Making the Most of the Chase Freedom

Activate your bonus categories each quarter and pair it with another card to optimize your rewards.
Kevin Cash
By Kevin Cash 
Published
Edited by Paul Soucy
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The aptly named Chase Freedom® allows cardholders to earn 5% cash back freely across everyday spending categories that change throughout the year, plus 1% cash back on all other purchases. Using the card in the 5% categories, though, is just part of maximizing the value you get from this credit card.

Here's how to make the most of the Chase Freedom®.

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The Chase Freedom® stopped accepting new applications in September 2020, but existing cardholders can continue to use it. Chase now offers the Chase Freedom Flex℠, which has the same bonus categories as the Chase Freedom®, plus additional bonus rewards on certain travel bookings and at restaurants and drugstores.

Use the quarterly bonus categories

Carrying the Chase Freedom® and not taking advantage of its quarterly 5% bonus categories is like buying a Ferrari and driving it exclusively back and forth to the supermarket: You're missing the point entirely. To get the 5% rewards on this card, you need to "activate" the bonus category each quarter and then use your card at eligible merchants.

Activate the category each quarter. You can activate easily by logging into your account online or using the Chase Freedom® Mobile app. The trick is in remembering to do it each quarter. That's why Chase offers automatic alerts via email and calendar notification.

Use your card on bonus categories. Once you activate, you get 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending in the bonus categories for the quarter. Once you hit the $1,500 limit in a quarter, any additional spending in that category earns 1% cash back. Here are the categories for this year:

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.

Combine it with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards

Strictly speaking, the Chase Freedom® doesn't give you cash. Rather, it gives you Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can redeem for cash. For every $1 you spend, you get 1 point; in the 5% bonus categories, you get 5 points for $1. When redeemed for cash back, the points are worth 1 cent apiece, so the effect is the same.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
NerdWallet rating 

However, if you also carry the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can boost the value of those points by 25%. You do that by transferring points from your Chase Freedom® to your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and then using them to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel platform. When you use points this way, each has a value of 1.25 cents. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns unlimited 2 points per $1 on travel; 5 points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewars; 2 points on restaurants, select streaming services and online grocery purchases; and 1 point on everything else. Combining these two cards gives you a points boost on what you earn with the Chase Freedom® and bonus points all year round via the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Win-win.

Save money on purchases with 'Shop through Chase'

"Shop through Chase" is Chase's online shopping portal that offers up to 15% cash back on purchases like electronics, clothes and travel accessories. Here's how to use it:

  1. Log in to Shop through Chase with your Chase account.

  2. Choose a retailer from Chase’s list of partners. Clicking on the retailer's link takes you to its website.

  3. Shop at the retailer’s site as you normally would, and be sure to pay with your Chase Freedom® card.

If you're a Chase cardholder and you're about to make any large purchase, it's always worth checking Chase's shopping portal before you spend — if you want to save money, that is.

Use a different card abroad

The Chase Freedom® charges a foreign transaction fee of 3%, making it a poor choice for spenders who are looking for a card to use outside the United States. Plenty of other cards come without foreign transaction fees.

How to redeem rewards on the Chase Freedom®

To redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards Points:

  1. Log onto your Chase account.

  2. Scroll to yourChase Freedom®. (If you have several Chase cards, they'll all be displayed together.)

  3. Click "Go to Ultimate Rewards."

  4. Choose how you'd like to use your points.

With the Chase Freedom®, you can redeem points for cash back for 1 cent per point starting at 500 points (or $5). There are other ways to redeem your points beyond cash back, but, as they say, cash is king.

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

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