The Chase Freedom Flex card is a solid card for earning valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, especially thanks to its rotating 5% cash back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards points) categories each quarter. For savvy points and miles enthusiasts, understanding and maximizing these bonus categories is key to significantly boosting your rewards each and every quarter.
Let’s dive into the advantages of the Chase Freedom Flex and how you can make the most of those lucrative 5x opportunities.
What Exactly is the Rotating Category Gimmick?
The Chase Freedom Flex credit card is a no-annual fee card that’s recommended to most points and miles enthusiasts who are looking to beef up their stash with strategic spending. Your 5/24 score will factor into whether you get approved, but if long term strategy is the name of the game then there’s another way to obtain this card with the Sapphire Switcheroo.
In addition to the standard 1x rate you’ll earn on non-category spend and the new-ish 3x earn rate on dining and drugstores, this card’s special perk is that each and every quarter of the year Chase releases a new set of stores that reward you with 5x points per dollar when you use the Flex to pay.
It’s not unlimited, though, and your 5x earn rate will cap out after spending $1,500 during that quarter in question. In addition, you’ll need to manually activate this perk every quarter by logging into their online portal and clicking the activate button. Good news there is that the activation is retroactive to the beginning of the current period, so if you forget to activate it until the 3rd month you’d still earn your 5x for all the preceding purchases that quarter that qualified.
Advantages of the Freedom Flex
We’ve covered the basics already, so let’s clarify a few factors that make this card a worthwhile addition to your wallet.
- High Earning Potential: The 5x bonus on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter translates to a potential 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points every three months, or 30,000 points annually, just from the bonus categories. This doesn’t even include the 3x you earn on dining and drugstores, either.
- No Annual Fee: Because the last thing we need is another annual fee… This card offers this increased earn opportunity without paying an annual fee, making it an accessible card for both beginners and experienced travel hackers alike.
- Valuable Ultimate Rewards Points: Points earned with the Chase Freedom Flex can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel through the Chase portal, or, even better, transferred to Chase’s premium travel partners (like United, Hyatt, and Marriott) for potentially outsized value. This transferability elevates the value of the “cash back” you earn into valuable travel rewards.
- Complementary Benefits: Beyond the bonus categories, the card also comes with other perks like extended warranties, rental car insurance, and trip cancellation / interruption insurance, adding to its overall value proposition. Read our extended overview of credit card perks and insurance benefits here.
How to Maximize your 5x Earnings Every Quarter
Just knowing how the card works isn’t enough to extract the full value out of the bonus categories. It take a bit of effort to strategize your spend and keep track of how much you’ve earned along the way to make sure you get every last ounce of value out of this card without overdoing it. Here are some helpful guidelines to make sure you stay on track:
- Know the Categories: Stay informed about the upcoming categories (more below on this topic!). Chase typically announces them a few weeks before the start of the new quarter, and we’ll be sure to post them up here and in thePointsPage Community on Facebook shortly thereafter. Set reminders to check the group or this article for the announcement.
- Plan Your Spending: Once you know the categories, think about your upcoming purchases. Can you shift spending within those categories to your Freedom Flex? For example, if gas stations are a bonus category, plan to fill up your tank during that quarter using this card. If it’s grocery stores, consider stocking up on non-perishable items.
- Strategic Gift Card Purchases: If a category aligns with places you frequently shop but don’t have immediate large purchases, consider buying gift cards. For instance, if a popular clothing retailer is a bonus category, you could buy a gift card to use later. This is a great way to maximize the bonus even on future spending.
- Combine with Other Offers: Keep an eye out for any store-specific promotions or discounts that you can stack with the 5x earnings. This allows you to save money while also earning maximum rewards.
- Track Your Spending: Remember the $1,500 spending limit per quarter in the bonus categories. Keep track of your purchases to ensure you don’t exceed this limit, as any spending beyond it will only earn the base 1x rate. I believe the best way to track these kind of data is to use a spreadsheet on your phone, but there may be other apps that can also help track spend if you want to make it a bit easier.
Current and Previous 5x Rotating Categories
Now on to the good stuff! Here are the updates that brought you here in the first place.
Make sure to bookmark this page and join our FB Community to stay up to date on these new categories once they’re finally announced.
↳2025
- Q1 (January 1 – March 31): Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target), Norwegian Cruise Line, Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships, Hair, Nails & Spa Services
- Q2 (April 1 – June 30): Amazon, and Select Streaming Services
- Q3 (July 1 – September 30): TBD
- Q4 (October 1 – December 31): TBD
*Merchants in this category include Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV. Services that are new to the category include HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, and Showtime. Purchases other than subscription services, e.g., music or video downloads, equipment, gift cards, etc. are not included.
↳2024
- Q1 (January 1 – March 31): Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target), Self-Care and Spa Services, Select Fitness Merchants
- Q2 (April 1 – June 30): Select hotel bookings (directly with hotel or prepaid through Chase); restaurants; Amazon.com
- Q3 (July 1 – September 30): Gas stations and EV charging; select live entertainment; movie theaters
- Q4 (October 1 – December 31): McDonald’s; PayPal; Pet shops and vet services; select charities
↳2023
- Q1 (January 1 – March 31): Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart), Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships
- Q2 (April 1 – June 30): Amazon.com, Lowe’s
- Q3 (July 1 – September 30): Gas Stations, EV Charging, Select Live Entertainment
- Q4 (October 1 – December 31): PayPal, Select Charities, Wholesale Clubs
↳2022
- Q1 (January 1 – March 31): Grocery Stores, eBay
- Q2 (April 1 – June 30): Amazon.com, Select Streaming Services
- Q3 (July 1 – September 30): Gas Stations, Car Rentals, Movie Theaters, Select Live Entertainment
- Q4 (October 1 – December 31): Walmart, PayPal
Getting to the Point(s)
The Chase Freedom Flex remains a valuable tool in any rewards credit card portfolio. By actively engaging with the rotating 5x categories and strategically planning your spending, you can accumulate a significant amount of valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points without paying an annual fee or jumping through the hoops of an MSR or SUB.
Keep an eye out for the announcements each quarter and get ready to maximize your rewards!
