2020 has been challenging but it’s no reason to give up on earning miles and points. In fact, I’ve said in several posts that you should continue earning points as usual because sooner or later, airlines (and hotels) will look to loyalty programs for revenue and you should be ready.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Well, we’re at the beginning of Q4 (1 October – 31 December) and with that brings new opportunities on the Chase Freedom Flex Card to earn 5% cash back (up to $1500) in bonus categories.
The Chase Freedom Flex Card is undeniably one of the most lucrative, no annual fee credit cards on the market. Most people use the card as a cash back card, meaning the 5x translates into 5% cash back in certain categories.
However, the cool part about this is card is that if you possess the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or the Ink Business Preferred, you can easily transfer your points from the Freedom Flex Card to Ultimate Rewards points and redeem the points on airlines or at hotels. In other words, 5% cash back = 5 points.
Related Article: READ THE CHASE GUIDE
FREEDOM FLEX 5X CATEGORIES
Currently, the Chase Freedom Flex Card (and old Freedom Card) are offering 5x points on the first $1,500 spent at Walmart and PayPal between 1 October and 31 December 2020.
At face value, those two categories may be challenging to spend $1500 in….or are they!?
Since we’re in the middle of a pandemic and you’re probably completing many transactions online, I think it’s worth taking a look at the options the next time you are about to checkout.
While you may not have noticed before, PayPal is a often an option (even when you also have the ability to pay by credit card).
Completing home renovations and need supplies? Lowe’s accepts PayPal!
Planning on purchasing the new iPhone 12? Apple accepts PayPal!
Don’t enjoy the lines at Walmart and prefer Target (aka Tar-jay)? They accept PayPal too!
NO PROMISES BUT…
This is where it gets really good. I can’t promise this technique will work this year but last year (2019), PayPal was also a bonus category for the Freedom card.
I sent money (through PayPal) to the yard guy and although it was not my intention, it triggered the 5x for the transaction.
However, it’s worth noting that – unlike when you purchase something from an online retailer – PayPal will apply a fee for sending money to a friend.
In that case, you will have to determine whether the fee is worth the points.
SO WHAT ABOUT THIS FREE FLIGHT?
The process of redeeming points can be confusing. But if you’re NOT interested in studying award charts and learning how to maximize your points and miles, you can simply redeem your points through the Chase Travel Portal.
The best part about this technique… the flight is, literally, free. No taxes, no fees, no surcharges, etc.
Here are a few examples…
Newark (EWR) to Houston (IAH) for ~2800 points on United Airlines…
Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (ORD) for ~3700 points on United Airlines…
Los Angeles (LAX ) to Seattle (SEA) for ~6200 points on Delta or Alaska Airlines…
Those are only a few examples of the routes that I found. If you are able to max out the category, you would have 7500 points ($1500 x 5x) thus, having enough points for a free flight or maybe two.
If you’re unfamiliar with how to complete this transaction, I wrote THIS POST to walk you through the process.
Remember, registration is required before 14 December. So simply go to the registration page now, enter your last name, last four digits on your card, zip code, and you’ll be registered.
FINAL STAMP
This card should be at the top of everyone’s list as it offers several avenues to rack up valuable Ultimate Rewards points without an annual fee.
I trust many people will find value in the bonus categories for this upcoming quarter on the Freedom Flex. If you completely max out the bonus category ($1500), you’ll receive 7500 points. And for a no annual fee card, that’s hard to beat!
In addition to the current 60,000 point welcome bonus with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, points should be raining from the sky. Don’t forget about using THESE IDEAS to meet minimum spend.
Generally, do you max out the bonus categories on the Freedom Flex (or old Freedom)?
Let’s get straight to the point…some of the links on this site pay 1TattedPassport a referral bonus for anyone that is approved. For our complete advertising policy and details about our partners, please click HERE. Although using the links are completely optional, we are eternally grateful when you do.
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