Chase Freedom Unlimited Launches $300 Welcome Offer: What You Need To Know

• Written by Jasmin Baron
  

  Jasmin Baron

  Credit Cards, Travel Rewards, Loyalty Programs, Family Travel, Credit Building, Credit Scores

  Jasmin Baron is CardCritics’ senior editor, responsible for editing and writing credit cards, travel rewards, loyalty program, and other credit-related content. She is passionate about personal finance education and enjoys sharing tips and tricks for making the most credit card points and miles with her readers. Her expertise in maximizing credit card travel rewards originated from over two decades of aviation industry experience, including 18 years working as a pilot and college professor/flight instructor in her native Canada. Her work has appeared on sites such as CNN Underscored Money, Business Insider, The Points Guy, and point.me. When she’s not planning her next trip with credit card rewards, you’ll probably find her tinkering around in the kitchen, hanging out with her three kids, or playing with her dog, Benji.

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• Edited by Emily Gadd, CCC
  

  Emily Gadd, CCC

  Credit Cards, Personal Finance, Health and Wellness

  Emily Gadd is a certified credit counselor, editor and personal finance expert responsible for writing about personal finance and credit cards. She got her start writing and editing at Healthline. She is passionate about creating educational content that makes complex topics accessible. Emily holds a credit counselor certification, accredited by the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors (NACCC). She lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.

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• Last Updated Dec 11, 2025

As one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a popular choice for those who prefer a no-annual-fee card with a strong base earning rate and useful bonus categories.

Now, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is an even better deal. For a limited time, new cardholders can earn a $300 bonus after they spend $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. 

On the fence about whether the Freedom Unlimited is right for you? Let’s break down what the card has to offer.

Earn a $300 Bonus With Chase Freedom Unlimited 

The new offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited to earn $300 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening is $100 more than the previous bonus, so it’s a great time to consider the card.

Even though it’s marketed as a cash-back card, the Freedom Unlimited earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, where each point is worth 1 cent when redeemed for cash back. So with this offer, you’ll actually earn 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points after meeting the minimum spending requirement.

In addition, new Freedom Unlimited cardholders qualify for a 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, then 18.49% - 27.99% Variable. This is ideal if you have large purchases coming up that you want to finance over time, or want to consolidate debt with a balance transfer from a high-interest credit card.

Rewards Rates

Alongside this generous bonus, the card earns rewards at the following rates:

• 5% cash back (5x points) on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
• 3% cash back (3x points) on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services)
• 3% cash back (3x points) at drugstores
• 1.5% cash back (1.5 x points) on other purchases

I’ve had the Freedom Unlimited in my wallet for many years, and I maximize rewards by using it primarily for drugstore and dining purchases. I also love that it earns a better-than-average 1.5% back on most other spending, making it ideal for those random purchases that don’t fall neatly into other credit card bonus categories.

How To Redeem Points With the Chase Freedom Unlimited

Redeeming for cash back isn’t the only option with the Chase Freedom Unlimited, but in many cases, it’s the easiest way to use your rewards. Here’s a full rundown of your redemption options with the card:

• Cash back: Use points toward a statement credit or bank deposit (1 cent per point)
• Book travel: Redeem points for flights, hotels, rental cars, activities, tours and cruises through Chase Travel (1 cent per point)
• Gift cards: Buy gift cards from dozens of popular merchants with points (usually 1 cent per point, sometimes more during promotions)
• Pay with points: Redeem points at Amazon, Apple or PayPal during checkout (rates vary)
• The Shops at Chase: Pay for merchandise through Chase’s shopping portal using points (1 cent per point)

Things get a little more interesting (and potentially more rewarding) if you also have a premium Chase credit card that earns transferable Ultimate Rewards points — namely, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. These annual-fee cards unlock the ability to convert rewards to airline miles or hotel points with Chase’s transfer partners.   

By moving rewards from your Freedom Unlimited to one of these accounts, then transferring them to an airline or hotel partner to book award travel, you could receive a value far higher than the standard 1 cent per point the card offers for most redemptions.

That’s how I prefer to use rewards from my Freedom Unlimited — I pool all of my points in my Sapphire Preferred Card account, then transfer them to my favorite partners whenever I need to book an award flight or hotel stay. This year alone, I’ve transferred points to Southwest Rapid Rewards on several occasions to book flights to and from Chicago, where my daughter attends college, and to Air Canada Aeroplan to book a Star Alliance award on EVA Air for my mom.

This flexibility makes the Freedom Unlimited ideal for pairing with an eligible Chase travel credit card. But even as a standalone card, the Freedom Unlimited offers other useful travel benefits that can come in handy if things go wrong away from home.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Benefits

For a no-annual-fee card, the Freedom Unlimited comes with a decent range of perks, including travel insurance and purchase protections. Chase Freedom Unlimited benefits include:

• Car rental insurance: When you use the card to pay for your rental and decline the agency’s collision damage waiver, you can be covered for vehicle damage due to theft or collision. This rental car coverage is secondary in the US, primary otherwise.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Pay for travel with the card and if your trip is cut short or canceled for a covered reason, you could be reimbursed up to $1,500 per covered traveler and $6,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable fares.
• Travel and emergency assistance: A hotline is available for cardholders while they’re traveling to assist with arranging things like medical referrals or translation services. While the hotline is complimentary, any third-party costs are the responsibility of the cardholder.
• Purchase protection: If a qualifying item you paid for with the card is damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase (90 days for New York residents), you could be reimbursed up to $500 per item.
• Extended warranty: Pay with your card and receive an extension of the time period on eligible US manufacturers’ warranties by an additional year, on warranties of three years or less.
• Partner perks: Cardholders can enroll to receive six months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership, which normally costs $9.99 per month (activation required by Dec. 31, 2027). Plus, DashPass members get up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders through the same date. In addition, the card earns 2% total cash back on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027.

Is the Chase Freedom Unlimited Worth It?

Even without an elevated welcome offer, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth it if you want to earn generous rewards without the burden of an annual fee. It’s a smart choice whether you’re new to rewards credit cards and want a straightforward earning and redemption structure, or you’re a veteran traveler who likes to pair cards for maximum value.

I recommend this card to friends and family who are looking for their first Ultimate Rewards card, and to those who want a solid, no-fuss cash-back earner. Read our review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited for a closer look at the card’s rewards and benefits.