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June 15, 2024: Chase has announced the Chase Freedom categories for the third quarter of 2024. From July 1, 2024 through September 30, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending in the following categories:
- Gas stations
- EV charging
- Select live entertainment
- Movie theaters
These bonus categories are available to cardholders who have a Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom card.
Quick link: Activate your Chase Freedom 5% bonus categories.
Here’s what you need to know about the Chase Freedom categories and the Chase 5% cash back calendar.
In this article…
2024 Chase Freedom cash back calendar
| Q1 2024 January – March | Q2 2024 April – June | Q3 2024 July – September | Q4 2024 October – December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target), Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships, and Self-Care & Spa Services | Amazon.com, Hotels, and Restaurants | Gas stations, EV charging, select live entertainment, and movie theaters | Not yet announced |
Third quarter 2024 bonus details
The Chase Freedom calendar for this quarter includes gas stations, EV charging, select live entertainment, and movie theaters. Here is a bit more detail on what types of businesses are included in the Q3 2024 Chase Freedom bonus categories:
- Gas stations include merchants that sell automotive gasoline. It includes pay-at-the-pump and pay-inside locations. Some gas stations may sell other goods and services. Non-automotive gas vendors are not included in this category.
- EV charging includes EV charging stations where you pay at the charging station, via mobile app, account/subscription, or pay thorough an attendant. Chase mentions that merchants may or may not sell other goods or services at their location, though in our experience with EV charging stations this is very rate. Services such as parking fees, valet services, and airport parking ramps that may include EV charging for free are not included. EV charging equipment purchases are also not included,
- Select live entertainment includes many types of live entertainment tickets, like major professional 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.
- Movie theaters are businesses that show motion pictures to an audience, including drive-in theaters. Live entertainment is not included in this category (but might be part of this quarter’s select live entertainment category.) Depending on how a merchant processes the transaction, your food and drink purchase may not qualify for bonus cash back.
How to activate Chase Freedom quarterly categories
You can activate your Chase Freedom cash back bonus categories without even logging into the Chase website. All you need is the primary cardmember’s last name, the last 4 digits of the Chase Freedom credit card and the billing zip code. Simply head to chasebonus.com to activate once categories are announced.
You may also receive an email with a one-click link to activate your cash back categories.
Once you have activated your Chase Freedom Flex categories, you’ll receive a confirmation email letting you know that you have activated your categories.
If you want more details on the specifics of the categories, the confirmation email you receive contains a link to the “Merchant List.” At this link, you’ll find details about what each bonus category includes. For categories that include “select” merchants, you’ll find a list of merchants participating in the quarterly category promotions.
Activate with one click from your email
If you’re a Chase Freedom Flex℠ or Chase Freedom cardholder, you should receive an email from Chase with a link to activate your quarterly category bonuses. This email is by far the easiest way to make sure that your category bonuses are activated. Simply click “Activate with 1 click” in the email and your bonus categories will be active.
When do I need to activate?
Typically, Chase allows you to activate your bonus categories on your Chase Freedom card from two weeks before the cash back quarter begins until two weeks before it ends.
Even if you forget to activate your cash back categories until late in the quarter, as long as you activate your categories before the activation deadline, you will earn 5% cash back for all eligible purchases (up to $1,500) that you made during the quarter.
Stacking the 5% categories with a welcome bonus: 9% cash back
In the past few years, Chase has periodically offered 5% cash back on up to $12,000 in purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, or both, as part of its welcome bonus through various channels. In the offer terms and conditions of the welcome bonus, Chase explicitly states that this bonus stacks with the 5% quarterly categories on the Freedom Flex card. This means it’s possible to get 9% cash back by stacking these bonuses.
See our coverage of the best current welcome bonus of the Chase Freedom Flex to find out if you can get a similar welcome bonus that stacks with the cash back categories.
Historical Chase Freedom 5% calendars
There is no guarantee that Chase will offer any particular bonus category until it is announced, but knowing what Chase has historically offered can give you an idea of what might be coming in the future.
Here are the previous 5% categories for both the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card and original chase Freedom card.
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2023
- January-March: Grocery Stores, Target, Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships
- April-June: Lowe’s, and Amazon.com
- July-September: Gas stations, EV charging, and select live entertainment
- October-December: PayPal, Wholesale Clubs, and Select Charities
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2022
- January-March: Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target purchases)
- April-June: Amazon.com and select streaming services
- July-September: Gas stations, car rentals, movie theaters and select live entertainment
- October-December: Walmart and PayPal
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2021
- January-March: Wholesale clubs, select streaming services, phone, cable and internet services
- April-June: Gas stations and home improvement stores
- July-September: Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target purchases) and select streaming services
- October-December: Walmart and PayPal
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2020
- January-March: Gas stations, Internet, cable and phone services and select streaming services
- April-June: Grocery stores, fitness club and gym memberships, select streaming services
- July-September: Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market
- October-December: Walmart and PayPal
Chase Freedom cash back calendar for 2019
- January-March: Gas stations, tolls and drugstores
- April-June: Grocery stores and home improvement stores
- July-September: Gas stations and select streaming services
- October-December: Department stores, PayPal and Chase Pay
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to activate the quarterly categories before the start of the category?
You can activate your quarterly categories at any time after they are published and before the next quarter’s categories are published. If you activate your quarterly categories before the end of the quarter, you will retroactively earn cash back rewards for eligible purchases.
What are the Q2 categories for Chase Freedom 2024?
The Q2 categories for the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex℠ cards are Amazon.com, hotels, and restaurants.
If a purchase is included in multiple 5% categories, will I earn 10% cash back?
No. You’ll earn a maximum of 5% cash back on any given purchase through Chase’ quarterly 5% cash back categories. But if you are currently earning additional rewards on gas and groceries as part of a sign-up bonus, you can earn up to 9% cash back on some categories because the welcome bonus stacks with the 5% bonus categories.
How can I get 9% cash back with the Chase Freedom Flex℠?
Chase periodically runs a welcome bonus on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ that gives new cardmembers 5% on up to $12,000 of gas and groceries in the first year. This bonus stacks with quarterly categories. If you opened a new card with this welcome bonus, and gas or groceries is a quarterly category, you can get 9% cash back in groceries broken down as follows: 1% base rewards, 4% bonus rewards from the quarterly bonus category, 4% bonus rewards from the welcome bonus category.
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.
