Free Air For Tires Near Me: 100+ Places to Inflate Your Tires 

If you are looking to cut the cost of driving your car, then finding free air for your tires can be a good place to start. By keeping your tires properly inflated you’ll save money on gas, your tires will last longer and your car will drive better.

There are likely to be 15+ places near you that will give you free air for your tires.

Why it’s important: The cost of owning a vehicle can be staggering. Between car payments, insurance, regular maintenance, and gas, you could be spending several thousand dollars a year to drive your car.

Add to that the cost of $1.50 to $2.00 to put air in your tires every month or so.

We’ll share lots of places near you that will either let you fill your tires for free or do it for you. After that, we’ll share why it’s important to monitor your tire condition AND tools to help you do that.

Google Maps Shows You Free Air Locations

To see the closest location to get air for your tires just go to Google Maps and type in “Free Air for Tires Near Me.”

Here’s what you’ll see

Use FreeAirPump.com

FreeAirPump.com is a great way to find free air in your area. It is also a good resource to have on a road trip.

They have a Google-type, zoomable map showing lots of free air locations near you.

Although you might not be familiar with the free local air pumps, freeairpump.com will be able to help you find one close by.

The site is extremely easy to use! Just zoom around the map to find your area. Then check out the free air pump options available to you.

Nearby Locations With Free Air for Tires

Now that you’re ready to fill up your tires, you’ll need to find a place to do it for free. Try some of these locations near you. We researched dozens of gas and convenience stores and found more than 3500+ locations across the country. There are bound to be several in your area.

This list is organized by the number of locations of each supplier.

1. Goodyear Auto Service Centers

There are more than 2000 Goodyear Auto Service Center locations across the US. They will perform a tire inspection and air test for free.

2. Firestone Complete Auto Care

Another tire company that provides free air for tires is Firestone Complete Auto Care. They have more than 1700 locations (in 23 states). They also will provide a free tire inspection and refill your tires if they are low on air.

3. Kroger Grocery Stores

Kroger is a large grocery store chain with over 1200 fuel locations (across all brands) in 37 states. All fuel locations offer free air for tires, and no purchase is necessary. However, not all Kroger stores have fuel, so be sure to look for a pump.

Kroger brands include Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, QFC, City Market, Fry’s Food Stores, Food 4 Less, Dillons, Baker’s, Smith’s Food and Drug, Jay C Food Stores, Gerbes Super Markets, Pay Less Super Markets, Owen’s Market, Roundy’s, and Mariano’s.

4. Discount Tire

Discount Tire has 1035 locations in 38 states. If you live in California, then you would know this chain as America’s Tires. The chain will check your tire pressure for free whether or not you purchased them at their store.

Drive near their service bays you’ll see a sign that says “Free Air Check.”

Try to avoid going to Discount Tire on a Saturday. Because you’ll usually find that there is a long line of cars waiting to get their tires filled with air.

5. QuikTrip

QuikTrip is a gas station with over 805 locations that offer free air to its customers. You can find QuikTrip in Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

6. Costco

If you’re a Costco member and want to get your tires aired up for free, just roll into their tire and battery center. With over 800 locations in more than 46 states in the U.S., there is bound to be one near you.

Most Costco Tire Service centers are open seven days a week.

Typical hours are Monday – Friday from 10 am to 8:30 pm. Weekends 10 am to 6 pm.

7. WaWa

WaWa is a rapidly expanding chain of gas stations and convenience stores that offer free air at all 800 locations.

Although you may traditionally associate WaWa with the Northeast, the chain has been making inroads in Florida. Currently, you can find these gas stations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Florida.

8. Sam’s Club

If you are a Sam’s Club member and want to get your tires checked and filled up for free, just drive into their tire and battery center. With over 600 locations in the U.S., and Puerto Rico there is bound to be one near you.

9. NTB

NTB (National Tire and Battery) is a tire and service shop that has over 600 locations in 26 states. They offer affordable prices and have a vast selection of tires and services, including oil changes and other basic maintenance. At all NTB locations, technicians provide free air pressure checks and fill up tires to the correct pressure.

10. Sheetz

Sheetz offers free air to its customers that you can use to fill your tires. The company has 580 locations across the Mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, Upper South, and Ohio.

11. Just Tires

Just Tires has 518 auto repair shops offering basic services like brake and oil changes, along with advanced repairs. They provide free tire inspection and air pressure check with free tire inflation.

