Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
November 25, 2024: We’ve updated our article to reflect the current state of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus offers and added a direct link to the $250 after $500 offer
Chase currently offers two different bonus offers on the Freedom Unlimited. Depending on how much you plan to spend on the card in the first year, either one of these could be the best offer for you.
Here’s what we know about every Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus offer that is publicly available so that you can find the best offer.
All information about the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® welcome bonuses:
Annual fee: annual_fees
Online affiliate offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply for the “extra 1.5%” offer being promoted through affiliate channels.
Direct and referral offer: As of November 25, 2024, referral links are showing the following offer: Earn a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Here’s a referral link from one of our newsletter subscribers where you can learn more and apply for this offer.
You’ll earn more points with the “extra 1.5%” offer if you spend more than about $17,000 on the card in your first year.
In this article…
Our take: The $250 after $500 offer is best for most people
For most people, the current $250 after $500 offer you can get through a referral link, the Chase website, or in-branch is the best offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Your best bet is to find a friend who can generate a referral link so that they can earn points when you apply.
You won’t see the $250 after $500 mentioned on most sites because this offer is not available through affiliate channels, meaning that there is no way for a site (like ours) to make money if you get this offer. It is our editorial policy to always promote the best offers we know about.
If you live near a Chase branch bank, you might want to check in-branch for a better offer. In the last year, Chase has been known to run exclusive in-branch bonuses that were better than the online bonuses on this card. (As of our last check, they weren’t, but we don’t visit a Chase branch every day.)
In every case, the current Chase Freedom Unlimited welcome bonuses are market-leading welcome offers. It’s a good time to get the card.
Online offer: Extra 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year
The welcome bonus offer you’ll find on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® through affiliate channels is the “extra 1.5%” offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
This offer has the potential to earn the most points. If you’re planning on putting more than about $17,000 on your Chase Freedom Unlimited® card in the first year, this offer will earn you the most points.
In-branch Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus: $250 after $500
On November 18, 2024, we were able to verify the in-branch welcome offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
In-branch welcome offers change from time to time and this information is accurate as of our last check. The in-branch offer may be different or may no longer be available.
All information about this Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus offer has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Refer a friend offer: $250 after $500 in purchases
Chase offers a referral program for current cardmembers. As of November 25, 2024, the refer-a-friend offer matches the in-branch offer: Earn a $250 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Earn some points for a friend. Most cardmembers who hold Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Freedom Flex®, Chase Freedom Rise®, or the Slate Edge® can refer a new cardmember to any of these cards. Find a friend who can generate a referral link for you and they can earn points if you get approved.
Are you eligible to earn the sign-up bonus?
In most cases, you are eligible to receive a sign-up bonus on this card if you don’t currently have a Chase Freedom Unlimited® and it’s been more than 2 years since you’ve gotten a bonus on this card. Here are the two specific rules you should be aware of:
- Current cardmembers cannot get the card. If you already have a Chase Freedom Unlimited® card, you cannot get a second card through a new card application.
- You can not have received a new cardmember bonus for this card in the previous 24 months. The specific language in the bonus terms refers to the time you received the bonus, not the date you applied for the card.
Chase will match welcome bonuses
In our experience, Chase will match a current increased welcome bonus if you applied for the same card, through the same channel in the past 30 days. If you applied with this card within the past 30 days under a less-attractive sign-up bonus, you can likely get the newer, better bonus matched by calling Chase customer service.
Keep in mind that Chase typically will only match sign-up bonuses in the same channel. For example, if you applied online, you are unlikely to get your bonus matched to an in-branch exclusive offer.
How to use the points you earn from the Chase Freedom Unlimited® bonus
While the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is marketed as a cash-back credit card, it earns Ultimate Rewards® points behind the scenes. Here are the best ways to use the Ultimate Rewards points you’ll earn with the Freedom Unlimited.
- Cash back. You can always use Ultimate Rewards® points for cash back redemptions. You’ll get 1 cent per point for cash back redemptions on any Ultimate Rewards credit card.
- Options available with premium cards. If you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can a few additional options for using your points. Premium Ultimate Rewards cards include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You can also use the points you earn on your no-annual-fee card for these premium redemption options if you first transfer your points to your premium card.
- Travel through Chase Travel℠. Premium Ultimate Rewards cards offer increased value when you use your points to book travel through Chase Travel℠. You get 25% more value for bookings through Chase Tavel with the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Preferred. And you’ll get 50% more value for bookings made through the Sapphire Reserve card.
- Transfers to airline and hotel partners. All of the Premium Ultimate Rewards cards offer point transfers to travel partners. Transfers to partners offer the opportunity to get outsized value for your points through luxury travel redemptions. Our favorite Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners include Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Avios, United Mileage Plus, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and World of Hyatt.
For more on maximizing the value you get from Ultimate Rewards, see our complete guide to Ultimate Rewards.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® card synergies
Chase Ultimate Rewards® points can always be redeemed for cash back rewards at one cent each. This makes 10,000 points worth $100. But your points can become even more valuable when you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card.
If you hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred card, you have access to a handful of redemption options that can increase the value of your points:
- Point transfers to airline and hotel partners
- Increased value when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
- Pay Yourself Back options
To use the points you earned from your non-premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card for one of these redemptions, simply transfer your Ultimate Rewards® points to your premium Ultimate Rewards® credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 1.5% extra cash back offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited come with a $200 welcome bonus?
No. If you get the “extra 1.5% cash back” offer, you won’t receive a $200 bonus after spending $500 on the card. The $200 after $500 bonus is a bonus that Chase appears to be phasing out on this card.
Where can I get the Freedom double cash back offer?
The previous double cash back offer has been changed. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® now offers an extra 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 you spend during your first cardmember year through all online channels.
Can I get double cash back on the Freedom Flex?
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ does not have a double cash back offer, but it does currently offer 5% rewards on up to $12,000 of gas and groceries in your first year in-branch.
Is the double cash back offer capped?
As of January 11, 2024, the double cash back offer only offers 1.5% additional cash back on up to $20,000 of purchases each year.
How can I get the 5% gas and grocery offer?
You must apply in-branch if you want the 5% gas and grocery offer. Referral links ceased to work around March 14, 2024.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
