One of the highlights of the Chase Freedom Flex® is its quarterly bonus categories. By staying up to date on the Chase Freedom cash back calendar, you'll know where to shop to earn bonus cash back.
By activating your card's quarterly bonus categories, you earn 5% back on up to $1,500 of combined purchases in those categories. These rotating bonus categories are also available if you have the Chase Freedom, although that card isn't open to new applicants anymore.
Ratings Methodology
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex®
OnChase'sSecure Website.
2024 Award Winner
Chase Freedom Flex®
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex®
OnChase'sSecure Website.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex®
OnChase'sSecure Website.
Credit ScoreFalling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
20.49%-29.24% Variable
Rewards5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Annual FeeN/A
$0
Welcome OfferEarn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
This Chase card is one of our favorites, and with good reason. You earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, alongside other standout perks (and at least 1% on all purchases). Plus, this one comes without an annual fee and with a generous welcome bonus.
- Big sign-up bonus
- Lucrative cash back program
- Long 0% intro APR
- No annual fee
- Purchase and travel protections
- Foreign transaction fee
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash backon travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program thatlets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
- No annual fee –You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2024
Here's the Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2023:
| Quarter | Bonus categories | Activation deadline |
|---|---|---|
| January through March | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart), Target, and fitness club and gym memberships | March 14, 2023 |
| April through June | Amazon.com and Lowe's | June 14, 2023 |
| July through September | Select live entertainment, gas stations, and EV charging stations | Sept. 14, 2023 |
| October through December | Wholesale clubs, select charities, and PayPal | Dec. 14, 2023 |
Data source: Chase.
There are several ways to activate rotating bonus categories with Chase. You can do so online through your Chase account, by email, by phone, through the Chase mobile app, at a Chase bank, or at a Chase ATM (if you're a Chase checking customer). You can also do so online by visiting Chase Bonus and entering:
- Your last name
- The last four digits of your credit card number
- Your ZIP code
As long as you activate by the deadline, all your eligible purchases for the quarter will earn the 5% cash back rate. That's competitive with the best credit card offers. If you have multiple Chase Freedom credit cards with rotating bonus categories, you must go through the activation process with each one.
How to make the most of Chase's rotating bonus categories
Since 5% is a high rewards rate, try to make the most of it. If you spend $500 per month in those bonus categories, you'll reach the $1,500 spending cap for the quarter and maximize your credit card rewards. That would be worth $75 cash back per quarter. If you can do that every quarter, that's $300 in bonus cash back per year.
Here are a few pointers to help you take full advantage of these rotating credit card rewards:
- Set up reminder emails with Chase. If you miss the activation deadline, your card won't earn the bonus rate for the quarter. Make sure Chase has your correct email address and you're signed up for email reminders so you get a notification when it's time to activate.
- Shift your eligible spending to your Chase rewards card. The best strategy is to put as much regular spending as possible in your card's quarterly bonus categories. That way, you earn plenty of bonus cash back without overspending.
- Consider combining Chase credit cards. One of the nice things about Chase is its credit cards work well together. If you also have a Chase travel card, you can move your cash back onto that travel card and use it as Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This allows you to use those rewards for various types of travel bookings.
LEARN MORE: Definitive Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
More Chase Freedom Flex® bonus categories
The Chase Freedom Flex® is known for its rotating bonus categories. One of the advantages it has over its predecessor, the discontinued Chase Freedom, is that it also has several fixed bonus categories:
- 5% back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5% back on rides with Lyft through March 31, 2025
- 3% back on restaurant purchases
- 3% back at drugstores
If rotating bonus categories aren't your thing, it's worth mentioning that Chase offers a great alternative in the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It has the same fixed bonus categories. Instead of rotating bonus categories, it offers a cash back rate of 1.5% on non-bonus purchases, higher than the Chase Freedom Flex® rate of 1% on those purchases.
SEE MORE TOP PICKS: Best Chase Credit Cards
Still have questions?
Here are some other questions we've answered:
- What credit score do I need for a Chase credit card?
- How do I apply for a Chase credit card?
- What is Chase's 5/24 rule?
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Citi Double Cash® Card | Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars. 4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 20,000 ThankYou® PointsEarn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Up to 2% cash back2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay | Intro:N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months Regular:19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | |
Discover it® Cash Back | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.N/A | 1% - 5% CashbackEarn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. | Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular:18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR | |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited® OnChase'sSecure Website. | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Up to $300 cash backEarn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash backEnjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases | Intro:0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular:20.49% - 29.24% Variable | Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited® OnChase'sSecure Website. |
FAQs
The quarterly Chase Freedom bonus categories for 2023 are:
- Grocery stores (excluding Walmart), Target, and fitness club and gym memberships from January through March
- Amazon.com and Lowe's from April through June
- Select live entertainment, gas stations, and EV charging stations from July through September
- Wholesale clubs, select charities, and PayPal from October through December
The Chase Freedom was discontinued on Sept. 15, 2020, but there are two credit cards currently available in the Chase Freedom line:
- Chase Freedom Flex®
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
