Cash-back fans who are willing to strategize their regular spending can get a big annual return from the Chase Freedom Flex®.
In fact, using last year’s rewards categories, we estimate that the average American can earn upwards of $400 cash back with this no-annual-fee card each year, based on consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But for that, you’ll need to take full advantage of its quarterly bonus categories.
For the third quarter of 2024, get 5% cash back on select live entertainment, at movie theaters, and at gas stations and EV charging stations. These categories apply until Sept. 30.
Here’s more about the Chase Freedom Flex card and how you can get the best value from rotating categories year-round.
In this article:
Chase Freedom Flex details
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $200 after spending $500 within the first three months of account opening
Intro APR: 0% introductory APR for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers
Rewards:
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5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter)
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5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel
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3% cash back on dining
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3% cash back at drugstores
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1% cash back on all other purchases
More details
To earn 5% on rotating quarterly categories, you must activate the bonus by the quarterly deadline. This card also includes three months of complimentary DashPass by DoorDash with automatic enrollment of nine more months at a 50% discount (activate by Dec. 31, 2024) and 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
Plus, get three months of complimentary Instacart+ membership (if activated by July 31, 2024) and earn $10 in quarterly statement credits for Instacart purchases through the same date. Freedom Flex also comes with select travel and purchase protections.
Chase Freedom Flex 5% cash-back calendar
Each quarter, you can earn 5% back in select bonus categories with your Chase Freedom Flex.
Chase only announces new categories shortly before a new quarter starts, so it can be difficult to plan your spending throughout the year. However, we’ve included last year’s full calendar of categories to help you get an idea of what types of categories may come later in the year since they often repeat.
The current categories are in bold:
Remember: For purchases to count toward the 5% bonus category, they must post to your account by the last day of the quarter. That means purchases you make toward a Q2 category on June 30 (the last day of the quarter) may not apply since they can take up to a few days to post as a charge on your statement.
Chase Freedom category activation deadlines
To earn 5% cash-back rewards, you must activate the categories each quarter. These are the dates to keep in mind throughout the year so you never miss an activation:
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Q1 January – March: Activate by March 14
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Q2 April – June: Activate by June 14
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Q3 July – September: Activate by Sept. 14
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Q4 October – December: Activate by Dec. 14
While you don’t have to activate until close to the end of each quarter, it’s smart to check your account at the start. You can review the eligible categories for the months ahead and activate them.
If you do wait until the activation deadline, don’t worry. Your 5% rewards will still apply retroactively to qualifying purchases you’ve already made throughout the quarter.
How to activate
Activate the current bonus categories by logging into your Chase account online or through the mobile app. You can also activate in person at a Chase bank branch by calling the number on the back of your card or even while visiting a Chase ATM.
If you’re worried about forgetting quarterly deadlines, consider signing up for email reminders from Chase when it’s time to activate.
How to maximize the current Chase Freedom Flex categories
This quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex 5% categories include gas stations and electric vehicle charging, as well as select live entertainment and movie theater spending. Here are some details about each one to help make the most of your spending:
Gas stations and EV charging stations
If road trips or camp carpools are part of your summer plans, this is an easy category to maximize this quarter.
Even if you already have a dedicated credit card for gas stations, 5% cash-back rewards may be worth making the switch for a quarter — especially if your other card has an annual spending cap for this category.
Chase does specify merchants that won’t qualify, including fuel stations that don’t specialize in gas for automobiles (truck stops, boat marinas, home heating providers, etc.).
As for electric vehicles, you’ll earn 5% at charging stations you pay for via subscription, mobile app, or in-person. Depending on how the purchase appears on your statement, charging at stations that also specialize in other services — parking garages, valets, airport parking — may not count toward the category.
Select live entertainment
Chase Freedom Flex’s live entertainment category includes summer staples like concerts, theater, and sporting events.
But you can also earn 5% rewards on other types of events and entertainment, including amusement parks, tourist attractions, museums, carnivals, zoos, and more. If you weren’t already planning to take your Chase Freedom Flex with you on your summer travels, this wide range of eligible purchases should make it a go-to for summer vacation spending.