12. Big O Tires

Big O Tires has more than 400 locations in 25 states. They are a full-service tire shop that offers free tire checks for customers.

13. Hy-Vee Grocery Store

Hy-Vee is a supermarket chain that operates in the Midwest and has a presence in more than 280 locations. Hy-Vee offers diverse departments within its stores, which include a variety of freshly prepared food options and Starbucks cafes. Beyond all of the regular grocery items, several Hy-Vee locations have attached gas stations that provide free tire air for customers.

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15. Royal Farms

Royal Farms has 205 stores that offer free air to fill your tires. You can find these stores in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

15. Gate

Gate gas stations offer free air at their 200 locations. These locations can be found in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

16. Rutters

This local chain has 72 locations in Pennsylvania that offer free air for tires.

More Sources for Free Air for Your Tires

Local Oil Change Companies

Many oil change services include checking and inflating your tires without an extra cost. Simply ask your oil change mechanic if they offer this service.

National chains such as Jiffy Lube and Pep Boys are most likely to offer free air. Local shops may also provide free air but you’ll need to call ahead.

If you are already paying for an oil change, then you might as well get free air in your tires.

Gas Station RV Lanes

Some gas stations have specialty RV fuel lanes for these oversized vehicles. More often than not, this lane has a free air compressor. Feel free to check out your local gas station to see if this is an option. You do not need an RV to hop in this lane!

Car Dealership

If you live near the car dealership where you bought your car, then they may provide free air for your tires. Typically, dealerships want to treat their customers nicely in hopes of future sales.

Simply ask if they are willing to pump up your tires. It is extremely likely they will be able to help out.

All Gas Stations in California or Connecticut

If you happen to live in California or Connecticut, then you are in luck. State law requires that all gas stations provide a functioning air pump free of charge. Just head down to the closest station to fill up.

Florida Turnpike Rest Stops

If you are planning to take a road trip through Florida, the Florida Turnpike Rest Stops are a great place to refuel. Most have free air pumps that will allow you to top up without stopping your adventure.

DIY Air For Your Tires

You may have the resources to fill your tires already at hand. Check out these options.

Open Your Trunk

According to Consumer Reports, about 33 percent of all new cars don’t have a spare tire.

They said, “…though they may be equipped with a compressor and sealant kit to temporarily fix a flat tire. Some cars without spares come with “run-flat” tires, which are designed to operate for a limited distance after losing air from a typical puncture.”

If you have a newer car, then you may find a tire repair kit in the back of your car. This kit usually includes a small hand pump or a can of tire repair sealant that could provide a free way to boost your tires.

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Ask Friends

Many people own small air compressors to fill their tires. Ask your friends and family to see if someone is willing to share. You can return the favor with the loan of another tool someday.

Or Buy a Compressor

Steve at MoneySmartFamily has this Pancake Compressor along with a tire inflation gauge in his garage.

The Porter-Cable pancake compressor cost about $100 and is used on projects besides inflating tires.

The inflation gauge came from Amazon and cost about $15.

Use a Bike Pump

You likely have a bike pump laying around the house. If you only need to add a small amount of pressure to your tires, then a bike pump is a viable option. Unfortunately, this can take a lot of time to reach the desired psi.

Check out these best-selling, quick-filling bike pumps from Amazon

Check out the free air compressor options above before resorting to this unless you are up for a relatively intense workout.

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Why Should You Check and Inflate Your Tires?

Adding another to-do item to your list may sound like the last thing you want to do. However, inflating your tires to the correct pressure could not only save you money and time but also prevent accidents.

Save Money

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, proper tire inflation can save you 11 cents per gallon of fuel. Plus, proper inflation can add over 4,500 miles to the life of your tires.

They also report that:

• Only 19% of consumers properly check and inflate their tires.
• 1 in 4 cars has at least one tire that is significantly underinflated.

Although not all drops in fuel efficiency will be that dramatic, each represents a lost cost-saving opportunity.

For example, at MoneySmartFamily, their daughter Becky recently noticed a drop in gas mileage. Her Toyota Tacoma gas mileage dropped from 20 MPG to 17 MPG.

This significant drop was due to her tires dropping to 30 psi instead of the recommended 44 psi. Simply by keeping her tires at the appropriate psi, Becky stands to save a lot of money.

She lost 15 percent of her gas mileage. This means that each gallon of gas took her 15 percent fewer miles. This also means that she was spending 15 percent more on her gas.

