Chase Freedom Q4 categories now live: McDonald’s, PayPal, pet shops and charities
Editor's Note
Somehow, we're in the last quarter of the year. Whether this brings up excitement for the holidays or stress about all that still needs to be done, it also brings a new set of Chase Freedom bonus categories.
And this quarter is a good one. Chase has brought back the Q4 fan favorites of PayPal and select charities, but they've also added some new categories for pet parents and McDonald's lovers.
If you want to help those affected by Hurricane Helene, you can earn bonus rewards on donations to select charities involved in relief efforts, including the American Red Cross, Feeding America and International Medical Corps (see full list below).
Chase Freedom Flex® and Freedom cardholders can now earn bonus rewards with McDonald's, PayPal, pet shops, veterinarian services and select charities through Dec. 31 after activating.
Here's how it all works.
The information for the Freedom credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex Q4 2024 categories
Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex cardholders can activate to earn bonus cash back (or points) with McDonald's, PayPal, pet shops, veterinarian services and select charities now through Dec. 31.
As noted above, you must activate these categories to unlock the bonus-earning potential on these two cards.
It's simple to complete this process through your Chase account — with your last name, the last four digits of your card and your ZIP code. Registration is now open.
Analyzing the Q4 bonus categories
If you're like me and do most of your holiday shopping online, the return of PayPal as a bonus category this year is excellent news. This is the seventh year in a row we've gotten PayPal as a Q4 bonus category, and I'm able to maximize it every year through my end-of-year shopping for others (and, OK, myself).
This is also the second year in a row Chase has offered select charities as a Q4 bonus category — great for anyone squeezing in their last-minute charitable donations at the end of the year.
In addition to these two returning categories, we're getting new ways to earn bonus rewards in Q4. Pet parents know all too well that pet expenses can add up — and don't typically earn bonus rewards. The addition of pet shops and veterinarian services offers those with furry friends (or planning to get a new one this season) the chance to rack up rewards on mundane expenses like pet food and vaccines as well as seasonal favorites like pet costumes and treats.
And happy news for Happy Meal lovers: McDonald's is also making its Freedom category debut this quarter.
Here are the bonus details:
- PayPal: Since so many online retailers accept PayPal, this bonus category gives cardholders tremendous flexibility in their Q4 bonus-earning potential. Simply link your Freedom or Freedom Flex card with your PayPal account and you'll earn bonus rewards when you use it as your payment method.
- Select charities: Q4 brings the season of giving, and that includes charitable donations for many of us. You'll earn bonus rewards when you use your Freedom or Freedom Flex to make a donation at any of the following charities: American Red Cross, Equal Justice Initiatives, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Leadership Conference Education Fund, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Urban League, Thurgood, Marshall College Fund, United Negro College Fund, UNICEF USA, United Way, World Central Kitchen, GLSEN, Out and Equal and Sage. Donate directly through the organization rather than through third-party sites to ensure you trigger the bonus rewards.
- Pet shops and veterinarian services: You'll earn bonus rewards when shopping for your pet or paying for their care. This category includes merchants that provide products or services for pet care, including pet shops (including online shops) that sell pet supplies, accessories, pet food and/or services for the upkeep of pets and licensed veterinary services. Note that doggy daycare, pet insurance and grooming are not included in this category.
- McDonald's: Whether you're swinging by for a treat or for a quick dinner on the run during this busy season, you'll earn bonus rewards at McDonald's when you use your Freedom or Freedom Flex at McDonald's this quarter. This includes purchases at McDonald's stores, including locations within third-party vendors, and on the McDonald's app. Gift cards and McDonald's merchandise purchased through third-party platforms are not included.
After activating, Freedom cardholders will earn 5% back (or 5 points per dollar) in each of these categories between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. Freedom Flex cardholders, meanwhile, will earn 7% back (or 7 points per dollar) at McDonald's and 5% back (or 5 points per dollar in the other categories during this same period after activation.
