The Chase Freedom® Card (review) is one of my favorite no annual fee credit cards, as it offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spending per quarter. Most people use this as a cashback card, meaning the 5x points really translates into 5% cashback in these categories.
The best part is that in conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review), Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review), or Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card (review), points earned on this card can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points, and be transferred to the Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners. Since I value one Ultimate Rewards point at significantly more than one cent, that’s my preferred use of those points.
New: Chase Freedom Q4 2019 Bonus Categories
Chase has just announced the details of the fourth quarter 2019 bonus category, for which registration will open on Sunday, September 15, 2019.
From October 1 through December 31, 2019, the Chase Freedom will be offering 5x points on the first $1,500 spent at department stores, PayPal, and Chase Pay.
I love being able to earn 5x points with PayPal, and to a lesser extent with Chase Pay. Personally the department store category doesn’t interest me as much, though I know that’s popular with many for holiday shopping.
Last Chance: Chase Freedom Q3 2019 Bonus Categories
Through September 30, 2019, you can earn 5x points on the first $1,500 of combined purchases at gas stations and streaming services with the Chase Freedom.
If you haven’t yet registered, you can do so through tomorrow, Saturday, September 14, 2019 – just go to the registration page and enter your last name, billing zip code, and the last four digits on your card number, and you’ll be registered.
You can see a list of eligible merchants here. Streaming services include Apple Music, Fubo TV, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, SiriusXM, Sling, Spotify, and Vudu.
How To Make Chase Freedom Point Even More Valuable
Just to recap, you earn points on the Chase Freedom® Card, and each point can be redeemed for one cent cashback.
However, if you have this card in addition to one of the cards that accrues Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer these points to Ultimate Rewards. Cards that accrue Ultimate Rewards Cards include the:
So 5% cashback converts into 5x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar with one of the above cards.
Chase Freedom Bonus Summary
The Chase Freedom® Card is one of the best no annual fee cards out there, and I do everything I can to max out the 5x points category every quarter.
If you haven’t yet registered for the third quarter bonus category, this is your last chance to do so. Then you can continue to earn 5x points at gas stations and with select streaming services through the end of the month.
We now also know that in the fourth quarter it will be possible to earn 5x points with Chase Pay, PayPal, and department stores, which I consider to be a pretty well rounded category.
What do you make of the fourth quarter 2019 Chase Freedom bonus categories?
Ben are you planning to write a post about the numerous Hotel deals available in Hong Kong right now to compensate for low occupancy rate?
This cards could be used for these hotels in Hong Kong
Where can I buy vanilla gift cards with chase pay? Anyone know?
Chase Pay at 5X?? Isn’t Chase in the process killing this application? One last hurrah it seems.
BTW, these categories for 4Q are kinda lame.
If you can find them, Best Buy has VGC and takes Chase Pay. Works for me!
I thought Chase Pay was going away, at least their app?
The Chase Pay app is being discontinued, not the Chase Pay service.
Chase Pay with Samsung Pay integration, my friends.
Chase Pay bonuses won’t be very useful for most people soon… they’ll be able to do selected gas station pumps?
Let me guess Walmart and Target aren’t considered to be “department store”‘s
Chase Pay is being shut down
Maybe I can just send myself $1500 via Paypal.
Weird
So can I essentially use chase pay for gas to get 5X?
@Julia, Why would anyone use Chase Freedom internationally when it’s much better to use cards to no foreign transaction fees?
Also, Chase Pay is still a thing?
Interesting that theyd promote Chase pay after already announcing they are ending it in a few months.
The app never works with my freedom card (though it does with every other chase card i own, oddly). Tried reinstalling multiple times.
Most useless collection of bonus categories yet. I guess my Freedom card gets a three month vacation.
Like it better when department stores included Walmart and Target.
Don’t know why people are claiming these are bad categories. Paypal is accepted by lots of online retailers as a form of payment, which makes it relatively easy to max out the bonus. For me, and I would think for most people, paypal is much better than the categories for the past 2 quarters, where I barely used them.
Finally a category I will easily max out. I am using PayPal checkout all the time now since they offer free returns on purchases made with PayPal.
Would be helpful if they mentioned which department stores do qualify.
Nordstrom, Macy’s, Kohls, Sears, Dollar Tree? ;(
Specifics of what constitutes a “department” store would be a great help.
Okay, say if the Chase Pay doesn’t work anymore the app, but retailers still service Chase pay, then it’s not going to work right? And how were you able to get the calendar officially when Chase haven’t even released it publicly yet?