How Good Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® has long been a popular cash-back credit card, but it may now have even more appeal for rewards-savvy cardholders eager to get started with Chase Ultimate Rewards. In this article we’ll learn How Good Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card.
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How Good Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
Last year, Chase redesigned the Freedom Unlimited card’s rewards program to include additional cash back on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Meanwhile, for aspiring travelers and low-maintenance cash back aficionados alike, the card’s 1.5 percent cash back return on general transactions, as well as important advantages like travel cancellation/interruption insurance and DoorDash DashPass, make it worth keeping.
Keep in mind that you’ll need good credit to qualify or prequalify, and that, while the card gives a decent average cash back rate, you’ll receive the greatest value from your rewards if you combine it with a higher-tier Chase travel credit card.
Pros
* No annual fee
* Increase the value of your rewards by transferring points to a higher-tier Chase card
On new purchases and balance transfers, there is an introductory APR.
Travel cancellation/interruption insurance and complimentary travel insurance are just a few of the great features of this no-fee card. DashPass by DoorDash
Cons
* If you book through the Ultimate Rewards portal, you’ll only get 5% back on travel.
After the first 60 days, the 3 percent balance transfer fee ($5 minimum) climbs to 5% ($5 minimum) for transfers.
For ordinary spenders, the first-year 1.5 percent reward rate bump to all cash back bonus categories (on up to $20,000 in combined purchases) isn’t expected to be as lucrative as the prior first-year offer.
A closer examination of the present card offer
* Rewards Rate: 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2022); 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3% cash back on dining; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases; 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases * Welcome Offer: For the first year, earn an additional 1.5 percent cash back on top of all purchases’ original cash back rate (on up to $20,000). (offer through Bankrate)
* Annual Fee: $0
* Purchase Intro APR: 0% for 15 months
* Balance Transfer Intro APR: 0% for 15 months (Intro Balance Transfer Fee: $5 or 3% of each transfer amount in the first 60 days, whichever is greater)
* Annual Percentage Rate (APR): 14.99 percent to 23.74 percent (variable)
How Good Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card: Benefits
While the rewards on the Chase Freedom Unlimited card don’t compare to those on a premium travel card like the Sapphire Reserve, the card still provides a lot of valuable consumer benefits for a card with no annual fee. Here are a few highlights:
Complimentary Subscription to DashPass
DashPass is a subscription service from the popular meal delivery firm DoorDash that allows you unlimited deliveries for a $0 delivery cost on orders over $12, which is a wonderful compliment to the Freedom Unlimited card’s additional benefits on dining purchases. The Freedom Unlimited includes three months of free DashPass membership, following which you’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass for 50% off the monthly pricing (usually $9.99 per month) for the next nine months if you don’t cancel before then. Activate by March 31, 2022 to ensure you’re eligible.
Extended warranty coverage and purchase protection
If you buy something with the card and it becomes damaged or stolen within 120 days, the Freedom Unlimited will reimburse the cost up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. In addition, qualified U.S. manufacturer’s warranties on items purchased with the card that are three years or less are extended by a year.
Insurance for trip cancellation and interruption
When travel appears dubious, trip cancellation and interruption insurance are valuable benefits. Furthermore, this kind of coverage is often only available with travel cards that charge a significant annual premium. You can be compensated up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for booked tickets and non-refundable passenger prices if your journey is canceled or cut short due to sickness, severe weather, or other covered conditions.
Chase Make Restitution to Yourself
Chase added the Pay Yourself Back capability to the Chase Freedom card series in October of last year, allowing you to turn your rewards into a force for good. Pay Yourself Back allows you utilize points to cover purchases made during the prior 90 days, boosting the value by 25 to 50 percent.
Currently, the Freedom Unlimited can use Pay Yourself Back to cover charitable payments to 12 specific charities at a rate of 1.25 cents each point (until Dec. 31, 2022).
However, through March 31, 2022, you can use a Sapphire Preferred (25 percent boost) or Sapphire Reserve (50 percent boost) card to pay recent Airbnb and Away purchases made through awaytravel.com. This means you can use your Freedom Unlimited to earn rewards in categories not covered by the Sapphire Reserve, then combine them with the Reserve for a 1.5 cent redemption value for travel not covered by the Ultimate Rewards system.
How Good Is Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card: Conclusion
Anyone who wishes to receive customizable rewards without paying an annual fee might choose the Freedom Unlimited. The card’s huge welcome bonus and recurring rewards are difficult to top, especially considering that most cards that offer bonus cash back in certain spending areas only offer 1% back on general purchases.