Remember that Chase limits the 5% back (or 5 points per dollar) to the first $1,500 spent in combined bonus categories each quarter you activate the bonus. After you reach the maximum, you'll earn the usual earning rates on your card.
Frequently asked questions about Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories
How do rotating categories work?
Each quarter, Chase announces a group of bonus categories that will earn 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar) throughout the upcoming three-month period. Generally, these categories are announced halfway through the month before the new quarter starts to give cardmembers time to activate new categories beforehand. However, you can activate your categories until midway through the last month of the quarter.
The categories tend to repeat periodically — for instance, grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations are all common categories you'll notice frequently pop up on the cash-back calendar. So, depending on the categories and whether you can maximize them, these two cards can offer quite a nice chunk of cash back or bonus points over the year.
Related: Check out our full Chase Freedom Flex card review
How much cash back can I earn each quarter?
Chase limits the 5% back (or 5 points per dollar) to the first $1,500 spent in combined bonus categories each quarter you activate the bonus.
While that may not sound like a lot, that cash back adds up over time. Maximizing the cash-back categories each quarter, you'll earn $75 in cash back quarterly and up to $300 per year. For a no-annual-fee credit card, that's a lot of value.
Alternatively, since the cash back you earn comes in the form of Ultimate Rewards points, you're looking at a potential of up to 30,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards earned each year. Suppose you also have a premium product like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. In that case, you can combine the Ultimate Rewards points you earn with your Chase Freedom or Freedom Flex card with those you earn from your more premium Ultimate Rewards-earning card, and they become fully transferable.
In that case, TPG's September 2024 valuations peg Chase points at 2.05 cents apiece — making the 30,000 you can earn in a year worth more like $615.
How do I activate my 5% categories each quarter?
You can head to Chase's site to activate your 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar) for this quarter. You can also register through your Chase mobile app, making one less credit card website you'll need to visit regularly this year.
Here's how to register:
- Head to the Chase bonus activation page or log in to your Chase account.
- Enter your last name, the last four digits of your card number and your billing ZIP code. If you don't have your card on hand, log in to your Chase account to retrieve these digits.
- Click "Activate your 5%" to register.
- If you have multiple Chase Freedom cards, make sure to register each one.
- Save a screenshot of your activation in case of any issues later — though you should also receive a "You're Activated!" confirmation email.
Can I have both the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex to double my earning potential?
Yes, you can have both cards. So, if you already have the Chase Freedom and want to add the Chase Freedom Flex to your wallet, you're free to do so. Remember that the original Freedom card is no longer open to new applicants.
But if you'd rather only have one, the Freedom Flex is available as a product change.
And, of course, you'll also want to ensure you're eligible for a new Chase card.
How do I maximize my Freedom and Freedom Flex cards?
The most important thing is to activate your card to earn 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar) each quarter in the specific categories and then use your card for purchases in those categories.
You can set up a recurring reminder in your calendar or sign up for the TPG newsletter (we send out a reminder when it's time to activate every quarter — plus tips and tricks for maximizing your card strategy and scoring some excellent award redemptions).
Better yet, paired with a Chase credit card that earns fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, the Chase Freedom Flex's 5% cash back effectively becomes 5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar, as you can learn all about in our guide detailing the "Chase Trifecta."
In that case, you can transfer the points earned with the Freedom Flex to Ultimate Rewards points and to travel partners like Southwest, Hyatt and United.
What are common bonus categories for the Freedom and Freedom Flex?
