The Reason I Continually Hold onto My Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is a valuable addition to any wallet for those interested in earning lots of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. This no-annual-fee card offers a range of benefits that make it a flexible choice for everyday spending, particularly when paired with other Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
### Rewards Structure
The Freedom Unlimited card offers a generous rewards structure, including 5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase Travel portal, 3% cash back on dining, food delivery, and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. This means that, regardless of your spending habits, you're earning points towards your Ultimate Rewards balance.
### Additional Benefits
In addition to its rewards structure, the Freedom Unlimited card comes with purchase protections and travel insurance, including purchase protection, extended warranties, rental car insurance, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance (up to $1,500 per traveler and $6,000 per trip). It also often offers a welcome bonus (e.g., $200 after spending $500 in 3 months) and has a 0% APR introductory period on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, useful for managing large expenses or debt.
### Strategies for Using the Freedom Unlimited
The true power of the Freedom Unlimited card emerges when paired with a Chase Ultimate Rewards card with an annual fee, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve. This allows you to combine points, transfer them to airline and hotel partners for greater value, or redeem them through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at a higher rate.
Another strategy is to maximize category bonuses across cards. Use the Freedom Unlimited for everyday purchases that earn 1.5% to 5% back, while utilizing other cards like the Freedom Flex (5% rotating categories) or Sapphire Preferred/Reserve for bonus point-earning categories and premium travel benefits.
Pooling points in one Ultimate Rewards account streamlines redemption choices and value optimization, giving your Freedom Unlimited points significantly more value than redeeming them standalone.
### Conclusion
While the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a strong standalone cash back card with good bonus categories and flexible rewards, its true power emerges when paired with a Chase Ultimate Rewards card with an annual fee. This pairing lets you both earn steadily across a broad range of spending and redeem efficiently for more lucrative travel rewards or other perks.
For those who prioritize earning 2 transferable points per dollar from other card issuers like Capital One or American Express, the Freedom Unlimited may not be the best choice. However, for those who primarily use Chase Ultimate Rewards points, especially for luxury Hyatt hotels, the Freedom Unlimited card's points can be incredibly valuable.
[1] Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/freedom-unlimited [2] Chase Ultimate Rewards: https://www.chase.com/ultimaterewards [3] Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/sapphire-preferred [4] Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card: https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/sapphire-reserve
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited card's rewards structure includes earning 5% cash back on travel purchases through the Chase Travel portal, which aligns it with personal travel expenses.
- Managing a business's finances more effectively is possible with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, offering a 0% APR introductory period on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, ideal for handling large expenses or debt.
- The news about health and wellness can be more affordable with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, as it provides 3% cash back on drugstore purchases, aiding in personal health care expenses.
