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Chase Freedom 5% Bonus Category Calendar 2022
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Chase announced its bonus 5% cashback categories for the third quarter of 2022 — Gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters and on select live entertainment.
We’ll review the bonus cashback categories for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Chase Freedom®, what you need to know to earn 5% cash back and how the Chase 5% cashback calendar compares to Discover’s 5% cashback calendar.
Note, the Chase Freedom® card is no longer open to new applicants as of Sept. 14, 2020.
| Chase 5% cashback calendar 2022 | |||
| Jan – March | April – June | July – Sept | Oct – Dec |
| Groceries (excluding Target and Walmart) and eBay | Amazon.com and select streaming services | Gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters and on select live entertainment | To be announced |
Here’s what you need to know:
- You need to activate the bonus categories to earn 5% cash back. Chase allows you to add reminders to your calendar. Easily activate via ultimaterewards.com or chase.com/freedom or by calling the number on the back of your card.
- To take advantage of the Q3 bonus categories, you must activate the categories by September 14, 2022.
- The Q3 bonus categories are active from July 1 through September 30, 2022.
- You can earn the 5% cashback rate on the first $1,500 in combined purchases purchases in the bonus categories each quarter (upon activation), then 1% cash back in those categories.
How the 2022 calendar compares to 2021
See how Chase’s 2022 cashback calendar compares to the previous year:
| Chase 5% cashback calendar 2022 | |||
| Jan – March | April – June | July – Sept | Oct – Dec |
| Grocery stores (excludes Target and Walmart) | Amazon.com and select streaming services | Gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters and on select live entertainment | To be announced |
| Chase 5% cashback calendar 2021 | |||
| Jan – March | April – June | July – Sept | Oct – Dec |
| Wholesale clubs, select streaming services*, internet, cable and phone services | Gas stations and home improvement | Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) and select streaming services* | Walmart and purchases made with PayPal |
* *Not including Target and Walmart
Unfortunately, Chase has not yet brought back restaurants as a bonus category, which hasn’t appeared since 2017.
Chase cashback calendar vs. Discover cashback calendar
While Chase reveals its bonus categories quarterly, Discover releases its full cashback calendar for the year. The ability to see all of the bonus categories gives Discover a leg up on Chase, since cardholders are able to plan spending months in advance. With the Discover it® Cash Back, you earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum, when you activate.
Here’s how they compare for 2022 so far:
| Chase vs. Discover 2022 cashback calendar | ||
| Chase | Discover | |
| Jan – March | Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) and eBay | Grocery stores and fitness club & gym memberships |
| April – June | Amazon.com and select streaming services | Gas stations and Target |
| July – Sept | Gas stations, car rental agencies, movie theaters and on select live entertainment | Restaurants and PayPal |
| Oct – Dec | To be announced | Amazon.com and digital wallets |
Alternative to quarterly bonus category cards
An alternative to Discover and Chase’s quarterly rotating bonus categories is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, which provides cardholders a flexible rewards program.
If you’re an existing or new Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card holder, you’ll be able to earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
The 3% cash back categories are gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement and furnishings. Unlike other rotating bonus category cards that preselect bonus categories every quarter, cardholders can choose which one of the six categories they want to earn 3% cash back in every month.
In addition to a cashback program, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers a 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases (after that, a 16.24% - 26.24% Variable APR applies). This allows you to finance new purchases over a year without incurring interest charges.
Just know that the Chase Freedom Flex℠ also offers a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months (after that, a 16.49% - 25.24% variable APR applies).
There is also a 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months. After, the regular APR will be 16.49% - 25.24% variable. The balance transfer fee is either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days. Then, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The information related to the Chase Freedom® has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.