To end 2020 I sat down and evaluated my credit card accounts. I wanted to make sure that I had the most rewarding cards in my wallet for 2021 based on my 2020 spend. Sure, I’d like to see my travel spending increase again, but I don’t see that happening for a few more moths. So, I want to set myself up for another year without travel, rather that carrying travel focused cards.
Once I looked over all the card accounts I had open, I decided to open, close, cancel, or change certain accounts to match my 2021 card strategy. During that process, I made the rather easy decision to convert my Chase Freedom card account into the new Chase Freedom Flex card.
This was an incredibly easy decision as the Chase Freedom Flex card is far more rewarding than the standard Freedom card. Even better, the Chase Freedom Flex card also does not charge an annual fee.
Chase Freedom Flex Card Benefits
At face value, the Chase Freedom Flex card is nearly identical to the Chase Freedom card. Both cards offer 5% Cash Back in rotating bonus categories each quarter. This benefit is valid for the first $1,500 in qualifying quarterly spend and provides up to $75 of cash back or 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points quarterly. Additionally, both cards qualify for the same bonus categories each quarter, so there isn’t a reason to chose one card over the other for this benefit alone.
However, the Chase Freedom card only offers 1% cash back on all other spending. That’s where the Chase Freedom Flex card shines. See, the Chase Freedom Flex card offers up to 5% cash back on Chase Travel purchases, 3% cash back on dining and drug store purchases, and 1% cash back on all other spend. So, by carrying the Chase Freedom Flex card you’ll earn the same cash back as you would from the Chase Freedom Card, plus the 5% cash back on select travel and 3% cash back on dining and drug store purchases.
My Chase Freedom Flex Card Arrived
As you can see, choosing the Chase Freedom Flex card over the current Chase Freedom card is a no-brainer. Both cards lack an annual fee and the Flex card is far more rewarding than the standard card.
With that, I recently called Chase and asked to convert my Chase Freedom Card account into a Chase Freedom Flex account. The call to Chase took less than 10 minutes and about a week later my Chase Freedom Flex Card arrived.
As you can see, the Chase Freedom Flex card is nearly identical to the standard Chase Freedom card. Both cards feature the same design, but the Flex card includes the word “Flex” just below the Freedom logo.
Furthermore, both credit cards feature contactless payment technology which allows you to tap-and-go instead of inserting the chip in a card reader.
Final Thoughts
I couldn’t be happier with my decision to convert my Chase Freedom card into a Chase Freedom Flex card. The change took just a few minutes and my new card arrived just a few days later.
I’m also thrilled that I finally have a solid credit card to use a drug stores. I actually spend quite a lot of money at Walgreens and CVS annually and typically have used my Citi Double Cash card to earn 2% cash back on those purchases. Now, I’ll get to use my Chase Freedom Flex card to earn 3% cash back or 3x Ultimate Rewards points. That’s incredible, especially when you consider the card lacks an annual fee.
