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If you don’t have the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Rates & Fees) yet, now’s a great time to apply. Chase just launched an elevated bonus on this core card: a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
The Freedom Unlimited is an excellent card regardless of your strategy. As a standalone cashback card, you can earn up to 5% cash back on purchases.
Or you can use it to scale up a more advanced points and miles strategy. By pairing it with an Ultimate Rewards-earning card, you can unlock access to Chase’s transfer partners and earn at least 1.5X Ultimate Rewards points on everyday spending.
Here’s what to know about the offer and whether you should apply now.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
- Earn 5% on purchases through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all purchases
Page Contents
Earn a $250 Bonus on the Freedom Unlimited
The Freedom Unlimited is a well-rounded, no-annual-fee credit card. And for a limited time, new applicants can earn a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
That’s a 50% additional return on the first $500 you spend on your Freedom Unlimited!
Why Get the Freedom Unlimited
Beyond the bonus, the Freedom Unlimited has plenty to offer, including purchase protection, travel insurance, and rewarding earning rates — even on purchases that don't fall into a bonus category.
- Earn 5% on purchases through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all purchases
Related: Chase Freedom Unlimited® Full Review
Better yet, you can supercharge your rewards by pairing the Freedom Unlimited with a credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points.
Pair the Freedom Unlimited with an Ultimate Rewards-Earning Card for Max Value
To get the most value from the rewards you earn on the Freedom Unlimited, it’s worth pairing it with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points. Doing so unlocks access to Chase’s transfer partners, where your points can be worth significantly more for award flights and hotel stays.
On average, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2¢ each when transferred to travel partners like Virgin Atlantic or World of Hyatt. That’s far better than the 1¢ per point you’d get through Chase Travel℠, Pay Yourself Back, or when redeeming for gift cards.
Pairing cards also lets you maximize bonus categories across different types of purchases.
Some of the best Ultimate Rewards-earning cards include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (Rates & Fees).
With the right mix of Chase cards, you can squeeze even more value out of every dollar you spend.
$95Rates & 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
$795Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
$795Rates & Fees
- 8X points on all Chase Travel℠ purchases
- 5X total points on eligible Lyft rides through 9/30/2027
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on advertising purchases made with social media platforms and search engines
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Freedom Unlimited Application Restrictions
Chase has strict application rules, and the most important one to keep in mind is its 5/24 policy (here’s how to check your status for free). If you’ve opened five or more new credit cards in the past 24 months, based on what’s showing on your credit report, you likely won’t be approved for the Freedom Unlimited or any other Chase card.
Chase also enforces a 2/30 rule, which means you can only open two personal credit cards — or one personal and one business card — within a 30-day period.
There’s also a 24-month restriction specific to the Freedom Unlimited, which you’ll find in the application terms. This rule determines eligibility based on when you last earned a bonus on the card:
“This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of this credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of this credit card who received a new cardmember bonus for this credit card within the last 24 months.”
Related: Why Starting With Chase Cards Matters if You're Under 5/24
Final Thoughts
The Freedom Unlimited just launched an impressive welcome bonus. But the a $250 bonus is just one of many reasons this card is worth applying for.
The Freedom Unlimited is a great card to keep for the long haul. It offers a handful of rewarding spending categories, and it’s a perfect card to pair with an annual-fee Ultimate Rewards card to unlock access to Chase’s 14 transfer partners.
If you’re eligible and looking to round out your Chase card strategy, there’s no better time to apply for the Freedom Unlimited.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn a $250 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
- Earn 5% on purchases through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all purchases
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (Rates & Fees)
