Chase Freedom Flex Adds a 5% ‘Top-Spend Category Bonus’ for Q4 2021

Funto Omojola
By Funto Omojola 
Published
Edited by Erin Hurd

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is adding to its already impressive arsenal of bonus categories as the holiday spending season is upon us.

For Q4 2021, cardholders who activate their normal 5% quarterly bonus categories will also automatically begin earning 5% back (4% back in addition to the card’s unlimited 1% cash back) in the category where they do the most spending. You can earn on spending up to $1,500 this quarter in your highest spend category. (Note: this offer does not apply to the legacy Chase Freedom® card.)

Chase Freedom Flex
NerdWallet rating 

Eligible top-spend categories are:

  • Travel (including transit).

  • Dining.

  • Home improvement stores.

  • Grocery stores (not including Target and Walmart purchases).

  • Drugstores.

  • Gas stations.

  • Select live entertainment.

  • Select streaming services.

  • Fitness clubs.

This means that through Dec. 31, 2021, in addition to earning 5% cash back for Walmart and PayPal purchases (on up to $1,500 in combined quarterly spending), eligible cardholders will be able to earn an additional 5% back up to a separate spending cap of $1,500. All in all, if you maxed out both spending caps, you could make out with a lucrative $150 in cash back from rotating and top-spend bonus categories alone this quarter.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Chase cardholders must activate bonus categories online or in the Chase app by Dec. 14 to be eligible for bonus cash back, which can be earned retroactively.

If your top-spend bonus category is the same as one of the card’s fixed bonus categories, you’ll earn both bonuses. For example, if your top earn category is dining, you’d be able to earn a total of 7% cash back when you make eligible dining purchases — (4% from the top-spend category + 2% back from the fixed dining category + 1% base earn, which can only be earned once per purchase).

And the same goes for purchases made through PayPal, a Q4 bonus category. You’ll earn a total of 9% cash back when you make purchases in your top spend category through the payment service.

Chase Freedom® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ bonus rewards categories for 2024

Q1 (Jan. 1-March 31)

  • Grocery stores.

  • Fitness clubs and gym memberships.

  • Self-care and spa services.

Q2 (April 1-June 30)

  • Select hotel bookings.*

  • Restaurants.

  • Amazon.com.

Q3 (July 1-Sept. 30)

  • TBD (In 2023: gas stations and electric vehicle charging; select live entertainment).

Q4 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31)

  • TBD (In 2023: PayPal; wholesale clubs; select charities).

*Includes bookings made directly with the hotel and prepaid bookings through Chase's travel portal.

This offer adds a great deal of value to the $0-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠, but it also makes the already potentially complicated card even more difficult to manage.

To get the most out of rewards this quarter, cardholders will have to keep track of their rotating bonus category spending and their top-spend category, in addition to monitoring the card’s regular fixed bonus categories.

Although this is the first time Chase has offered cardholders the ability to earn cash back in their top spending categories, there are other cards that offer a similar rewards structure. For example, the $0-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash® Card — which began accepting applicants in June 2021 — features similarly customizable bonus cash back from a list of eligible category options. It earns 5% cash back in cardholders’ top eligible spending category, on up to $500 each billing cycle (1% back after that).

Chase Cards from our Partners
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5%-6.5%

Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Cashback

Intro offer

$300

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Points
Chase Freedom Flex

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Flex℠
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1%-5%

Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

Cashback

Intro offer

$200

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

See more Chase cards

Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Get Started
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.