The Chase Freedom Flex® (learn more) is a useful no annual fee card belonging to Chase’s Freedom portfolio, which can help you maximize your points, thanks to its quarterly bonus categories. With it now being a new quarter, Chase has just launched its Q4 2026 bonus categories, so this is a great time to register, and also to move around your spending.
For Q4 2026, you can earn 5x points on the first $1,500 spent on grocery stores, dining, and donations to Red Cross — be sure to register here between September 15 and December 14, 2026. Note that these same bonus categories are also valid for the Chase Freedom Card, which is no longer open to new applicants.
Why I love the Chase Freedom Flex Card
The Chase Freedom Flex Card is easily one of the best no annual fee cards out there, 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 card has other bonus categories as well, as it offers 3x points (or 3% cash back) at drugstores and on dining.
The best part is that in conjunction with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (learn more), Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (learn more), or Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (learn more), rewards earned on this card can be converted into premium 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 each, that’s my preferred use of those points.
Chase Freedom Flex Q4 2026 bonus categories
For the fourth quarter of 2026, the Freedom Flex Card is offering 5x points on the first $1,500 spent on grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining, and American Red Cross.
It’s actually a bit better than that, though. The Freedom Flex Card ordinarily earns an extra 2x points per dollar spent on dining (for a total of 3x points), and that should stack with the 5x points here (which is really 4x bonus points). So in reality, you should be able to earn 7x points on dining during Q4.
As far as key dates go for the Chase Freedom 5x points categories:
- You need to register between September 15 and December 14, 2026
- If you register, you can earn 5x points between October 1 and December 31, 2026
How to register your Chase Freedom Flex for 5x points
Registration is easy — just go to the registration page and enter your last name, billing zip code, and the last four digits on your card, and you’ll be registered.
What’s included with Q4 2026 5x points categories
It’s always worth understanding how each of the bonus categories is defined, so let’s take a look at each of the categories eligible for bonus points this quarter.
Here’s how Chase defines the grocery stores category:
Merchants in this category include supermarkets, merchants that offer a full-service grocery line of merchandise including a deli and bakery as well as smaller grocery stores. Delivery service merchants will be included if they classify as a grocery store merchant. Some merchants that sell grocery items are not included in this category; for example, larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries, such as Walmart and Target, wholesale clubs, warehouse clubs, discount stores and some smaller merchants such as drugstores, and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items. Purchases made at gas stations from merchants who also operate grocery stores are not included in this category.
Here’s how Chase defines the grocery stores category:
This category’s merchants’ primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fast food restaurants and fine dining establishments. Delivery and takeout services will be included if they classify as a restaurant merchant. Merchants that sell food and drinks located within facilities such as sports stadiums, hotels and casinos, theme parks, grocery and department stores will not be included in this category unless the merchant has set up such purchases to be classified in a restaurant category. Bakeries, caterers, meal kit delivery services, and gift card merchants are not included in the category.
Here’s how Chase defines the American Red Cross category:
To ensure your charitable donation is eligible for the 5% total Cash Back reward, be sure to donate directly through American Red Cross’s official channels using the links provided here or on the Merchant List page. Local chapters may not be eligible due to transaction processing procedures. https://www.redcross.org/chase
My take on Q4 2026 5x points categories
Everyone has different spending patterns, so will have different takes on the quarterly bonus categories. I’ll have absolutely no issues maxing out the Q4 2026 bonus categories. In particular, I’ll focus on having as much of the spending as possible be on dining (rather than groceries), since that should really earn 7x points rather than 5x points, which makes for the most incremental points earning compared to what I’d usually earn on that spending.
Lastly, while making a donation to Red Cross sounds nice, I don’t typically choose where to make a donation based on the number of points I can earn.
Bottom line
The Chase Freedom Flex is one of the best no annual fee cards out there, thanks largely to the ability to earn 5x points in rotating quarterly categories. With it now being a new quarter, Chase has launched its Q4 2026 bonus categories, so be sure to register.
Between October 1 and December 31, it’s possible to earn 5x points on grocery stores, dining, and donations to Red Cross (and really 7x points on dining, since the card ordinarily offers 3x points on those purchases). These are some pretty well rounded bonus categories, and personally I’ll have no issues maxing these out.
What do you make of the Q4 2026 Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories?
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