Of course, you'll also want to make sure that you'll potentially be able to maximize other bonus categories throughout the year. For reference, here are the previous Chase Freedom quarterly categories back to 2012 so you can decide if common categories make sense for your spending patterns:
| Year/Quarter | Bonus Categories |
|---|---|
| 2024 — Q4 | McDonald's (elevated 7% cash back for Freedom Flex cardholders), PayPal, pet shops and veterinarian services, select charities |
| 2024 — Q3 | Gas and EV charging stations, movie theaters and select live entertainment |
| 2024 — Q2 | Hotels booked through Chase Travel℠, dining and Amazon (different earning rates depending on the card, i.e., 9%, 7% and 5%, respectively for Freedom Flex; 5% for all three categories for Freedom) |
| 2024 — Q1 | Select grocery stores, fitness club and gym memberships, self-care and spa services |
| 2023 — Q4 | PayPal, select charities and wholesale clubs |
| 2023 — Q3 | Gas stations, EV charging and select live entertainment |
| 2023 — Q2 | Amazon and Lowe's |
| 2023 — Q1 | Grocery stores, gym memberships and fitness clubs, Target |
| 2022 — Q4 | PayPal and Walmart |
| 2022 — Q3 | Gas stations, rental cars, movie theaters and select live entertainment |
| 2022 — Q2 | Amazon.com and select streaming services |
| 2022 — Q1 | eBay and grocery stores |
| 2021 — Q4 | PayPal and Walmart |
| 2021 — Q3 | Grocery stores and select streaming services |
| 2021 — Q2 | Gas stations and home improvement stores |
| 2021 — Q1 | Wholesale clubs, select streaming services and internet, cable and phone services |
| 2020 — Q4 | PayPal and Walmart |
| 2020 — Q3 | Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market |
| 2020 — Q2 | Grocery stores, gym memberships and fitness clubs, and select streaming services |
| 2020 — Q1 | Gas stations; internet, cable and phone services; and select streaming services |
| 2019 — Q4 | Chase Pay, PayPal and department stores |
| 2019 — Q3 | Gas stations and streaming services |
| 2019 — Q2 | Grocery stores and home improvement |
| 2019 — Q1 | Gas stations, drugstores and tolls |
| 2018 — Q4 | Wholesale clubs, department stores and Chase Pay |
| 2018 — Q3 | Lyft, Walgreens and gas stations |
| 2018 — Q2 | Groceries, PayPal and Chase Pay |
| 2018 — Q1 | Mobile wallets, gas stations and internet, cable and phone service merchants |
| 2017 — Q4 | Walmart and department stores |
| 2017 — Q3 | Restaurants and movie theaters |
| 2017 — Q2 | Grocery stores and drugstores |
| 2017 — Q1 | Gas stations and local commuter transportation |
| 2016 — Q4 | Wholesale clubs, drugstores and department stores |
| 2016 — Q3 | Restaurants and wholesale clubs |
| 2016 — Q2 | Grocery stores and wholesale clubs |
| 2016 — Q1 | Gas stations and local commuter transportation |
| 2015 — Q4 | Amazon.com, Zappos.com, Audible.com and Diapers.com |
| 2015 — Q3 | Gas stations and Kohl's |
| 2015 — Q2 | Restaurants, Bed Bath & Beyond, H&M and Overstock.com |
| 2015 — Q1 | Grocery stores, movie theaters and Starbucks |
| 2014 — Q4 | Amazon.com, Zappos.com and department stores |
| 2014 — Q3 | Gas stations and Kohl's |
| 2014 — Q2 | Restaurants and Lowe's |
| 2014 — Q1 | Gas stations, movie theaters and Starbucks |
| 2013 — Q4 | Department stores and Amazon.com |
| 2012 — Q3 | Gas stations, theme parks and Kohl's |
| 2012 — Q2 | Restaurants and movie theaters |
| 2012 — Q1 | Gas stations, drugstores and Starbucks |
Bottom line
If you're a Chase Freedom or Freedom Flex cardholder, you can earn bonus rewards with PayPal, select charities, pet shops and veterinary services and McDonald's purchases now through Dec. 31 after activating.
In addition to the rotating bonus categories, the Freedom Flex accrues 5% cash back on all other travel booked through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstores, 3% cash back on dining (including eligible delivery services) and 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases.
Apply here: Chase Freedom Flex with a sign-up bonus of $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.