Everyone seems to love the Chase Freedom Flex℠, but why? Once you dig into the details of this cash back credit card, you’ll quickly notice it offers something for every type of rewards enthusiast.
In addition to one of the best rewards rates among all cash back credit cards, new customers can also earn a welcome bonus while qualifying for an array of important perks.
Here are the five biggest reasons everyone has been raving about this card.
1. Exceptional rewards
The Chase Freedom Flex starts new cardholders off with a $200 cash bonus when they spend $500 on purchases within three months of account opening. From there, cardholders have the chance to earn rewards in an array of everyday spending categories.
It all starts with earning 5 percent back on up to $1,500 spent in bonus categories that rotate every three months (upon activation), followed by 1 percent back. Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories tend to differ from year to year, but they include options most consumers can easily maximize:
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| Q2: April to June |
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| Q3: July to September |
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| Q4: October to December |
As if those categories weren’t enough, Chase Freedom Flex cardholders also earn 5 percent back on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases, 5 percent back on Lyft rides (through March 2025), 3 percent back on dining and drugstore purchases and 1 percent back on everything else. The combination of rewards categories makes the Chase Freedom Flex quite unique and lucrative for almost anyone.
2. Flexible rewards redemptions
While some cash back credit cards only let you redeem rewards for a check in the mail or statement credits, the Chase Freedom Flex stands out in this area, too. You can redeem your rewards for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and paying with points at Amazon or PayPal.
If you have a premium travel credit card from Chase, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, that’s even better. By pairing cards, you can use different rewards cards to maximize points on all your spending and bills. From there, Chase lets you pool your points in a premium travel card account for better travel redemptions.
For example, the Sapphire Preferred offers 25 percent more value for your points when you redeem for travel through Chase, and the Sapphire Reserve gives you 50 percent more value on these types of redemptions. In the meantime, having either card unlocks the option to transfer your points to Chase travel partners like Air France/KLM Flying Blue, United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, IHG One Rewards and World of Hyatt.
3. 0% intro APR offer
The Chase Freedom Flex offers incredibly generous rewards, but that’s not all. New cardholders can also benefit from a 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR between 18.74 percent to 27.49 percent. This introductory rate can be helpful if you need to make a large purchase and pay it down over time or want to consolidate and pay off high-interest debt.
Just note that the balance transfer fee for debt you consolidate is 3 percent ($5 minimum) for balances transferred within the first 60 days. After that, the balance transfer fee goes up to 5 percent (minimum $5).
4. Travel perks
Chase Freedom Flex users also get access to a range of surprising travel benefits, including several travel insurance protections.
For starters, cardholders earn 5 percent back on travel booked through the Chase portal, which could include airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. Not only that, but the card comes with trip cancellation and interruption insurance, as well as an auto rental collision damage waiver. Cardholders also get travel and emergency assistance services that can come in handy for medical and legal referrals and other emergency help when you’re far from home.
5. Consumer protections
The Freedom Flex offers cellphone protection worth up to $800 per claim (max $1,000 per year). This protection comes into play when you pay your cellphone bill with your card. A maximum of two claims per 12-month period can be filed, and a $50 deductible applies.
Meanwhile, cardholders are also eligible for purchase protection against damage or theft that is good for up to 120 days after purchase. This covers up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.
Finally, the Freedom Flex grants cardholders an additional year of warranty protection for eligible items that already come with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less. This extended warranty protection applies when you purchase items and pay with your credit card, and it’s free for cardholders.
Why you might consider a different cash back credit card
There are several reasons why you may consider another cash back card or holding more than one card. For example, one major downside of the Freedom Flex is the fact that cardholders only earn 1 percent back on regular, non-bonus spending. For this reason, you might pair it with another card that offers better rewards on regular spending, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®* or Citi® Double Cash Card.
And if you’re mostly after its 0 percent intro APR, know that some cards offer this perk for longer than 15 months. If you are looking to save interest on purchases, balance transfers or both, compare the Chase Freedom Flex to other top 0 percent APR credit cards.
The bottom line
The Chase Freedom Flex is one of the best cash back credit cards on the market today. Generous earning rates on both rotating and everyday spending categories can help you earn more rewards. Plus, the card comes with a surprising number of perks considering its lack of an annual fee.
*The information about the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
