UPDATES:
  • The categories for the Chase Freedom 5% Q4 2023 from October 1 to December 31, 2023. are:
    • PayPal
    • Wholesale Clubs
    • Select Charities
    • The activation link is live on September 15, 2023.

The Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card and the old discontinued Chase Freedom Credit Card offer a 5% bonus of up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter. You will earn 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points if you can max out this offer. I value Chase points at 1.6 cents per point when combined with Chase's flexible points-earning credit card, so 7,500 points are worth about $120. If you just want simple cash back, 7,500 Chase points equal $75. 

How to Maximize Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Categories
Photo Credit: Chase
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    Can You Have Two Freedom Cards and Earn a 5% Bonus Twice Per Quarter?

    Chase Bank does not allow you to simultaneously have two Freedom Flex credit cards with new applications. However, you can have multiple Freedom Flex cards if you can product change from another Chase credit card. For example, you already have a Freedom Flex credit card. You can downgrade your Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card to a Freedom Flex credit card, allowing you to have two Freedom Flex credit cards and earn 5% in bonus categories on each card. 

    Furthermore, if you have the old Chase Freedom (not available for new applicants) and Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card, you can have both cards at once and earn 5% in bonus categories on each credit card. This will increase the maximum amount of Ultimate Rewards points you can earn by 5% to a total of $3,000 per quarter ($1,500 max per card). You must activate the 5% bonus offer on both credit cards below. 

    Chase Freedom 5% Q4 2023 Bonus Categories & Activation Link

    • Valid from October 1 - December 31, 2023.
    • 5% Bonus Categories for this quarter are:
      • PayPal
      • Wholesale Clubs
      • Select Charities
    • Activation begins on September 15, 2023.
    • Direct Link to Activate

    Chase Freedom 5% Q3 2023 Bonus Categories & Activation Link

    • Valid from July 1 - September 30, 2023
    • 5% Bonus Categories for this quarter are:
      • Gas Stations
      • EV Charging
      • Select Live Entertainment
    • Must activate the offer by September 14, 2023, to earn the 5% bonus
    • Direct Link to Activate

    How to Activate Chase Freedom 5% on the Chase Mobile App

    • Launch Chase mobile app and log into your account. 
    • Tap on an eligible Chase Freedom credit card. 
    • Scroll down until you see the 5% cashback section. 
    • Tap on See details & activate.
    • Simply tap on Activate button to activate the 5% bonus category, and you're done!

    How to Maximize Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Categories For Q3 2023

    You should do organic spending as much as possible. You have 3 months to take advantage of this 5% bonus category offer, so there's no need to rush things. 

    Gas Stations

    • With the high gas prices going on right now, this is a nice category for those who do not own electric vehicles. 
    • This covers several merchants selling automotive gasoline, such as Exxon, Shell, Chevron, Sinclair, Stinker, and even gas stations at wholesale stores, such as Costco Wholesale Fuel, Sam's Club Fuel, and BJs Wholesale Club Fuel. 
    • From my experience and data point, gas station convenience store purchases also count. Those convenience stores also sell various gift cards. 
    • Merchants not specializing in selling automotive gasoline are not included in this category, for example, truck stops, boat marinas, oil and propane distributors, and home heating companies.


    EV Charging

    • The EV Charging category includes payments made at the charging stations, via mobile app or directly with an attendant, and subscription services. 
    • Any goods or services purchases are also eligible. 
    • Merchants must use the electric vehicle charging MCC for transactions to be rewarded.
    • Parking facility merchants, such as valet parking, airport parking, and parking garage vendors, can charge the transaction to the MCC parking facility. In that case, the transaction will not be rewarded.
    • Residential electric vehicle charging is not included in this category. 
    • Electric vehicle charging equipment purchases and servicing for any use, including residential or commercial, are not included in this category.

    Select Live Entertainment

    • This category is useful for those planning theme park vacations such as Disneyland, Universal Studios, etc., given that park passes at those places can be costly for family travelers. 
    • The Select Live Entertainment category includes tickets purchased for major sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions and exhibits, amusement parks, circuses, carnivals, bands, and entertainers. This also includes agencies selling tickets on behalf of the entertainment venue, such as Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats, etc. 
    • You can view the list of select live entertainment merchants here. 


    How to Track Your Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Spending 

    • Sign in to your Chase account online. 
    • Click on your Chase Freedom or Chase Freedom Flex credit card.
    • You should now see 5% cashback towards the top. Click on Details.
    • You will see your spending progress bar there. 
    How to Track Your Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Spending

    How to Verify If A Purchase Qualifies For Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Category

    I applaud Chase Technology for this. Chase makes it really simple to find out how many reward points you earn from a purchase once the transaction is posted without having to wait until your credit card's statement is closed:
    • Via Chase online or the Chase app, log in and click on your Chase Freedom or Chase Freedom Flex credit card. 
    • Click on the purchase or transaction in question. 
    • Scroll down until you see the Total points under Rewards earned with this transaction.Â