If you've got a Chase Freedom (not available to new applicants) or *Freedom Flex* it's about time to move them to the top of your wallet … at least for the last few months of the year.

Every quarter, Chase mixes up the spending categories in which you can earn a 5% cash back bonus (or 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards® points) on up to $1,500 of spending with these cards and the new categories just announced for Q4 should work well for most cardholders. 

The latest update on these bonus categories – for purchases made from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026 – includes:

  • Dining (excluding Walmart and Target)
  • Grocery stores
  • Donations to the American Red Cross 

With both dining and grocery stores earning 5% cash back (5x Chase points), this should be the first card you reach for any time you go to eat. And since the Freedom Flex ordinarily earns 3% cash back (3x points) on dining, and the quarterly bonus categories add an additional 4% on top of base earnings, you'll really be earning a whopping 7% (or 7x points) back on dining in the last three months of the year!

If you somehow don't max out your $1,500 quarterly spending allotment in those two categories alone, donating to the American Red Cross before year's end could earn a nice little kickback in addition to the tax deduction.

Keep reading for more information on these categories, how to use them, and why it might be worth keeping the *Freedom Flex* card in your wallet.

 

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Chase Freedom & Freedom Flex Q4 2026 Bonus Categories

For the fourth quarter of 2026 (October through December), the new bonus categories are for spending on dining, at grocery stores, and donations to the American Red Cross.

Once you spend $1,500 across all three of those bonus categories, you'll revert to earning just 1% cash back (or 1x Ultimate Rewards points) until January 2027 – when the next set of bonus categories will go live – with the exception of Chase Travel, which typically earns 5% back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards). 

You must activate these new Chase Freedom bonus spending categories to earn the additional cash back. Registration for the new categories is now open: Just head to the Chase bonus activation page to activate them now! 

Chase Freedom Bonus Categories for Q4, 2026: Dining, Grocery stores, and American Red Cross

So long as you register by Dec. 14, 2026, any purchases you make in one of these bonus categories starting Oct. 1 will get you 5% back.

 

The Basics of the Chase Freedom Flex Card

If you aren't familiar with the *Freedom Flex* credit card, it's a phenomenal cashback card with no annual fee.

That's largely because of these rotating quarterly categories, in which you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of spending each and every quarter on select purchases.

Throughout the year, you'll also earn 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ and 3% back on several other categories like drugstores and dining purchases. 

Historically, the Chase Freedom Flex has charged a 3% foreign transaction fee, so this wasn't really a card you'd want to use outside of the U.S. But starting Sept. 20, that's no longer the case: Chase is removing foreign transaction fees from the card altogether.

 

Looking for Points Instead of Cash Back?

If you're after more Chase Ultimate Rewards points instead of cash back, you're in luck.

So long as you also hold a *chase sapphire preferred* or a *chase sapphire reserve* credit card, the cash back you earn from the Freedom cards can easily be moved into your Ultimate Rewards points balance. Every cent of cash back gets you 1 Chase point instead.

That means you can effectively earn 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards per dollar spent on the bonus categories from the Freedom Flex card.

That's a great deal, and it makes the Freedom Flex card the perfect complement to the Sapphire credit cards, as you'll earn more on these bonus categories (and others) than you would by simply swiping your Sapphire card.

Read more: How to Transfer Points Between Your Chase Cards

 

What You Need to Know About the Chase Freedom Flex Card

  • Sign-Up Bonus: bonus_miles_full
  • Earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories
  • Earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠.
  • Earn 2% cash back on Lyft rides through September 2027.
  • Earn 3% cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery services.
  • Earn 3% cash back at drugstores.
  • No annual fee! 

*Freedom Flex*

Learn More about the *Freedom Flex*

 

How to Activate Chase Freedom Categories Each Quarter

The additional 5% back available for both Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex cardholders will not be automatically applied each quarter. You'll need to register ahead of time for the promotion every quarter by following this link to the Chase website. 

You'll need to enter your last name, your billing zip code, and the last four digits of your credit card number. Then click “Activate Now” to register. It's that easy.

Cardholders can also register using the Chase mobile app.

 

How Much Cash Back Can You Earn Each Quarter?

Chase limits the amount of cash back you can earn each quarter. And it's a combined amount across all Chase Freedom bonus categories, meaning you'll only be able to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in total spend.

That means if you maximize the 5% back categories each quarter, you'll earn $75 in cash back. Transfer that cash back to Chase Ultimate Rewards, and you get 7,500 points.

So if you were to maximize the bonus categories each quarter, you could earn a total of $300 cash back (or 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points) every calendar year.

 

Bottom Line

The Chase Freedom Flex card (along with the old Chase Freedom) offers 5% cash back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards) on up to $1,500 spent in rotating quarterly categories. The upcoming bonus categories for Q4 of 2026 are dining, grocery stores, and donations to the American Red Cross.

If you can maximize the categories each quarter, you'll earn an extra $75 cash back (or 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards points). Make sure to activate the offer on Chase's website before Dec. 14 to avoid missing out.