount Tire1,195 locations mappedYes. Every Discount Tire store will check and fill your tire pressure for free while it is open, and you don't need to have bought your tires there.
- Les Schwab621 locations mappedYes. Les Schwab Tire Centers check and fill tire pressure for free during business hours, usually without an appointment.
- Belle Tire194 locations mappedYes. Belle Tire offers free air and pressure checks at its stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
- Mavis Discount Tire1,114 locations mappedAt many stores, yes. Mavis Discount Tire and Mavis Tires & Brakes will usually check and top up your tire pressure for free while the store is open.
Free for members
Free air, or nitrogen, as a perk for members of a warehouse club.
Depends on the store
Mostly franchised brands, where each owner decides. Expect a coin machine unless the pin says otherwise, and ask inside. In California and Connecticut, every one of them must give free air by law.
- Walmart31 locations mapped · 39 % free by state lawIt depends. Some Walmart fuel stations, including Murphy USA stations in Walmart parking lots, have an air machine, often coin-operated.
- RaceTrac36 locations mappedAt many stores, but not all. Newer RaceTrac stores in Georgia, Florida and Texas often have free air, while older ones may have a coin-operated machine.
- Circle K273 locations mapped · 30 % free by state lawIt varies. Many Circle K stores have a coin or card-operated air machine, some offer free air, and some will switch the machine on for free if you ask the cashier.
- Speedway436 locations mapped · 30 % free by state lawSometimes. Many Speedway stores have a coin or card-operated air machine, and some offer free air.
- 7-Eleven397 locations mapped · 58 % free by state lawUsually not for free. Most 7-Eleven stores with an air machine charge a dollar or two, and many city stores sell no fuel and have no air at all.
- Love's103 locations mapped · 24 % free by state lawOften, but it varies. Many Love's Travel Stops have an air hose for cars near the car fuel pumps, and some Love's Truck Care shops will check tire pressure.
- Casey's112 locations mappedIt depends on the store. Many Casey's General Stores have an air hose, some free and some coin-operated.
- Maverik95 locations mapped · 8 % free by state lawIt varies by store. Many Maverik stores have an air machine, and a good share are free.
- Cumberland Farms85 locations mapped · 68 % free by state lawAt some stores. Cumberland Farms, the New England chain, has free air at a share of its stores.
- Holiday26 locations mapped · 4 % free by state lawIt varies. Holiday Stationstores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and nearby states handle air store by store; some are free, others charge.
- Murphy USA78 locations mappedUsually not. Murphy USA and Murphy Express are built for cheap, fast fuel, with small kiosks, and many locations have no air machine.
- Thorntons21 locations mappedAt some stores. Thorntons, based in Louisville, Kentucky, has air machines at many stores in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and Florida; some are free, others charge.
- Shell1,786 locations mapped · 59 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Most Shell stations are independently owned, and the owner decides whether air is free, coin-operated or not offered.
- Chevron1,714 locations mapped · 81 % free by state lawIn California, yes for fuel customers, by law. Elsewhere it depends on the station owner, because most Chevron stations are independently owned.
- BP313 locations mapped · 4 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. BP and Amoco stations are mostly run by independent owners who decide about air.
- Exxon479 locations mapped · 9 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. ExxonMobil doesn't run its gas stations; independent owners do, and each decides whether air is free.
- Mobil770 locations mapped · 67 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Mobil stations are independently owned, so the owner decides about air.
- Sunoco334 locations mapped · 19 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Sunoco stations are run by independent dealers and distributors, so air can be free, paid or missing.
- Marathon183 locations mapped · 4 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Marathon stations are independently owned, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast, and each owner decides whether air is free.
- Valero549 locations mapped · 67 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Valero is a fuel brand from San Antonio, and its stations are run by independent owners.
- Phillips 6694 locations mapped · 7 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Phillips 66 stations are independently owned, mostly in the Midwest and the West, so air may be free, paid or not offered.
- ARCO894 locations mapped · 92 % free by state lawIn California, yes for fuel customers, by law, and most ARCO stations are in California.
- 76830 locations mapped · 86 % free by state lawIn California, yes for fuel customers, by law, and that is where most 76 stations are.
- Citgo239 locations mapped · 48 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Citgo stations are independently owned, mostly in the East and South, and each owner decides about air.
- Sinclair521 locations mapped · 19 % free by state lawIt depends on the station. Sinclair, the brand with the green dinosaur, has stations mostly in the Rocky Mountain and Plains states, run by independent owners who decide about air.
Free air at gas station chains, compared
Every chain on our map, by number of locations. “Free on our map” counts stores that are confirmed free, usually free by chain policy, free by state law, or where staff fill tires for free. 5,890 of the 22,864 chain locations are free because they are in California or Connecticut.