Be careful about how you book your live entertainment, though. Reservations for excursions you book through a hotel concierge, for example, or that are part of a broader travel purchase likely won’t count toward your rewards.
Movie theaters
Finally, if you want to spend some summer afternoons indoors to beat the heat, you can also earn 5% on movie tickets. Chase even specifies that drive-in theaters can earn the boosted rewards.
You may find mixed results with non-ticket purchases made at the theater, though. Popcorn and other food or beverages may only earn 5% rewards if the merchant classifies the purchase as a movie theater purchase.
Pair the Freedom Flex with another Chase card to supercharge your rewards
While Chase Freedom Flex is a cash-back credit card, you can also use your rewards for travel redemptions through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Even better, you can combine points with other top Chase credit cards under your same account to maximize your redemptions further.
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Annual fee
$95
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Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (that’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠)
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Card type(s)
Travel
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Ongoing Purchases APR
21.49% – 28.49% Variable
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Recommended credit score
Excellent/Good
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Rewards rate
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- 1x points on all other purchases
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Benefits
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
- Earn up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel
- On every account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year
Though it does have some overlapping rewards categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred makes a great pair with the Freedom Flex because of its 25% redemption boost.
When you redeem your Chase Freedom Flex rewards for travel through Chase, you’ll get 1 cent per point. But Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards are worth 1.25 cents per point when you redeem them through Chase Travel. With both cards in your wallet, you can maximize spending in eligible bonus categories, then pool your points and redeem them using your Sapphire Preferred for maximum redemption value.
There’s another travel perk to combining these cards, too. Sapphire Preferred cardholders have the option to transfer points to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners. If you want to transfer your Chase rewards to your United MileagePlus or Marriott Bonvoy account, for example, these cards can make a powerful pair.
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Annual fee
$550
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Welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months (that’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠)
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Card type(s)
Travel
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Ongoing Purchases APR
22.49% – 29.49% Variable
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Recommended credit score
Excellent
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Rewards rate
- 10x points on hotels and rental cars purchased through Chase Travel*
- 5x points on flights purchased through Chase Travel*
- 3x points on dining and other travel purchases
- 1x points on all other purchases
- *After the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
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Benefits
- Points are worth 50% more when you redeem through Chase Travel
- Earn up to $300 in annual statement credits for travel purchases
- Receive up to a $100 statement credit every four years to cover the application fee for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS
There are many comparable benefits of combining a Chase Sapphire Reserve with the Freedom Flex. But with a high annual fee, this option is likely best for frequent travelers looking to boost their travel rewards with cash-back earnings.
Sapphire Reserve points get a 50% boost when you redeem through Chase Travel — when you pool your Freedom Flex rewards under your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can get up to 1.5 cents per point for travel. You can also transfer Sapphire Reserve points to Chase’s travel partners.
With the extra travel benefits, combining these two cards can be a great way to ensure you get maximum travel value from your spending while still keeping the flexibility of rotating bonus categories.
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Annual fee
$0
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Welcome offer
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back
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Card type(s)
Cash-Back
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Introductory Purchases APR
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
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Ongoing Purchases APR
20.49% – 29.24% Variable
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Recommended credit score
Excellent/Good
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Rewards rate
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery service)
- 1.5% on all other purchases
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Benefits
- You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts
- Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers (20.49% – 29.24% variable APR after that).
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a no-annual-fee cash-back card that’s similar to the Freedom Flex. It earns the same 5% cash back on Chase Travel, plus 3% back on dining and at drugstores. But instead of 5% back in rotating quarterly categories, the Freedom Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all other spending.
Both Freedom cards earn rewards that can be redeemed as points through Chase Travel, so you can pool your points for a bigger redemption. Unlike the Sapphire cards, though, you won’t get any boost on your rewards; they’re worth a standard 1 cent per point. You also can’t access Chase’s transfer partners with the Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited.
With the overlap in rewards categories and lack of added boost for redemptions, there’s probably fewer benefits to combining the two Freedom cards compared to a Freedom and Sapphire card pair. But if you like earning cash back and want to maximize quarterly categories while still earning a minimum 1.5% back, this could make a solid combination.
This article was edited by Alicia Hahn
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