Chase has unveiled its Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories for the first quarter of 2025. These categories offer a chance to earn 5% cash back or 5x Ultimate Rewards points on up to $1,500 in spending. Whether you’re planning to shop for groceries, take a Norwegian Cruise, hit the gym, or treat yourself to a spa day, you can maximize rewards with these new categories.
Chase Freedom Flex Q1 2025 Bonus Categories
For the first quarter of 2025 (January through March), the new bonus categories for the Chase Freedom Flex include:
- Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target)
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Fitness Clubs and Gym Memberships
- Hair, Nails, and Spa Services
These categories make it easier for you to earn extra rewards on everyday purchases. Grocery stores, for example, are a common spending category that many cardholders can easily maximize.
How to Maximize Chase Freedom Flex Q1 Categories
To earn 5% cash back, ensure your purchases fall within the eligible categories. Simply use your Chase Freedom Flex card for eligible spending, and you’ll earn 5% on up to $1,500 per quarter.
Grocery Stores
Using your Chase Freedom Flex card for grocery store purchases (excluding Walmart and Target) is a simple way to earn big. Since many households spend regularly on groceries, this category is one that’s easy to maximize.
Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships
Another fantastic way to earn 5% back is by switching your fitness club or gym membership payments to your Chase Freedom Flex card. This move could help you get back more on your health and fitness spending.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Planning a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line? Use your Chase Freedom Flex card to pay for bookings and excursions to earn 5% cash back.
Hair, Nails, and Spa Services
If you’re treating yourself to a spa day, getting a manicure, or visiting a salon, you’ll earn 5% on these purchases as well.
Remember, once you reach $1,500 in spending across these categories, your rewards drop back to 1% (or 1x points) for the rest of the quarter. This limit ensures that Chase Freedom Flex cardholders can earn up to $75 cash back (or 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points) per quarter.
How to Activate Your Chase Freedom Flex Q1 2025 Bonus Categories
To begin earning the 5% bonus, you need to activate these categories. Registration is easy, and you can activate your bonus by visiting the Chase bonus activation page. Make sure you activate by March 14, 2025, to ensure that your purchases count toward the 5% cash back offer.
Benefits
The Chase Freedom Flex card is a no annual fee cash back credit card that offers excellent benefits for everyday spending. Besides the quarterly bonus categories, you can also earn:
- Earn 5% cash back on travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
- 3% cash back on dining and takeout
- 3% cash back at drugstores
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
This makes the Chase Freedom Flex card a versatile option for anyone looking to earn rewards on a wide variety of purchases.
Using Chase Ultimate Rewards Points for Greater Value
If you’re looking for more value than cash back, the Chase Freedom Flex card offers a unique benefit. If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can convert the cash back you earn into Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
This allows you to earn 5x Ultimate Rewards points on the bonus categories, making it even more valuable if you’re looking to accumulate points for travel. Points can be transferred to over 10 airline and hotel partners, opening up a world of travel opportunities.
Chase Freedom Flex Sign-Up Bonus
If you don’t already have the Chase Freedom Flex card, now might be a good time to apply. The card offers a $200 bonus when you spend $500 within the first three months of account opening. This bonus can be converted into 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you also hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Previous Chase Freedom Flex Categories
Chase regularly updates the bonus categories every quarter, keeping things fresh and allowing cardholders to earn cashback on different types of purchases. Here’s a look at some of the previous categories for the Chase Freedom Flex:
- Q4 2024: McDonald’s, pet stores, PayPal, veterinary services, and selected charitable organizations.
- Q3 2024: Gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, top live entertainment venues, and premier movie theaters.
- Q2 2024: Hotels, restaurants, and Amazon.com
- Q1 2024: Grocery stores, premium fitness memberships, and indulgent spa or wellness experiences.
As you can see, the categories for each quarter often align with common spending patterns, making it easy to earn rewards without needing to adjust your lifestyle dramatically.
How Much Cash Back Can You Earn in a Year?
By fully leveraging the bonus categories each quarter, you can earn up to $75 cash back (or 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points) every quarter, boosting your rewards potential. This totals $300 cash back (or 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points) each year.
If you have a Chase Sapphire card and transfer your points, you could earn even more value from your points, making the Chase card an excellent choice for those who travel frequently and use their points for travel rewards.
Final Thoughts
The Chase Freedom card remains one of the best no annual fee cash back cards available, thanks to its rotating bonus categories and versatile rewards program. With the upcoming Q1 2025 categories, including grocery stores. Norwegian Cruise Line, fitness clubs, and hair & spa services, you can maximize your spending in these areas for significant rewards.
Be sure to activate the bonus categories before March 14, 2025, to ensure you get the full benefit of 5% cash back on your purchases. If you haven’t already, consider adding the Chase Freedom to your wallet to take advantage of these and other fantastic rewards opportunities.
