A new set of quarterly bonus categories for the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex® cashback credit cards are on the way.
Every quarter, Chase mixes up the spending categories in which you can earn a 5% cash back bonus (or 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 of spending on the card. Some quarters are easier than others.
The latest update on these Chase Freedom bonus categories for Q4 of 2024 includes McDonald’s, PayPal, pet shops & vet services, and select charities.
Keep reading for more information on these categories, how to put them to use, and why it might be worth sticking the Chase Freedom Flex® card in your wallet.
Chase Freedom & Freedom Flex Q4 2024 Bonus Categories
For the fourth quarter of 2024 (October-December), the new bonus categories are for spending at McDonald’s, PayPal, pet shops & vet services, and select charities.
Making your Freedom or Freedom Flex card the one you reach for when doing your online holiday shopping is an easy way to maximize this quarter's bonus categories. With most online merchants offering PayPal as an eligible payment method, many people will have no trouble maxing this offer out.
You'll also earn 5% cash back at McDonald's … but if you're spending an average of $500 per month at the Golden Arches, you better be filming a sequel to Supersize Me. Other 5% categories include pet shops and veterinary services, as well as select charities. You can find a full list of what counts and doesn't count as a purchase in this bonus category on the Chase website.
Once you spend $1,500 across those bonus categories, you'll revert to earning just 1% cash back (or 1x Ultimate Rewards points) until Jan. 2025. That's when the next set of bonus categories will go live.
You must activate these new Chase Freedom bonus spending categories to earn the additional cash back. Registration for the new categories is now open: Just head to the Chase bonus activation page to activate them.
So long as you register by Dec. 14, 2024, any purchases you made in one of these bonus categories since October will get you 5% back.
The Basics of the Chase Freedom Flex Card
If you aren't familiar with the Chase Freedom Flex® credit card, it's a phenomenal cashback card with no annual fee.
That's largely because of these rotating quarterly categories, in which you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of spending each and every quarter.
You'll also earn 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal and 3% back on several other categories like drugstores and dining purchases.
Looking for Points Instead of Cashback?
If you're after more Chase Ultimate Rewards points instead of cash back, you're in luck.
So long as you hold a *chase sapphire preferred* or a *chase sapphire reserve* credit card, the cashback you earn from the Freedom cards can easily be moved into your Ultimate Rewards points balance. Every cent of cashback gets you 1 Chase point instead.
That means you can effectively earn 5x Ultimate Rewards per dollar spent on the bonus categories from the Freedom Flex card.
That's a great deal: It's what makes the Chase Freedom Flex card the perfect complement to the Sapphire credit cards, as you'll earn more on these bonus categories (and others) than you would by simply swiping your Sapphire card.
Read more: How to Transfer Points Between Your Chase Cards
What You Need to Know About the Chase Freedom Flex Card
- Sign-Up Bonus: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 in the first three months of card membership. The $200 can be converted to 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you carry either the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories: The bonus categories for Q4 2024 are McDonald’s, PayPal, Pet Shops & Vet Services, and Select Charities. These new categories go live Oct. 1, 2024.
- Earn 5% cashback on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
- Earn 5% cashback on Lyft rides through March 2025.
- Earn 3% cashback on dining, including takeout and delivery services.
- Earn 3% cashback at drugstores.
All information about the Chase Freedom Flex was collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Learn more about the Chase Freedom Flex® (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
How to Activate Chase Freedom Categories Each Quarter
The additional 5% back available for both Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex cardholders will not be automatically applied each quarter.
You'll need to register for the promotion every quarter by following this link to the Chase website. Any spending before you're registered will not qualify for the 5% back.
You'll need to enter your last name, your billing zip code, and the last four digits of your credit card number. Then click “Activate Now” to register. It's that easy.
Cardholders can also register using the Chase mobile app.
How Much Cash Back Can You Earn Each Quarter?
Chase limits the amount of cashback you can earn each quarter. And it's a combined amount across all Chase Freedom bonus categories, meaning you'll only be able to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in total spend.
That means if you maximize the 5% back categories each quarter, you'll earn $75 of cashback. Transfer that cashback to Chase Ultimate Rewards, and you get 7,500 points.
So if you were to maximize the bonus categories each quarter, you could earn a total of $300 cash back (or 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points) every calendar year.
Previous 5x Bonus Chase Freedom Categories
Here's a quick look at what the Chase Freedom Flex and legacy Chase Freedom bonus categories have been in previous quarters. As you can see, categories vary widely throughout the year. But generally, they are categories that should fit fairly well into your everyday spending patterns.
| Quarter | 5x Bonus Categories |
|---|---|
| Q2 2024 | Gas stations, EV charging, select live entertainment and movie theaters |
| Q1 2024 | Grocery stores, gym memberships, and self-care and spa services |
| Q4 2023 | PayPal, wholesale clubs, and select charities |
| Q3 2023 | Gas stations, EV charging, and select live entertainment |
| Q2 2023 | Amazon and Lowe's |
| Q1 2023 | Target, grocery stores (excluding Walmart), fitness clubs, and gym memberships |
| Q4 2022 | Paypal and Walmart |
| Q3 2022 | Gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters, and select live entertainment. |
| Q2 2022 | Amazon.com and select streaming services |
| Q1 2022 | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and eBay |
| Q4 2021 | Walmart & PayPal |
| Q3 2021 | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and select streaming services |
| Q2 2021 | Gas stations and home improvement stores |
| Q1 2021 | Wholesale Clubs, Streaming Services, Internet, Cable & Phone Service |
| Q4 2020 | Walmart & PayPal |
| Q3 2020 | Amazon, Whole Foods Market |
| Q2 2020 | Grocery stores, gym memberships, streaming services |
| Q1 2020 | Gas stations, internet, cable, & streaming services |
| Q4 2019 | Department stores, PayPal & Chase Pay Purchases |
| Q3 2019 | Gas stations, streaming services |
| Q2 2019 | Grocery stores, home improvement stores |
| Q1 2019 | Gas stations, drug stores, tolls |
| Q4 2018 | Wholesale clubs, department stores, Chase Pay |
| Q3 2018 | Walgreens, gas stations, and Lyft |
| Q2 2018 | Groceries, PayPal, Chase Pay |
| Q1 2018 | Mobile wallets, gas stations, internet, cable and phone service payments |
Bottom Line
The Chase Freedom Flex card (along with the old Chase Freedom) is an excellent no-annual-fee cashback credit card that gets even better if you hold one of the Chase Sapphire cards.
Even if you can't take advantage of these Chase Freedom categories, it is still a great card that offers a ton of value. If you can maximize the categories each quarter, you'll earn an extra $75 cash back (or 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points).
The upcoming categories for Q4 of 2024 are McDonald’s, PayPal, pet shops & vet services, and select charities. Make sure to activate the offer at on Chase's website before Dec. 14 so that you don't miss out.