Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
PROGRAMME PROFILE
Chase Freedom Flex: 5% quarterly cash back categories
Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card is a cash-back credit card issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. that pays 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories the cardholder activates, alongside 5% on travel booked through Chase Travel, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on everything else, with no annual fee. [1] [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The Chase Freedom Flex pays 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of combined purchases each quarter in bonus categories the cardholder activates, then returns to 1% with no maximum. [1] [2]
- Outside those categories it pays 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. [1]
- There is no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee; a 0% introductory APR runs for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, followed by a variable APR. [1] [3]
- Cash back is tracked as points and does not expire while the account is open, but the cardholder loses all points if the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activity or other listed reasons. [1]
How much cash back does the Chase Freedom Flex earn?
The figures below are the ones Chase published for the Chase Freedom Flex on 18 October 2026; Chase notes that offers may vary depending on where you apply, for example online or in a branch, and can change over time. [1] Chase quotes six rates, each expressed as total cash back on every $1 spent. [1]
| Spending | Cash back |
|---|---|
| Quarterly bonus categories, after activation, on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter | 5% |
| Travel purchased through Chase Travel | 5% |
| Dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services | 3% |
| Drugstores | 3% |
| Qualifying Lyft rides, through 30 September 2027 | 2% total |
| All other purchases | 1% |
The higher rates are built on the 1% base rate: Chase describes dining and drugstores as 3% total (2% additional on top of the 1%), Chase Travel as 5% total (4% additional), and the activated quarterly categories as 5% total (4% additional) until $1,500 of combined purchases is reached in that quarter. [1] The 2% Lyft rate runs through 30 September 2027 and is 1% additional on top of the 1% base rate; gift cards, car rentals, vehicle service centres and miscellaneous fees are excluded from that promotion. [1] Bonus cash back is calculated on purchases minus returns and refunds. [1]
Cardholders can also earn $50 cash back for each friend approved for any participating Chase Freedom credit card, up to $500 a year. [1]
Which quarterly bonus categories are published?
Chase publishes a quarterly calendar on the card page, with the date each activation period opens. [1]
| Quarter | 5% categories listed | Activation |
|---|---|---|
| January–March 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, dining, the American Heart Association | Activation period closed |
| April–June 2026 | Amazon, Chase Travel, Feeding America | Activation period closed |
| July–September 2026 | Gas stations, public transit, EV charging, select live entertainment, United Way | Activation period closed |
| October–December 2026 | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining, American Red Cross | Opened 15 September 2026 |
| January–March 2027 | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), top streaming services | Opens 15 December 2026 |
| April–June 2027 | Not yet published | Opens 15 March 2027 |
Two rules control access to the bonus. The 5% applies only in quarters the cardholder activates, and Chase sets an activation deadline for each quarter. [1] [4] A purchase also has to reach the card in time: for a purchase to qualify, the merchant must submit the charge to the credit card by the last day of the relevant calendar quarter. [1]
Chase says the bonus categories may name individual select merchants as well as broader categories, and that the $1,500 limit applies to combined purchases in that quarter's categories. [1]
How are rewards tracked and redeemed?
Chase tracks the card's cash back as points, and each $1 of cash back equals 100 points. [1] Chase lists cash, gift cards, travel and "pay with points" for products or services as redemption options, and says redemption values vary by option. [1]
There is no minimum to redeem for cash back: it can be taken as a statement credit or deposited electronically into an eligible Chase account located in the United States. [1] Points can also be linked to an Amazon.com account and used at checkout to pay for all or part of an eligible order, including tax and shipping, or used through PayPal Pay with Rewards. [1] Where points are used at checkout under those two features, each point is worth $0.008, so 100 points equal $0.80. [1] The glossary explains how cash back and points relate.
The card's rewards are governed by its Rewards Program Agreement, which Chase publishes at chase.com/freedomflex/rewardsagreement and makes available to cardmembers who sign in at chase.com/ultimaterewards. [1]
What fees and rates apply?
| Annual fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Introductory APR | 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers |
| APR after the introductory period | Variable, shown as 18.49% to 29.99% |
| Balance transfer fee | Applies; Chase's pricing and terms give the detail |
Chase describes the card as having no annual fee and, as a new feature, no foreign transaction fees. [1] [3] The 0% introductory APR lasts 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, after which a variable APR applies that the card page shows as a range from 18.49% to 29.99%. [1] [2] A balance transfer fee applies. [1] [2]
Limits and exceptions
- Quarterly cap. The 5% rate covers $1,500 of combined purchases per quarter; spending beyond that earns 1% with no maximum. [1]
- No activation, no bonus. The 5% has to be activated each quarter, and Chase applies an activation deadline. [1]
- Transactions that earn nothing. Balance transfers, cash advances and similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers and similar betting transactions, cheques that access the account, interest, unauthorised or fraudulent charges, and fees of any kind, including an annual fee, do not earn rewards. [1]
- Losing points. Points do not expire while the account is open, but all of them are lost immediately if the account status changes, or the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activities or other reasons described in the Rewards Program Agreement. [1]
- New cardmember bonus. Chase advertises a $250 bonus after $500 of purchases in the first three months from account opening, presented as a limited-time offer with $200 struck through, and asks cardholders to allow six to eight weeks for the bonus to post. [1] The account must be open and not in default when the bonus is fulfilled, and the offer is not available to current cardmembers of the card or to previous cardmembers who received a new cardmember bonus for it in the last 24 months. [1]
- DashPass trial. The six months of complimentary DashPass require activation for the first time between 1 February 2025 and 31 December 2027 and membership must be activated with a United States address; after the complimentary period the membership continues at the then-current monthly rate until cancelled. [1]
Frequently asked questions
How much cash back does the Chase Freedom Flex pay in its bonus categories?
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the categories Chase names for that quarter, provided the cardholder activates the bonus; spending above $1,500 earns 1% with no cap. [1] [2]
Does the Chase Freedom Flex charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees?
No. Chase lists a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees for the card. [1] [3]
Do Chase Freedom Flex rewards expire?
Points do not expire while the account is open, but they are forfeited if the account status changes or the account is closed for programme misuse, fraudulent activity or other listed reasons. [1]
Which categories does Chase list for January to March 2027?
Grocery stores, excluding Walmart and Target, and top streaming services, with activation opening on 15 December 2026. [1]
Can I get the new cardmember bonus if I already hold the card?
No. The offer is not available to current cardmembers of this card, or to previous cardmembers who received a new cardmember bonus for it within the last 24 months. [1]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Other Chase cards — including Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Freedom Rise, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Ink business cards — are not covered here, and neither are cards issued by other banks.
- Chase Freedom Flex credit card page, checked 18 October 2026
- Compare Chase cash back credit cards, checked 18 October 2026
- Compare Chase Freedom credit cards, checked 18 October 2026
- Chase credit cards: compare offers and apply online, checked 18 October 2026