topic Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited) in Credit Cards

Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 23:45:15 GMT

I know there is a lot of love in this forum for the 2%+ cashback cards for non-categorized spending. But I wonder.... if one were mainly focused in collecting Chase URs, or like the flexibility of flip flopping between UR points and cashback within the Chase ecosystem, how does that make Chase Freedom Unlimited (CFU) as a card of choice for non-categorized spending?

Looking at both of the Freedom brand of cards, it is clear to me that Flex (CFF) is the superior card. Both of them have exactly the same reward structure with the sole exception being CFF works as a 5% rotator every quarter whereas CFU is a flat 1.5% earner. Therefore, if one were not interested in using CFU as a card of choice for non-categorized spending, there clearly is NO need for that card at all.... with maybe the sole exception being made for a need to have a VISA card for Costco or something.

Anyways, how do you all feel about CFU? If you are one of the people that like to earn and burn URs, does that extra 1.5% on non-categorized spending converted into small boost in extra URs make it worthwhile for you, or would you just choose another cashback card with 2 or more % instead? How much do you value Chase's flexibility in shifting between cashback or UR, assuming you have CSP/CSR?

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 03:28:24 GMT

It really depends on whether you a) have the CSR (not CSP) and/or b) how you redeem.

If you transfer points to partners (via CSR/CSP/Ink of various kinds etc) and get a decent value per UR, say 1.5cpp, then the CFU is earning 2.25c per $ spent and is superior to a 2% cashback card (and obviously if you are doing better than 1.5cpp, even better!)

Or you could purchase travel through the Chase portal. Then with the 50% bonus of the CSR, again you would be getting the equivalent of 2.25% on purchases.

But otherwise, if you are treating it as pure cashback, it's not a great choice and if the 3% categories are what matter, the CFF is a better choice as you said.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 03:33:49 GMT

@Anonymous

Does that 25%/50% redemption bonus through Chase's travel portal matter at all if you don't ever book anything through it in the first place? I almost never use their portal and almost always transfer the URs to partner airlines/hotels. In that case, it matters not whether it is CSP or CSR, does it? In such case, redemption value is determined purely on how good of a deal you are getting from the said partner rewards program when booking, thus negating the 25%/50% redemption bonus into calcuation.

It is not like as if CSR allows 50% "CASH" redemption bonus or anything like that, so for someone like me who does not use the travel portal, isn't there virtually NO difference at all between CSP and CSR?

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 04:10:11 GMT

@Absolution16 wrote:
@Anonymous

Does that 25%/50% redemption bonus through Chase's travel portal matter at all if you don't ever book anything through it in the first place? I almost never use their portal and almost always transfer the URs to partner airlines/hotels. In that case, it matters not whether it is CSP or CSR, does it? In such case, redemption value is determined purely on how good of a deal you are getting from the said partner rewards program when booking, thus negating the 25%/50% redemption bonus into calcuation.

It is not like as if CSR allows 50% "CASH" redemption bonus or anything like that, so for someone like me who does not use the travel portal, isn't there virtually NO difference at all between CSP and CSR?

Right, that is why I included the "depends" in the first sentence! If you transfer, the CSP/CSR distinction goes away, and whether it is better than a 2% card depends purely on your cpp value (as we both said!) If you don't transfer, then the CFU makes sense only if you have the CSR AND use the portal.

I suspect we are both saying the same thing.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

805orbust — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 04:17:14 GMT

I agree wholeheartedly on the CFF. However, I'm growing fatigued of keeping track of rotators. I'd just rather have a flat % rate nowadays and keep it pushing.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Aim_High — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 17:21:19 GMT

@Absolution16 wrote:

Looking at both of the Freedom brand of cards, it is clear to me that Flex (CFF) is the superior card.

... how do you all feel about CFU?

... How much do you value Chase's flexibility in shifting between cashback or UR, assuming you have CSP/CSR?

Not necessarily, @Absolution16. The superiority of one card to another depends not only on how it is used but also how the points/cash back are redeemed. To begin, you are speaking about all this from a cash back perspective even though you're acknowledging UR value for travel redemptions. So yes, if you're a cash back optimizer, you would probably choose the 5% card since it appears on the surface to be the smarter choice. However, that may or may not be true.

