The Chase Freedom Flex combines rotating quarterly bonus categories with consistent year-round perks—all with no annual fee. Whether you’re optimizing spending for everyday savings or tapping into the Chase travel ecosystem, this card gives you multiple ways to earn more.
🎁 Rewards You Can Activate & Maximize
Rotating 5% Categories
- Earn 5% cash back (5 points per $1) on up to $1,500 per quarter in activated bonus categories.
- For Q3 2025 (July 1–September 30), activate to earn 5% on: Gas stations, EV charging, Select live entertainment, and Instacart—including Instacart as the surprise “Birthday Bonus” category.
- You must activate each quarter (by mid‑September, etc.), but rewards are retroactive even if activated late.
Fixed Bonus Categories
- 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ (no cap).
- 3% back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services).
- 3% back at drugstores (no cap).
- 2% back on Lyft rides (through September 2027), when paid via Lyft app.
Everyday Spend
- Earn 1% cash back (1 point per $1) on all other purchases outside bonus categories.
💸 Intro APR & Value for Travel Redeemers
- Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
- Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, then a variable APR of 18.99%–28.49% based on creditworthiness.
- Balance transfer fee: 5% of amount (min $5) within intro window.
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%. Ideal mainly for U.S. use.
📊 Tools & Rewards Flexibility
- Earn Ultimate Rewards® points, redeemable as:
- 1¢ per point for cash back (deposits or statement credits) or travel bookings.
- Travel redemption value increases when paired with a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred: points transfer 1:1 to travel partners.
- DashPass benefit: Complimentary 6 months of DoorDash+DashPass when activated between Feb 1, 2025, and Dec 31, 2027, using your card as default payment in app.
- Additional perks via Mastercard World Elite, including ShopRunner membership, cell phone damage protection (up to $800 per claim / $1000 per year), and travel emergency assistance.
🔐 Security & Fee Simplicity
- $0 annual fee—simple and accessible.
- Zero Liability protection against fraud and unauthorized charges.
- Chip-enabled card with contactless/tap-to-pay capabilities.
- Ongoing fraud alerts and smooth mobile/app access with payment reminders.
📄 Terms & Best Practices
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Intro APR | 0% for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers |
| Ongoing APR | 18.99%–28.49% variable |
| Balance Transfer Fee | 5% (minimum $5) |
| 5% Bonus Spending Cap | Up to $1,500 per quarter combined on rotating categories |
| Other Bonus Rates | 5% travel via Chase Travel, 3% dining, 3% drugstores, 2% Lyft |
| Base Rate | 1% on all other purchases |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 3% |
Smart tips:
- Activate each quarter to earn 5% in rotating categories—set calendar reminders!
- Pay your balance in full monthly to avoid high interest.
- Aim to max out the $1,500 quarterly cap for up to $75 in bonus rewards.
- Use your Freedom Flex alongside a Chase Sapphire card to convert cash back into travel value.
✅ Who Should Get It & When to Use It
Great fit if you:
- Have good to excellent credit and want to optimize cash back.
- Want zero annual fees with a rich rewards structure.
- Plan to pair with a premium Ultimate Rewards®‑earning Chase card for top travel value.
Less ideal if you:
- Prefer flat-rate 2% cards with no activation requirements.
- Spend abroad often—foreign transaction fees apply.
- Don’t want to track rotating categories each quarter.
🚀 How to Apply
- Visit Chase’s official site, search for “Chase Freedom Flex”.
- Click “Apply Now”, log in if you have an existing Bank of America or Chase account, or continue as a new applicant.
- Optionally use the prequalification tool for a soft credit check and possible offers.
- Provide basic information: name, address, SSN, employment/income.
- Review terms, approve the application, and typically receive a decision within minutes.
- If approved, you can activate quarterly bonus categories, download the mobile app, and begin earning.
🎯 Final Take
The Chase Freedom Flex is ideal for those who are comfortable activating categories each quarter and want to boost rewards on travel, dining, drugstore, and rotating categories—all with zero annual fee. When paired with a Chase Sapphire card, your rewards become even more valuable for travel.
Apply today to claim the $200 bonus and start earning up to 5% cash back on purchases in key categories.
