It’s rare to find a no-annual-fee credit card that offers a combination of valuable rewards, flexible redemption options and generous introductory sign-up bonus and interest rate offers. But that’s exactly what you’ll get with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
For more than eight years, I’ve used that card as a foundation for getting the most travel rewards out of every dollar I spend. Sure, it’s marketed as a cash-back card, but that cash back can transform into travel rewards with a higher redemption value when the card is paired with a Chase-branded travel card, like my Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It even offers 0% intro APR on purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%-27.74% Variable APR .
Here’s how I've used the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to supercharge my travel rewards.
Earn 50% more rewards in non-bonus categories
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 3% back on restaurant and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on everything else. The rewards are issued as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that are normally worth a penny apiece if you redeem them for cash back.
I primarily use the Chase Freedom Unlimited® for “everything else” purchases that don’t qualify for a bonus, such as medical bills or car repairs. That 1.5% (or 1.5 points) back is 50% higher than the 1 point per dollar I’d receive if I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve®. While earning 0.5 more points per dollar may not seem like much, it can really add up for big expenses and purchases that don’t earn a category bonus.
Last year I put $16,000 in “everything else” expenses on my Chase Freedom Unlimited®, earning a total of 24,000 points, or 8,000 more than I would have received if I used the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Compound that over a few years, and we’re talking about a significant number of additional points that I can earn and use for travel.
» Learn more: Which Chase Freedom card should you get?
Pair cards to maximize your rewards value
Combining multiple complementary credit cards is one of the most efficient strategies to rack up points fast. Since Chase lets you pool rewards among accounts that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you can selectively spend on whichever card earns more in the category of your purchase, then transfer the rewards to the card that has the highest redemption value.
Those 24,000 points I earned on “everything else” purchases by using my Chase Freedom Unlimited® would be worth $240 (1 cent each) if I redeemed them for cash. But once those points are transferred to my Chase Sapphire Reserve®, they can be worth as much as $480 (2 cents each) when redeemed through Chase’s travel portal. If transferred to one of Chase's partner airlines or hotel chains, they can also net a value well in excess of 1 cent per point.
Other card options to pair with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® for outsized travel value include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Those cards still give you access to transfer partners, but the potential value when redeemed through Chase’s travel portal maxes out at 1.5 cents (1.75 cents for select premium cabin flights).
🤓 Nerdy Tip
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® used to offer a flat value of 1.5 cents per point when redeeming through Chase's travel portal. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card used to offer a flat value of 1.25 cents per point. That changed with the rollout of the "Points Boost" redemption system in 2025. Read more about that change, and also see our analysis of Points Boost value. » Learn more: What is the 'Chase trifecta'?
The value of transfer partners
Strategically converting Ultimate Rewards® to hotel points or airline miles can help you take advantage of good award travel deals and squeeze more value out of each point. And if you wait for a transfer bonus, you’ll receive even greater value.
For example, NerdWallet values Hyatt points at 1.8 cents each. If you earn 1.5 points per dollar on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and hold another Chase card that allows you to transfer those rewards to Hyatt, you’d get higher value.
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Explore more on