This gets into the debate about the merits of and preferences for rotating category cards in general. There have been a lot of threads discussing this topic. Even without an AF (as you & I discussed in another thread about AMEX Blue Cash Preferred), category cards have their challenges.

Spending caps often apply by the year, quarter, or even month. Tracking the cap takes some effort, especially if the card holder's normal spend in a category may exceed the threshold. Exceeding the threshold without moving your spend to another card quickly reduces rewards from 5% to 1%. However, you may also find yourself spending less than you expected in a category and not reaping the full potential quarterly reward of $75 (5% of $1500.)
Categories are not always beneficial, depending on the card holder's normal spend. And many of these cards including CFF don't allow selection of categories. So some cardholders will have quarters with $0 of 5% spending needs.
MCC (Merchant Category Codes) decide if you get 5% or 1%. Sometimes there are surprises.
The overall advantage of a 5% category card versus a 1.5% or 2% flat rate card depends on the amount of uncategorized spend a consumer makes that doesn't fit into a neat box. While I'll acknowledge that many category cards cover the highest routine household expenses such as food or gasoline, I also advocate that most of our members greatly underestimate their spending that isn't specifically covered by any enhanced credit card rewards program.
Part of the cost-benefit analysis for any 5% card needs to weigh the incremental rewards value versus the hassle and time of carrying that extra card, tracking and activating rotating categories, watching for fraud, and remembering to pay the bill. Everyone can make their own decision where to fall on that spectrum but those favoring simplicity might decide the card isn't worth the carry.

I'm personally not a fan of many of these type cards for the above reasons. I have a Discover IT 5% mainly because it's my oldest card. And I opened - but later closed - a Chase Freedom original (before CFF was introduced) as part of setting up a quad-fecta with my CSR. It sounded great but in practice, after I calculated the rewards, the incremental gain wasn't worth the hassle to me.

Now on the other hand, along with my CSR, I highly value my CFU. They make an awesome Chase Two-Card Combo. CSR only earns 1x UR on uncapped - uncategorized spend but CFU earns 1.5 UR for a baseline earn. And as @Anonymous @discussed, those URs can be worth 2.25% to 3% if UR travel redemption is made for 1.5 to 2.0 cpp. In general, I love no-muss no-fuss uncapped and uncategorized cards. They are just easy and always work.

In the case of Chase URs, one reason I prefer them over AMEX MRs is they are always worth at least 1 % in cash value with CSR (or 1.5% if combined with CFU) as compared to 0.6 cpp for MR statement credit, 0.6 to 1.0 cpp for MR gift cards, or 1.1 cpp if coupled with Charles Schwab Platinum. URs are just easy to cash out if I prefer not to use them for travel.

Now if I didn't have CSR, I agree that CFU may be somewhat inferior to a flat-rate 2% card, but even that depends on how much value you get from the 3% dining + drugstores and the higher earning for travel portal purchases. This is why it's important for everyone to crunch their own numbers based on their budget and their needs. It's human nature to assume that everyone spends like we do, but there are many differences between us!

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Aim_High — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:11:35 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Absolution16 wrote:
... so for someone like me who does not use the travel portal, isn't there virtually NO difference at all between CSP and CSR?
Right .. If you transfer, the CSP/CSR distinction goes away,

I cringed reading this but I'm assuming the question was specifically about the benefit of CSR versus CSP in terms of in-portal travel value versus transfer to partners.

But CSR offers a LOT of perks and value that you do not get with CSP as a whole, far beyond that mere extra 25% bonus for in-portal travel redemption. When Chase revamped CSP and the Freedom cards a few years ago, they made CSP much better but it still lags CSR in many aspects.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

wasCB14 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:02:15 GMT

How are people using URs these days? Hyatt is still good but has a small footprint.

United used to be a bargain but some of their award prices make them look worse than Delta...like 30k+ some days for LAX-ACV one-way economy.

That's an in-state flight!

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:45:22 GMT

@Anonymous

Ah... okay. Yes, I believe we are indeed talking about the same things. I was confused when you stated:

It really depends on whether you a) have the CSR (not CSP) and/or b) how you redeem.

