9 Reasons Why You Need the Chase Freedom Flex® Card

The Chase Freedom Flex® is a must-have credit card. Are you still on the fence about whether or not you should get it? 

(All information about the Chase Freedom Flex®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. The card issuer has not reviewed it.)

The Chase Freedom card was a must, simply because of its quarterly 5% bonus categories (which we’ll discuss in a minute.) The Chase Freedom Flex® also boasts that perk and several more bonus categories we’ll discuss in a minute.

Here are 9 reasons why we think it belongs in your wallet.

No Annual Fee

“No annual fee” is relatively self-explanatory. There’s no worry about whether or not it “pays for itself.” Most importantly, this card packs a lot of punch for a card that doesn’t carry an annual fee.

Plus, it saves you the pain of yearly retention calls.

5% Quarterly Bonus Cashback Categories

Each quarter, Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders are eligible to receive 5% bonus cash back (or 5X points) from select spending categories.

The benefit maxes out at $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter. So the most you get back each quarter is $75 (or $300 each year).

That’s pretty decent for a no-annual-fee card.

Categories are announced each quarter, and cardholders must manually activate the benefit.

Here’s 2025 so far:

• Q1: January – March
  • Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target)
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships
  • Hair, Nails & Spa Services
• Q2: April – June
  • Amazon
  • Select streaming purchases
• Q3: July – September
  • Gas stations
  • Select live entertainment
  • Instacart
  • EV charging stations

These were 2024’s:

• Q1: January – March
  • Grocery stores (excluding Walmart)
  • Target
  • Fitness clubs & gym memberships
• Q2: April – June
  • Amazon
  • Whole Foods
  • Hotels
  • Restaurants
• Q3: July – September
  • Gas stations
  • EV charging stations
  • Select live entertainment
  • Movie Theatres
• Q4: October – December
  • PayPal
  • McDonald’s
  • Pet Shops and Veterinarian Services
  • Donations to Select Charities

Here’s the 2023 wrap-up:

• Q1: January – March
  • Grocery stores (excluding Walmart)
  • Target
  • Fitness clubs & gym memberships
• Q2: April – June
  • Amazon purchases
  • Lowe’s purchases
• Q3: July – September
  • Gas stations
  • EV charging stations
  • Select live entertainment
• Q4: October – December
  • PayPal
  • Wholesale clubs
  • Select charity donations

Here’s how 2022 shaped up:

• Q1: January – March
  • Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart)
  • eBay
• Q2: April – June
  • Amazon purchases
  • Select streaming services
• Q3: July – September
  • Gas stations
  • Rental car agencies
  • Movie theaters
  • Select live entertainment
• Q4: October – December
  • PayPal
  • Walmart

In 2021, we enjoyed:

• Q1: January – March
  • Select streaming services
  • Wholesale clubs
  • Phone, cable, and Internet services
• Q2: April – June 
  • Gas stations
  • Home improvement stores
• Q3: July – September
  • Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart)
  • Select streaming services
• Q4: October – December
  • PayPal
  • Walmart

In 2020, they were:

• Q1: January – March
  • Select streaming services
  • Gas stations
  • Phone, cable, and Internet services
• Q2: April – June 
  • Grocery stores
  • Select streaming services
  • Gym memberships
  • Fitness clubs
• Q3: July – September
  • Amazon
  • Whole Foods
• Q4: October – December
  • PayPal
  • Walmart

If you don’t like a quarter’s categories, simply don’t use them. Again, there’s no annual fee you have to worry about meeting. But we generally blog a few ideas on how to maximize your earnings whenever the quarterly bonuses are announced.

3% on Dining at Restaurants and Food Delivery Services

You earn 3% back when using your Chase Freedom Flex® to pay at restaurants or select food delivery services.

Earns Chase Points

The Chase Freedom Flex® earns Chase points — which you can then convert to statement credit or to cash. Either method carries a value of one cent per point. For example, $100 spent in a 5% category earns 500 Ultimate Rewards points. You can then apply that as $5 in statement credit, transfer it to your bank account, or have Chase send you a check.

Or use it to book award travel or transfer to a Chase travel partner. Chase has plenty of partnerships with great airline and hotel programs. (If you like Hyatt, Marriott, or IHG hotels, Chase Ultimate Rewards® cards are definitely worth your attention.)

Keep in mind you can also transfer points between Chase Ultimate Rewards® accounts — which is a big plus for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® members can redeem their points for travel — but with an automatic 50% bonus. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders, meanwhile, get a 25% bonus when redeeming Ultimate Rewards points for travel booked through Chase.

RELATED: Why and How Delta Flyers Can Benefit from Chase Ultimate Rewards®

5% Back on Travel Booked Through Chase’s Travel Program

Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders receive 5% cashback (5X Ultimate Rewards points) when using their Flex card to purchase airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, activities, and cruises through Chase Travel℠. Think of it as, essentially, a 5% discount (in the long run) on travel.

Easy $200 Cashback Welcome Offer

Some cards require you to spend thousands of dollars to earn their welcome bonuses. (In many cases, it’s worth it.)

But don’t worry about that with the Chase Freedom Flex®. The current welcome offer gives new cardholders a $200 bonus (paid as 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after spending just $500 on purchases within three months of being approved.

3% Back at Drugstores

Here’s an interesting category! Chase offers Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders 3% cashback (3X URs) on eligible purchases at drugstores.

(Thinking outside of the box: this saves some money on liquor and other treats at those Las Vegas Strip CVS and Walgreens locations! ;-). )

0% Introductory APR

The Chase Freedom Flex® offers new cardholders a 0% introductory APR for purchases made during the first 15 months of card membership. After that, 19.49% - 28.24% Variable. Keep in mind you must honor monthly statements’ minimum payment requirements in order for the 0% promotional APR to remain valid.

Mastercard Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection Program

If you pay your monthly cell phone service bill with your Chase Freedom Flex® card, you’re eligible for Mastercard’s Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection Program. This reimburses you for damage to or theft of your phone.

Final Approach

The [Chase Freedom Flex® is a no-brainer, simply because of the 5% quarterly bonus category. And considering there’s no annual fee and its host of points-earnings opportunities, it’s a great card to hold.

The Chase Freedom Flex® is not available through our affiliate partner. All information about the card has been independently collected by Eye of the Flyer. The content has not been independently reviewed by the card issuer.