The summer travel bill is arriving early, and it’s a big one. Gas topped $4 a gallon as airfare costs climbed 20.7% from the year before. Amid the season’s most expensive stretch, Discover’s Q3 bonus cash-back categories step in on Jul. 1 — and this quarter, the card is doing something it has never done before.

• Eligible cardholders can earn 5% back on gas stations, EV charging, drug stores, and transportation through Sep. 30 — with the latter including flights for the first time ever.
• The offer applies to the Discover it Cash Back card and the Student variant — earning the 5% on up to $1.5K in combined quarterly purchases, then dropping to 1% thereafter.

Before you swipe: The bonus rate isn’t automatic. You must activate each quarter, with no retroactive credit applied to purchases made beforehand. A few exclusions are worth noting as well. Gas at Costco or Sam’s Club may not qualify, and flights booked through aggregator sites won’t earn the sweetened 5% rate. With Discover set to unveil its fourth-quarter categories on Sep. 1, travel’s place in the lineup is far from locked in.