| Chain | Free air? | Locations | States | Free on our map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | Depends on the store | 1,786 | 46 | 60 % |
| Lowe's | Usually free | 1,747 | 51 | 100 % |
| Chevron | Depends on the store | 1,714 | 16 | 82 % |
| QuikTrip | Usually free | 1,345 | 23 | 92 % |
| Discount Tire | Free, staff fill | 1,195 | 38 | 100 % |
| Mavis Discount Tire | Free, staff fill | 1,114 | 20 | 100 % |
| Kwik Trip | Usually free | 1,016 | 10 | 100 % |
| Sheetz | Usually free | 912 | 7 | 99 % |
| ARCO | Depends on the store | 894 | 11 | 93 % |
| Pilot and Flying J | Usually free | 873 | 44 | 100 % |
| Kroger | Usually free | 832 | 23 | 99 % |
| 76 | Depends on the store | 830 | 17 | 86 % |
| Wawa | Usually free | 805 | 10 | 100 % |
| Mobil | Depends on the store | 770 | 32 | 67 % |
| Costco | Free for members | 740 | 48 | 11 % |
| Les Schwab | Free, staff fill | 621 | 15 | 100 % |
| Valero | Depends on the store | 549 | 26 | 68 % |
| Sinclair | Depends on the store | 521 | 24 | 20 % |
| Exxon | Depends on the store | 479 | 30 | 10 % |
| Speedway | Depends on the store | 436 | 30 | 31 % |
| 7-Eleven | Depends on the store | 397 | 25 | 58 % |
| Stewart's Shops | Usually free | 365 | 3 | 100 % |
| Sunoco | Depends on the store | 334 | 26 | 19 % |
| BP | Depends on the store | 313 | 29 | 6 % |
| Circle K | Depends on the store | 273 | 28 | 31 % |
| Citgo | Depends on the store | 239 | 20 | 49 % |
| GetGo | Usually free | 200 | 6 | 100 % |
| Belle Tire | Free, staff fill | 194 | 4 | 100 % |
| Kum & Go | Usually free | 185 | 14 | 100 % |
| Marathon | Depends on the store | 183 | 24 | 4 % |
| Hy-Vee | Usually free | 143 | 8 | 99 % |
| Casey's | Depends on the store | 112 | 13 | 4 % |
| Love's | Depends on the store | 103 | 25 | 24 % |
| Maverik | Depends on the store | 95 | 13 | 12 % |
| Phillips 66 | Depends on the store | 94 | 20 | 12 % |
| QuickChek | Usually free | 91 | 2 | 100 % |
| Cumberland Farms | Depends on the store | 85 | 8 | 69 % |
| Murphy USA | Depends on the store | 78 | 21 | 0 % |
| Family Express | Usually free | 53 | 1 | 100 % |
| RaceTrac | Depends on the store | 36 | 6 | 0 % |
| Royal Farms | Usually free | 34 | 5 | 6 % |
| Walmart | Depends on the store | 31 | 13 | 39 % |
| Holiday | Depends on the store | 26 | 6 | 8 % |
| Thorntons | Depends on the store | 21 | 5 | 0 % |
Why some gas stations charge for air
The logo on the canopy rarely tells you who runs the station. Most Shell, BP, Chevron, Exxon or Mobil stations belong to independent owners who buy fuel under the brand and set their own rules for everything else, air included. Chains like Wawa, Sheetz or QuikTrip own and run their stores, so one decision at the head office applies everywhere.
Coin-operated air machines often belong to vending companies that install and service them and share the coins with the station. For the owner, the machine costs nothing and earns a little. Chains that make air free see it differently: a free machine brings drivers onto the lot, and some of them walk inside for a coffee.
That is why free air clusters by region. Where a free-air chain is strong, as Wawa is around Philadelphia or Kwik Trip in Wisconsin, a free pump is rarely far away. Where franchised brands dominate, you will pay more often, and a tire shop is the more reliable free option.
How to get free air when the machine wants coins
Ask inside first
Many cashiers can switch the machine on for free, especially if you bought fuel or a snack. It costs nothing to ask.
Know your state
In California every station must give fuel customers free air, water and a gauge. In Connecticut air is free for anyone while the station is open. Free air by state.
Go to a tire shop
Tire shops fill tires for free during business hours, no purchase needed, and staff check the pressure for you.
Check the map before you drive
Filter the map for free air to see the nearest confirmed or usually free pump, with opening hours where we know them. Open the map.
Carry your own pump
A portable 12-volt compressor costs about as much as a dozen trips to a coin machine and works anywhere, even at 2 a.m. on a cold morning. Our compressor picks.
Bring a gauge
Gauges on gas station hoses are often off by a few PSI. A cheap pocket gauge tells you when to stop.
Free air at gas stations: FAQ
Which gas stations have free air?
Wawa, Sheetz, QuikTrip, Kwik Trip, Royal Farms, GetGo, QuickChek, Stewart's Shops, Kum & Go, Family Express and Pilot and Flying J usually have free air, and so do many Kroger and Hy-Vee fuel centers. Tire shops like Discount Tire, Les Schwab, Belle Tire and Mavis Discount Tire fill tires for free. At franchised brands such as Shell, BP, Chevron, Exxon and Circle K the owner decides, except in California and Connecticut, where the law makes air free.
Is air free at gas stations?
Not everywhere. Most US gas stations have a coin-operated air machine. Air is free at chains that make it a policy, at single stations whose owner chooses to, and at every station in California (for fuel customers) and Connecticut (for everyone during business hours).
How much does air cost at a gas station?
Coin machines usually charge between $1 and $2.50 for a few minutes, enough for four car tires if you are quick. Newer machines also take cards. Ask the cashier before you pay: many stations switch the machine on for free, especially for customers.
Do gas stations have to give free air?
Only in two states. California requires free air, water and a pressure gauge for customers who buy fuel, and Connecticut requires free air for anyone while the station is open. Everywhere else it is up to the station.
Does Discount Tire fill tires for free?
Yes. Discount Tire, called America's Tire in parts of California, checks and fills tires for free during business hours, whether or not you bought your tires there. Les Schwab, Belle Tire and Mavis do the same.
Where can I get free air for my tires right now?
Open the map and filter for free air: it shows gas stations, tire shops and bike repair stands near you, with opening hours where we know them. At night, a 24-hour store of a free-air chain is your best bet.
Looking for a place rather than a brand? Browse free air by state and city or open the map.