The Chase Freedom Unlimited® was launched in 2016, and is one of the best credit cards for everyday spending (and it’s a card that I have, and also one that I have spent a lot of money on). The catch is that there’s a learning curve to using this card — for some people this will be a mediocre card, while for other people it will be hugely valuable.
In this post I wanted to provide a detailed review of the card, so that I can share why I find the card to be so valuable, and how you can maximize value with it. I also wanted to look at whether this is still the card that you should be using for most of your non-bonused spending, given changes we’ve seen with some other cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Card Basics For January 2020
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is one of Chase’s two “Freedom” cards, and is an excellent complement to any of Chase’s cards earning Ultimate Rewards points.
The value you get from the card will vary significantly, though, based on what other cards you have. For example, some people might only be earning rewards equivalent to 1.5% back with this card, while others will be earning rewards that they value at 2.5%+, which is among the best rewards rates in the industry.
Freedom Unlimited Sign-Up Bonus Offer
The Freedom Unlimited has a sign-up bonus of $150 (or 15,000 points) after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months.
On the surface points can be redeemed for one cent each, but you can potentially get a lot more value than that, as these points can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points, and I value those at 1.7 cents each.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Card Eligibility
Eligibility for this card is unrelated to eligibility for any other Chase cards, so you could earn the bonus on this card, and the Freedom Card, etc.
Specifically, this product is not available to those who currently have the Freedom Unlimited, or those who have received a new cardmember bonus on the card in the past 24 months.
Here are general rules on applying for Chase cards.
Eligibility for the Freedom Unlimited is independent of other cards
Chase 5/24 Rule
Chase has something that’s known as the 5/24 rule. With this, you typically won’t be approved for the card if you’ve opened five or more new card accounts in the past 24 months. If you do apply for this card, make sure you’re under that limit.
Here’s how to check your 5/24 status.
Freedom Unlimited No Annual Fee
The Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee, which is unbeatable. You can also add authorized users to the card for no fee, so that you can accrue rewards for their spending.
Freedom Unlimited 1.5% Cash Back On All Purchases
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is marketed as offering unlimited 1.5% cash back. The catch is that this isn’t actually that good, since there are other cards that earn 2% cash back.
But there’s a trick that allows you to convert the 1.5% cash back into 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent. Based on my valuation of points, this increases the value of rewards from 1.5% to 2.55%.
Earn 5% Cash Back With Lyft
While the card offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, the exception is Lyft rides, which earn 5% cash back through March 2022. That’s an excellent return on Lyft spending, especially when you consider that you can convert these rewards into Ultimate Rewards points.
Freedom Unlimited 3% Foreign Transaction Fees
While this is a fantastic card for purchases within the US, the card does have 3% foreign transaction fees, so I don’t recommend using this card outside the US.
If you’re looking for a great card with no foreign transaction fees, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card.
Maximizing The Freedom Unlimited
As I’ve explained above, the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back, which isn’t exceptional. But there is a trick to earning much bigger rewards with this card.
Turning Cash Back Into Ultimate Rewards Points
While the Freedom Unlimited is a cash back card, in reality the card earns points. You earn 1.5x points per dollar spent, and then ordinarily each point can be redeemed for one cent cash back. That’s how they arrive at the valuation of 1.5% cash back with the card.
However, if you have the Freedom Unlimited in conjunction with another card that earns “premium” Ultimate Rewards points, then you can do significantly better. These cards include the following:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review)
- Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card (review)
With one of those cards, suddenly your points are much more valuable. Transferring points between cards is easy and can be done online. You can learn more about that process in this post.
Redeem Ultimate Rewards Points For 1.25-1.5 Cents Towards Travel
There are a couple of ways to redeem Ultimate Rewards points. The first is that you can redeem Ultimate Rewards points towards the cost of a travel purchase through the Chase Ultimate Rewards website:
- If you have the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Preferred, points can be redeemed for 1.25 cents each towards a travel purchase
- If you have the Sapphire Reserve, points can be redeemed for 1.5 cents each towards a travel purchase
That increases the value of your points by 25-50% right there.
Redeem Ultimate Rewards points for a flight in JetBlue Mint
Transfer Ultimate Rewards Points To Airline Partners
Personally the way I like to redeem Ultimate Rewards points is to transfer them to airline and hotel partners, which include the following:
| Airlines | Hotels |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus Aer Club | IHG Rewards Club |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Marriott Bonvoy |
| British Airways Executive Club | World Of Hyatt |
| Emirates Skywards | |
| Iberia Plus | |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | |
| Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | |
| United MileagePlus | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
This can be the best way to redeem points towards premium travel experiences. If you want to redeem for first or business class travel or stay at luxury hotels, this option is for you.
