Discover Rewards Calendar: Your Guide To Maximizing Cash Back in 2026
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Written by
Jasmin Baron
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Edited by
Emily Gadd, CCC
Discover credit cards are well known for their strong cash-back earning rates, generous first-year bonus and top-notch customer service. One favorite feature among cardholders is the Discover Rewards Calendar, which is available on cards such as the Discover it® Cash Back and Discover it® Student Cash Back.
With these cards, you’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter (then 1%) in rotating categories once you activate the bonus. Discover It categories often line up with seasonal spending habits and have included things like:
- Supermarkets
- Gas stations
- Dining
- Amazon purchases
We’ll show you how the Discover card cash back calendar works and what to expect in the first quarter of 2026.
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How the Discover Rewards Calendar Works
To use the rewards calendar, you must have an eligible Discover it card, such as the Discover it® Cash Back or Discover it® Student Cash Back.
With one of these cards, you’ll earn 5% cash back when you activate categories that change each quarter, on up to $1,500 in combined spending — after that, you’ll earn 1% back.
To activate the bonus categories, log into the Discover mobile app or your account. You can also visit this page for more information or call Discover at 800-347-2683.
One important caveat: You won’t start earning 5% cash back until you activate. Any bonus category purchases made before activation will only earn 1% back (it’s not retroactive).
Discover It Categories for 2026
For the first quarter of 2026 (Jan. 1 through March 31), Discover’s 5% categories are:
- Grocery stores: This includes purchases that are made at supermarkets, small grocery stores, bakeries, meat lockers and even grocery delivery services. Some convenience and discount stores will qualify, but Target and Walmart purchases do not.
- Wholesale clubs: If your local wholesale club accepts Discover, your purchases will count under this category. Some club services, like travel, cell phone and delivery aren’t eligible.
- Select streaming services: Use your Discover card to pay for your subscriptions. Some of the services that qualify include Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, Apple Music and TV, Google Play Music and Video, HBO Max and Paramount Plus.
We don’t yet know what the Discover categories will be for the second quarter of 2026. You can check for updates here or on Discover’s website around Feb. 1 to get an early look at the new categories.
That said, you can get a feel for what categories might come around by looking at previous years’ categories. Here’s what the Discover cashback calendar has looked like over the past couple of years:
| Discover categories | Q1 (January to March) | Q2 (April to June) | Q3 (July to September) | Q4 (October to December) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Grocery stores, wholesale clubs and select streaming services | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| 2025 | Restaurants, home improvement stores and select streaming services | Grocery stores and wholesale clubs | Gas stations and EV charging, public transit and utilities | Amazon.com and drug stores |
| 2024 | Restaurants and drugstores | Gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores and public transit | Grocery stores and Walmart | Amazon.com and Target |
| 2023 | Grocery stores, drug stores and select streaming services | Restaurants and wholesale clubs | Gas stations and digital wallets | Amazon.com and Target |
Tips for Maximizing Cash Back With the Discover Rewards Calendar
To get the most out of the rewards Discover offers, consider:
1. Setting an Alarm for the New Quarter
Before you jump into maximizing your credit card’s rewards, it bears repeating: You won’t earn 5% cash back if you don’t activate the bonus categories each quarter. Discover typically sends an activation email, but to be extra safe, it’s wise to set a calendar reminder just before each new quarter starts.
2. Planning Your Spending
You’ll earn the most cash back with your eligible Discover card when you spend the full $1,500 each quarter to earn 5% cash back (otherwise, other purchases earn a comparatively weak 1% back). To achieve this, your best bet is to plan ahead or shift your spending to align with the quarterly categories.
Discover’s made this a bit trickier in recent years. It used to unveil the Discover Rewards Calendar for an entire year at a time, which made it easy to plan your spending around the rotating categories. Now, Discover dribbles out category info one quarter at a time.
It’s still possible to tweak your strategy, but you might have to be a bit more flexible. For example, for Q1 2026, one of the bonus categories is wholesale clubs. If you were considering a big purchase at your local wholesale club, like a TV, you should consider waiting until January.
3. Comparing the Rewards Offered by Other Cards in Your Wallet
You’ll also want to look at the other rewards credit cards in your wallet to see if making adjustments to your strategy is worthwhile. Many rewards cards don’t offer bonus cash back for shopping at wholesale clubs, for example, so switching to your Discover card for those purchases makes sense.
Similarly, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (an advertising partner) only offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending per year, then 1%. If you have that card, you should prioritize using your Discover card at grocery stores in Q1 instead.
Comparing Discover It Categories to Competitors
The Discover Rewards Calendar faces close competition from a similar rotating category credit card, the Chase Freedom Flex®. On this card, you can also earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending per quarter after activation (then 1%).
Just like Discover, Chase announces new categories just before the start of each quarter. For Q4 2025, the Chase Freedom categories are:
- Department stores
- Old Navy
- Chase Travel℠
- PayPal (for December only)
Sometimes there’s overlap with Discover’s categories, but you can usually expect some difference.