Here’s what 15 percent more looks like at the pump:

• Regular Price: $2.50 Plus 15%: $2.88
• Retail Price: $2.75 Plus 15%: $3.16
• Regular Price: $3.00 Plus 15%: $3.45
• Retail Price $3.25 Plus 15%: $3.74

Would you willingly pay 38 to 50 cents more per gallon if you didn’t have to?

You can keep track of your gas mileage each time you fill up your tank.

Simply record the number of gallons it takes to fill your tank and divide it by the number of miles driven for your total gas mileage. (Get a FREE gas mileage tracker here).

Save a Life

If the potential cost savings are not motivating, then the potential to save your life should be. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded 738 fatalities in tire-related crashes in 2017.

Keeping your tires well-maintained is a good way to safeguard yourself against accidents.

Underinflated tires have more surface area touching the roadway. This results in more drag (lower gas mileage) and more friction on the tires. Back in the early 2000s, there was a lawsuit against Ford for telling owners of Ford Explorers to only inflate tires to 26 PSI instead of the Firestone-recommended 30 PSI.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the 4 PSI difference resulted in more than 300 traffic death due to blowouts.

You may be able to avoid a fatal crash simply by keeping your tires inflated to the appropriate psi.

How Much Does it Cost to Inflate Tires?

Depending on the location, it will likely cost you between $1 and $2 dollars to fill up your tires.

Although that seems like a low amount, it can add up quickly if you fill up your tires on a regular basis. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends that you check and top up your tires once a month. If you had to pay for air in your tires each time that translates into $12 to $24 a year just to fill up your tires.

Best 12-Volt Car Compressor for Inflating Tires

If you do not want to spend extra time at the gas station, then you could purchase a 12-volt car compressor.

Amazon offers this highly-rated portable tire inflator for $33. It could pay for itself within a year and a half. However, seeking out free air for your tires is the more affordable option.

How to Fill Up Tires

If you don’t fill up your tires because you aren’t sure where to get started, that’s okay. I’ve been there. Without a mechanically inclined bone in my body, I’ve figured out how to pump air into my own tires. So can you!

It’s really simple. You just unscrew the cap on your tire. Put the air compressor hose connection onto the tire air portal. Fill until you reach the desired psi.

Finally, remember to put the cap back on.

If you are worried about the amount of time it takes to fill up your tires, don’t be! The whole process usually takes less than 15 minutes to suitably fill all four tires. That includes driving down the street to the gas station!

Where to Find Recommended Tire Pressure

Not sure what your car’s recommended tire psi is? That’s okay! Every car has a different recommendation, but we can show you where to find it.

Typically, you can spot the recommended psi on the sticker on the driver-side door jamb. This is the first place you should look.

Other places include information in the glove compartment or the gas cap of your car. You may also be able to find some information about recommended tire pressures in your owner’s manual.

Where to Not Look for Tire Pressure

Do not look at your tires for the recommended tire pressure. The numbers on your tires refer to the maximum recommended inflation. If you exceed that recommendation, then you run the risk of a blowout.

Best Tire Gauge to Check Your Tire Pressure

As you start regularly monitoring your tire pressure, you’ll want to invest in a tire pressure gauge. The gauge will show you what your tire pressure currently is. You’ll know whether or not you need to add compressed air.

You have choices when it comes to a tire pressure gauge.

Pencil Type Gauge: You can go with a pencil, or stick, gauge. These gauges are often extremely cheap at an average cost of around $5. However, they can be difficult to read and finicky to work with.  See the Best Selling Pencil Tire Gauges on Amazon.

Dial Type Gauges: Dial gauges are the second option with an average cost of $20. Steve from MoneySmartFamily.com likes the dial gauges the best as they are more accurate than the pencil type.

These gauges are still affordable and they are easier to use for accurate measurements. See the best-selling dial gauges on Amazon.

Digital Tire Gauge: Finally, a digital gauge is another option. Generally, these cost between $10 and $12 but are very easy to read. See the top-rated digital tire gauges on Amazon.

The option you choose will help you maintain your car’s tires for years to come. Choose a model that suits your needs and helps you comfortably assess the condition of your tires.

The Bottom Line

Regular checks of your car’s tires could save you money as well as protect against risky driving. Take advantage of the free air in your area to maximize these cost savings.

Our recommendation is to go to a location where they will check it for you, like a Discount Tire. Or buy your own compressor and do it yourself. Between Discount Tire and owning a compressor, you’ll be getting free air for tires for the rest of your life.