AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Chase Freedom® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
Starting today, you can activate new 5% bonus categories on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom®. On purchases made between July 1 and September 30, 2025, Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom® cardholders can earn 5% cash back (or 5X Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $1,500 in combined purchases at Instacart, select live entertainment, and gas stations and EV charging.
Cardholders can earn a total of $75 cash back — or 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points — by maxing out spending each quarter. However, you'll need to activate the offer each quarter before you can start earning 5% cash back — and you can do so starting today for the next quarter.
Here's everything you need to know about the Chase Freedom 5% rotating bonus categories.
Page Contents
Chase Freedom 5% Cash Back Key Terms
- You must activate your earnings for each quarter.
- Earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in combined purchases at qualifying merchants and categories.
- You'll earn 1% cashback on further purchases in these categories as well as non-bonus categories.
- Q3 2025 Chase Freedom bonus categories are:
- Instacart
- Select live entertainment:
- Major sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions and exhibits, amusement parks, circuses, carnivals, bands, and entertainers.
- Gas stations and EV charging
- Purchases must post to your account between July 1 and September 30, 2025, to be eligible for the bonus.

If you registered by June 14, 2025, you can still earn 5% on Q2 2025's bonus categories on purchases through June 30, 2025:
- Amazon
- Select streaming services:
- Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, and Showtime.
- Internet, cable, and phone services — for purchases in June only

What is included in the live entertainment category?
Chase hasn't updated its website yet to define this category. However, in a media release to AwardWallet, Chase provided the following definition for this category:
Merchants in this category sell tickets for live in-person entertainment such as major sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, tourist attractions and exhibits, amusement parks, circuses, carnivals, bands, and entertainers. Ticket agencies selling on behalf of the entertainment venue are included. Some merchants that sell tickets for in-person entertainment are not included in this category; for example, movie theaters, bowling alleys, horse racing tracks, casinos, and dance hall/clubs. Purchasing from a hotel/concierge is not included nor excursions or purchases as part of a travel package.
Maximize Your Value With a Premium Chase Credit Card
The best way to leverage the points earned from your Freedom Flex or Freedom Card is by combining them with a premium Ultimate Rewards-earning card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The way this works is straightforward. If you only hold the Freedom Flex or Freedom Card, you can redeem your earnings only as cash back at a value of 1¢ per point.
However, if you hold a premium card, you can transfer your Freedom Flex or Freedom Card earnings to the premium card. Then, you can redeem these points through the Chase Travel Portal or the Chase Pay Yourself Back tool at either a 25% or 50% bonus, depending on which card you have. Moving points to a premium card also opens up the option of transferring these points to a Chase travel partner, where you can get even more value for your points.
You can maximize the earning potential on the Freedom Flex or Freedom Card by spending just $500 per month in the quarterly bonus categories. If you do, you'll earn $300 cash back — or 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points — each year.
Related: How To Combine Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Between Credit Cards
Our Take
You can now activate the 5% bonus categories on the Freedom Flex or Freedom Card for July-September 2025.
If you hold the Freedom Flex or the Freedom Card, activating and leveraging your quarterly bonus categories is a must. The 5% rotating bonus is one of the main features of these cards, and it's where they deliver the most value. If you don't, you're leaving money on the table.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.