Reasons Everyone Loves the Chase Freedom Flex

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 realize it’s for every rewards lover.

In addition to one of the best reward rates of any cash back credit card, new customers receive welcome bonuses while qualifying for a number of important benefits.

Here are the top five reasons why everyone raved about this card.

1. Super reward

If a new customer spends $500 within three months of account opening, Chase Freedom Flex will receive a $200 cash bonus. From there, cardholders have the opportunity to earn rewards across a range of everyday spending categories.

It all starts with a 5% rebate, up to a $1,500 reward tier that rotates every three months (after activation), and then a 1% rebate. Chase Freedom Flex reward tiers may vary from year to year, but they include options that most consumers can easily maximize:

	2021 CATEGORIES	2022 CATEGORIES
Q1: January to March	Wholesale clubs Internet, cable and phone services Select streaming services	Grocery stores eBay
Q2: April to June	Gas stations Home improvement stores	Amazon.com Select streaming services
Q3: July to September	Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) Select streaming services: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube TV	Gas stations Car rentals Select entertainment Music theatres
Q4: October to December	Walmart PayPal	Walmart PayPal

As if those categories weren’t enough, Chase Freedom Flex cardholders earn 5% on travel purchases in Chase Ultimate Rewards, 5% on Lyft rides (through March 2025), restaurant and drugstore purchases 3%, earn 1% on everything else. The combination of reward categories makes Chase Freedom Flex very unique and lucrative for almost everyone.

2. Flexible reward redemption

Where some cash-back credit cards only allow you to redeem rewards in the mail or bank statement for a check, the Chase Freedom Flex excels here, too. You can redeem your rewards for cash back, account credit, gift cards, merchandise and even travel with Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Even better if you have one of Chase’s premium travel credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Paired cards allow you to use different reward cards to maximize points on all your expenses and bills. From there, Chase lets you pool your points into a premium travel card account for better travel redemption.

For example, when you redeem travel points, Sapphire Preferred gives you a 25% boost, while Sapphire Reserve gives you a 50% boost. Meanwhile, either card gives you the option to transfer points to Chase travel partners such as Air France/Flying Blue, United MileagePlus, Southwest Express Rewards, IHG Rewards and World of Hyatt.

3. Introductory APR Offer

Chase Freedom Flex offers incredible rewards, but that’s not all. New cardholders can also enjoy an introductory APR of 0% on purchases and fund transfers for 15 months, followed by variable APRs ranging from 17.24% to 25.99%. This introductory rate can be helpful if you make large purchases and need to pay them back over time, or if you’re consolidating and paying down high-interest debt.

Note that your combined debt balance transfer fee is only 3% of the balance transferred within the first 60 days (minimum $5). After that, the transfer fee increases to 5% (minimum $5).

4. Travel benefits

Chase Freedom Flex users also have access to a number of surprising travel benefits, including multiple travel insurance policies.

For starters, cardholders earn 5% back on travel booked through the Chase portal, which includes airfare, hotels, rental cars, and more. In addition, the card includes trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance and comprehensive rental car insurance. Cardholders also have access to travel and emergency assistance services for medical and legal referrals and other emergency assistance when you are away from home.

5. Consumer Protection

Freedom Flex provides cell phone protection worth up to $800 per claim (up to $1,000 per year). This protection comes into play when you pay your phone bill with your card. Up to two claims may be made every 12 months and a $50 deductible will apply.

At the same time, cardholders are also eligible for purchase protection against damage or theft, valid for up to 120 days after purchase. This covers up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.

Finally, Freedom Flex offers cardholders an additional year of warranty protection for eligible items that already have a manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less. This extended warranty protection applies when you purchase an item and pay with a credit card and is free for the cardholder.

Why you should consider another cash back credit card

There are many reasons why you should consider using different cashback cards or have multiple cards. For example, a major downside to Freedom Flex is that cardholders only get 1% back on regular purchases without a bonus. Because of this, you can combine it with another card that offers better rewards for regular purchases, such as the B. Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi® Double Cash Card.

If you’re primarily looking for an introductory APR, know that some cards offer this benefit for longer than 15 months. If you want to save on interest on purchases, transfers, or both, compare the Chase Freedom Flex to other 0% APR credit cards.

Final result

Chase Freedom Flex is one of the best cash back credit cards on the market today. Generous income quotas for rotating and daily expense categories can help you earn more rewards. The card also offers a surprising number of benefits, considering there is no annual fee.