Like Discover cards, the Chase Freedom Flex has no annual fee. However, Discover cards have an advantage if you plan to make international purchases because the Freedom Flex charges 3% in foreign transaction fees.
That said, the Freedom Flex has an edge for its additional bonus categories (5% back on Chase Travel℠ purchases and 3% back on dining and drugstores each quarter). Plus, if you forget to activate Chase Freedom categories at the very start of a new quarter, all is not lost. As long as you activate by the 14th of the month before a new quarter starts, you’ll earn 5% back retroactively on all bonus category purchases for the quarter, up to spending limits.
Using the Discover Rewards Calendar for Holiday and Seasonal Spending
You’ll want to keep a close eye on the Discover cash back calendar ahead of the holidays and other times when consumer spending tends to increase (such as summer break or back-to-school shopping).
While it’s never guaranteed, Discover usually rolls out at least one category that aligns with seasonal trends. For instance, in Q4 2025, the categories are Amazon and drugstores (ideal for holiday shopping and keeping your medicine cabinet stocked). The Q1 2026 categories are grocery stores, wholesale clubs and select streaming services (ideal for shopping for fitness equipment for New Year’s resolutions and electronics and food for Super Bowl parties).
Discover Card Benefits Beyond the Rewards Calendar
Even though Discover cards are among the best cash back credit cards around, they’re relatively basic in terms of benefits — for example, Discover cards no longer offer car rental or travel insurance. Beyond Discover’s strong earning rates and lack of annual or foreign transaction fees, you won’t get flashy travel perks or purchase protections as you do with many other top rewards credit cards.
Where Discover shines, though, is its unique first-year bonus. Instead of offering a traditional welcome bonus, Discover will match all of the cash back you earn in your first year with no limits.
How Discover Cashback Match™ Works
Suppose you maximized the cash back categories on your Discover it® Cash Back, each quarter in your first year (to earn $75 cash back per quarter or $300 in your first year). Discover would match that $300 after your first 12 months with the card, bringing your total cash back earned in year one to $600. That’s not even counting the 1% cash back you’ll earn on all of your other purchases, which is also matched.
This becomes even more lucrative for big spenders because there’s no limit to the amount Discover will match.
In addition, new cardholders qualify for a 0% Intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 15 months, then 17.74% - 26.74% Variable APR. This can translate to significant savings if you have major purchases you want to pay off over time, or if you’re carrying high-interest balances on other credit cards.
How To Redeem Discover Cashback Rewards
Discover makes it easy to redeem cash back from any of its cards, and there are no minimum redemption amounts as you’ll find on some other cash-back cards.
Your options for using cash back include redeeming for:
- Statement credits to lower your credit card bill
- A direct deposit to your bank account
- Purchases of gift cards
- Payment with rewards at Amazon.com or through PayPal or Apple Pay
Discover offers a higher value for your rewards when you redeem for gift cards (at least 5% more). And on the flip side, while redeeming your rewards at checkout with Amazon, PayPal and Apple Pay is convenient, it’s better to use your Discover card to pay for the purchase (because you’ll earn rewards), and then redeem rewards as a statement credit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Discover Cash Back Categories
What are the 5% categories for Discover?
For the first quarter of 2026 (January to March), the categories are grocery stores, wholesale clubs and select streaming services.
What purchases qualify for Discover cash back?
Each quarter, Discover announces different categories that qualify for 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending (then 1%). From Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, the categories are grocery stores, wholesale clubs and select streaming services (activation required). You can also earn 1% cash back for all other purchases.
Do Discover cashback rewards expire?
Discover cashback rewards don’t expire. However, if you close your account or haven’t used it in 18 months, Discover will credit your account or send you a check with your rewards.
Can you earn more than the 5% cash back limit per quarter?
You can only earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in rotating category spending per quarter. Beyond that, you’ll earn 1% back (enrollment required).
How do I activate the Discover cashback calendar?
You can activate the Discover cashback calendar each quarter through your Discover online account, Discover mobile app or by calling 800-347-2683.
How does Discover decide on its rotating categories?
It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s likely a combination of consumer-friendliness (such as fitting well with seasonal spending needs) and partnerships with certain brands (Amazon, Target and other retailers have previously appeared on Discover’s cash-back calendar).
What happens if you forget to activate a quarter?
In short, nothing. You’ll just earn 1% back on all purchases that quarter until you activate. Then you’ll earn 5% back in eligible categories up to spending maximums for the remainder of the quarter.
Is the Discover Rewards Calendar worth it compared to flat-rate cards?
Yes, the Discover Rewards Calendar can be worth it compared to flat-rate cards (such as 2% cash back credit cards) if your spending habits match up with Discover’s typical categories. That said, if having to remember to activate Discover’s bonus categories each quarter feels like too much effort, a flat-rate card (with its hands-off approach) is probably a better fit.
What’s the maximum cash back I can earn in a year?
In the Discover 5% cash back categories, once activated, the most you can earn in a year is $300 cash back (5% cash back x $1,500 per quarter x 4 quarters). After that, and in all other categories, you’ll earn an unlimited 1% cash back. Keep in mind that Discover will also match all the cash back you earn in your first year.