Transfer points to Hyatt for a stay at Calala Island
Freedom Unlimited Card Benefits
For a no annual fee card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers a solid sign-up bonus and generous rewards structure, though there are also some perks that are potentially quite valuable.
Three Month DoorDash DashPass
For having the Freedom Unlimited you can receive a complimentary three month DashPass, which is DoorDash’s delivery service. This provides unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee on orders of $12 or more. After that, you’ll receive 50% off DashPass for the next nine months.
You need to activate this perk by December 31, 2021.
Extended Warranty Protection
You can extend the time period of U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year, on eligible warranties of three years or less.
Purchase Protection
You’re covered for new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft of up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Credit Journey
With Chase Credit Journey you get unlimited access to your credit score and more. This is free for Chase customers.
Chase Offers
One of the great features of Chase cards is access to Chase Offers, which provides savings on purchases with all kinds of retailers. The program wasn’t launched that long ago, but has already saved me a significant amount of money.
Contactless Pay
The Freedom Unlimited features contactless pay technology. This means you can pay using your card without even swiping it whenever you see the contactless pay symbol.
Is The Freedom Unlimited Right For You?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is the single card that I have historically spent the most money on. However, the key is to have the card in conjunction with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, so that you’re really maximizing your rewards.
I wanted to look a bit more closely at the best strategy to take with the Freedom Unlimited.
Tip: Complement It With Sapphire Preferred Or Reserve
I can’t emphasize enough that having the Freedom Unlimited in conjunction with either the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve is the best card combo you can have. That’s because not only can you combine the benefits of the two cards, but this greatly increases the value you get from your Freedom Unlimited points.
For example, if you have the Sapphire Reserve and Freedom Unlimited:
- You’re paying a single $550 annual fee on the Sapphire Reserve
- You’re earning 3x points on dining and travel and 1.5x points on all other purchases
- You’re getting a $300 annual travel credit
- You’re getting a Priority Pass membership, giving you lounge access
- You get 10x points on Lyft rides and a 12 month Lyft Pink membership
- You get a 12 month DoorDash DashPass, and a $60 annual DoorDash statement credit for the next two years
- You get travel protection, no foreign transaction fees, and car rental coverage
- You get a Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit
Get lounge access with the Sapphire Reserve
Quick Comparison: Freedom Vs. Freedom Unlimited
People often get confused about the difference between the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Freedom® (review). Both cards have no annual fees, so what are the major differences between the cards?
- The Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5x points on all purchases, so is great for everyday spending
- The Freedom offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories on up to $1,500 of spending per quarter, so it’s great if you spend money in those categories, but otherwise isn’t that useful
Personally I think both cards are worth having — I have both, though if I could have just one, I would get the Freedom Unlimited.
Quick Comparison: Freedom Unlimited Vs. Ink Unlimited
Chase has two “Unlimited” cards — the Chase Freedom Unlimited and the Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card (review). These cards are very similar — both have no annual fee, and both offer 1.5x points. So, what’s the difference?
- The Freedom Unlimited is a personal card, while the Ink Unlimited is a business card
- The Ink Unlimited offers better car rental protection and a much better sign-up bonus
Other than that, the two cards are very similar. I have both of these cards (yes, I have a lot of Chase credit cards).
What About The Citi Double Cash Card?
Some changes were recently made to the Citi® Double Cash Card (review), which make this card a real competitor to the Freedom Unlimited, regardless of whether you’re looking to earn points or cash back.
The Double Cash also has no annual fee and offers 1% cash back when you make a purchase, and 1% cash back after you pay for that purchase. So you’ll earn two cents back on the dollar, rather than 1.5.
On top of that, as of recently it’s possible to convert those rewards into Citi ThankYou points at a ratio of one point per cent, assuming you have the card in conjunction with one that earns ThankYou points.
Since I value ThankYou and Ultimate Rewards points roughly equally, that means my go-to card for everyday spending is now mostly the Double Cash.
The reason some people may still prefer the Freedom Unlimited is because of the Ultimate Rewards ecosystem. I’d say the combination of the Sapphire Reserve and Freedom Unlimited is still better than any two card Citi combination.
Both Chase & Citi partner with Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Freedom Unlimited Summary
The Freedom Unlimited is the credit card that I’ve spent the most money on over the past year. It’s a vital card as part of an overall strategy for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points, especially in conjunction with the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve.
Let me make my advice as concise as possible here: if you have the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve, then you absolutely should have the Freedom Unlimited so you’re maximizing your return on everyday, non-bonused spending. Earning 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar is excellent.
If you want to learn more about the Freedom Unlimited Card or apply, follow this link.
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