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Chase Freedom Cash Back Calendar for 2024

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
By: Lyle Daly

Our Credit Cards Expert

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

One of the highlights of the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is its quarterly bonus categories. By staying up to date on the Chase Freedom cash back calendar, you'll know where to shop to earn bonus cash back.

By activating your card's quarterly bonus categories, you earn 5% back on up to $1,500 of combined purchases in those categories. These rotating bonus categories are also available if you have the Chase Freedom, although that card isn't open to new applicants anymore.

Ratings Methodology
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex℠

On Chase's Secure Website.

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex℠

On Chase's Secure Website.

Chase Freedom Flex℠
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Flex℠

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular APR

20.49%-29.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.

5% cash back offer

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!

$200 bonus

  • This Chase card is one of our favorites, and with good reason. You earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, alongside other standout perks (and at least 1% on all purchases). Plus, this one comes without an annual fee and with a generous welcome bonus.

    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Lucrative cash back program
    • Long 0% intro APR
    • No annual fee
    • Purchase and travel protections
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
    • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
    • 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
    • 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
    • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
    • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
    • No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
    • Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
    • Member FDIC

Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2024

Here's the Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2023:

Quarter Bonus categories Activation deadline
January through March Grocery stores (excluding Walmart), Target, and fitness club and gym memberships March 14, 2023
April through June Amazon.com and Lowe's June 14, 2023
July through September Select live entertainment, gas stations, and EV charging stations Sept. 14, 2023
October through December Wholesale clubs, select charities, and PayPal Dec. 14, 2023
Data source: Chase.

There are several ways to activate rotating bonus categories with Chase. You can do so online through your Chase account, by email, by phone, through the Chase mobile app, at a Chase bank, or at a Chase ATM (if you're a Chase checking customer). You can also do so online by visiting Chase Bonus and entering:

  • Your last name
  • The last four digits of your credit card number
  • Your ZIP code

As long as you activate by the deadline, all your eligible purchases for the quarter will earn the 5% cash back rate. That's competitive with the best credit card offers. If you have multiple Chase Freedom credit cards with rotating bonus categories, you must go through the activation process with each one.

How to make the most of Chase's rotating bonus categories

Since 5% is a high rewards rate, try to make the most of it. If you spend $500 per month in those bonus categories, you'll reach the $1,500 spending cap for the quarter and maximize your credit card rewards. That would be worth $75 cash back per quarter. If you can do that every quarter, that's $300 in bonus cash back per year.

Here are a few pointers to help you take full advantage of these rotating credit card rewards:

  • Set up reminder emails with Chase. If you miss the activation deadline, your card won't earn the bonus rate for the quarter. Make sure Chase has your correct email address and you're signed up for email reminders so you get a notification when it's time to activate.
  • Shift your eligible spending to your Chase rewards card. The best strategy is to put as much regular spending as possible in your card's quarterly bonus categories. That way, you earn plenty of bonus cash back without overspending.
  • Consider combining Chase credit cards. One of the nice things about Chase is its credit cards work well together. If you also have a Chase travel card, you can move your cash back onto that travel card and use it as Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This allows you to use those rewards for various types of travel bookings.

LEARN MORE: Definitive Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

More Chase Freedom Flex℠ bonus categories

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is known for its rotating bonus categories. One of the advantages it has over its predecessor, the discontinued Chase Freedom, is that it also has several fixed bonus categories:

  • 5% back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
  • 5% back on rides with Lyft through March 31, 2025
  • 3% back on restaurant purchases
  • 3% back at drugstores

If rotating bonus categories aren't your thing, it's worth mentioning that Chase offers a great alternative in the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It has the same fixed bonus categories. Instead of rotating bonus categories, it offers a cash back rate of 1.5% on non-bonus purchases, higher than the Chase Freedom Flex℠ rate of 1% on those purchases.

SEE MORE TOP PICKS: Best Chase Credit Cards

Still have questions?

Here are some other questions we've answered:

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back 		Up to $300 cash back Circle with letter I in it. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. 1.5% - 5% cash back Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for earning travel rewards 		75,000 Miles Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening 2X-5X miles Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Intro:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Apply Now for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

FAQs

  • The quarterly Chase Freedom bonus categories for 2023 are:

    • Grocery stores (excluding Walmart), Target, and fitness club and gym memberships from January through March
    • Amazon.com and Lowe's from April through June
    • Select live entertainment, gas stations, and EV charging stations from July through September
    • Wholesale clubs, select charities, and PayPal from October through December

  • The Chase Freedom was discontinued on Sept. 15, 2020, but there are two credit cards currently available in the Chase Freedom line:

    • Chase Freedom Flex℠
    • Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Our Credit Cards Experts

Lyle Daly
By: Lyle Daly

Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.