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When you activate the Chase Freedom bonus categories by September 14, you’ll earn 5% back on eligible purchases retroactive to the start of the quarter.
Chase; Insider
Chase Freedom credit cards come with rotating 5% category bonuses for everyday purchases each quarter.
You must activate this bonus by September 14 to earn bonus rewards on eligible purchases made from July through September 2022.
New Chase Freedom bonus categories for Q4 2022 will be announced on September 15, 2022.
Read Insider’s guide to the best cash-back credit cards.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is one of the most powerful tools in the wallet of cash-back seekers and travel enthusiasts alike. There are two reasons for this:
It earns 5% cash back in useful rotating spending categories (on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter, then 1%). Activation is required.You can turn that cash back into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points (I’ll explain in a minute).
The current bonus categories for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom® (no longer available to new applicants) are gas stations, rental car agencies, movie theaters, and select live entertainment. But you must activate the bonus categories by September 14, 2022, or you’ll miss out.
Here’s what you need to know.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Activate Chase Freedom rotating category bonuses
While Chase markets the Chase Freedom Flex℠ as a cash-back card, it actually earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points which you can redeem for cash at a rate of 1 cent each. When you earn 5% back, you’re actually earning 5 Chase points per dollar.
The real value of Ultimate Rewards points can only be unlocked if you have one of the following cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Reserve®Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
These allow you to convert your rewards into airline miles and hotel points with Chase transfer partners, and also offer better redemption value when you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal or through Pay Yourself Back.
Currently, you’ll earn 5% cash back (5x points) for gas stations, rental car agencies, movie theaters, and select live entertainment purchases between July 1 and September 30, 2022. You must activate this bonus by September 14, 2022.
Even if you haven’t yet activated this bonus, you will retroactively earn 5% back for all previous qualifying purchases (up to $1,500 in spending) during the quarter.
Starting September 15, you won’t be able to activate the Q3 bonus anymore — instead, the Q4 (October to December) bonus categories will be revealed and activation will open.