The "not CSP" part sorta threw me off a bit, but it was just my misunderstanding. My bad.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:13:42 GMT

@805orbust

I totally understand the desire for simplicity, and for that, CFU is just much easier to manage than CFF or any other rotators with caps.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:52:49 GMT

@Aim_High

Another solid set of advice and viewpoints! I am actually very glad to hear the strength of CFU as I was having doubts about it being a solid replacement for a general, non-categorized spending card. The simplicity in unlimited caps and no categories to keep track is indeed very attractive, and given the fact that I usually get 2cpp when I transfer to partner airlines/hotels, this effectively makes it equivalent to a 3% cashback card. Good stuff!

I have no problem keeping track of categories, so CFF is still more attractive to me. I see that with CFF, at least 6 months out of the year, I get gas and groceries covered. Any other months where the bonus categories don't match my needs, I can always revert to using other cards. Since you took part in that BCE/BCP conversation we had earlier, you know that I can always fall back to BCE for those months where gas and groceries are not covered by CFF. . And CFF/CFU both have 3% on dining so the 3 most commonly used categories are covered!

My question was more towards CFU vs other 2+% cashback cards in the general uncategorized spend. I now can see that if I were to commit to earning some UR, CFU can go toe to toe, if not outright outdo those 2+% cashback cards if UR is redeemed optimally, which hasn't been that hard, especially compared to MR.

I am planning to apply for both CFF and CFU eventually, though most likely I will spread the application one year apart from each other if Chase keeps on the 12-month gas/groceries promotions. So now the question becomes.... which one should I go for, first?

As for CSR.... that $550 AF is a bit too much for me as I don't travel THAT MUCH to find that hefty AF worthwhile... but there is no denying that it certainly does have great perks for folks who's travel very frequently on a regular basis.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 12:50:05 GMT

@wasCB14

I find United to be easier than Delta, which I have noticed severe devaluation over time. I also like United not passing on fuel surcharges, and find them easier in terms of award availability, especially in international flights.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:19:12 GMT

@Aim_High wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Absolution16 wrote:
... so for someone like me who does not use the travel portal, isn't there virtually NO difference at all between CSP and CSR?
Right .. If you transfer, the CSP/CSR distinction goes away,
I cringed reading this but I'm assuming the question was specifically about the benefit of CSR versus CSP in terms of in-portal travel value versus transfer to partners.

But CSR offers a LOT of perks and value that you do not get with CSP as a whole, far beyond that mere extra 25% bonus for in-portal travel redemption. When Chase revamped CSP and the Freedom cards a few years ago, they made CSP much better but it still lags CSR in many aspects.

Yes, that was my intention, purely for UR valuation! As you say, there are many advantages the CSR has over the CSP in general terms, including much better travel protections and lounge access (for, of course, a larger AF)

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Aim_High — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:20:23 GMT

@Absolution16 wrote:

My question was more towards CFU vs other 2+% cashback cards in the general uncategorized spend. I now can see that if I were to commit to earning some UR, CFU can go toe to toe, if not outright outdo those 2+% cashback cards if UR is redeemed optimally, which hasn't been that hard, especially compared to MR.

Prior to the Freedom cards makeover a couple of years ago, CFU lagged the 2% cards since it was simply a flat 1.5% card. Not bad when it was introduced a few years ago but 1.5% cards have been eclipsed. While the makeover improved the card rewards, it also muddied the waters since it has multiple rewards rates.

As we discussed, CFU - when coupled with a CSR or CSP with the ability to transfer URs to partners - has a potential much higher rewards return as long as points are redeemed for travel.

Whether CFU as a stand-alone card is as-good or better than a 2% card depends on the specific spend. Yes, you lose 0.5% on 2% baseline earnings but you also earn 1% above baseline 2% earnings for dining and drugstores, all uncapped. And the 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. (That's all permanent rewards earnings but of course there is also the SUB offering for 5% on groceries up to $12K purchases in year one.) Also, through 03/31/2025, 5% back on LYFT rides. So after year one, putting pencil to paper based on actual budget would be necessary to compute your personal rewards forecast. I imagine most cardholders would end up > 1.5% but probably less than 2% if all uncategorized spend was put on CFU. But heavy usage of the 3%/5% categories could push rewards over 2%.

Also, compared to other no-AF 2% cards, CFU has some nice perks included such as Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Trip Cancellation/Interruption coverage, and secondary rental car CDW.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Aim_High — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:17:21 GMT

@Absolution16 wrote:
As for CSR.... that $550 AF is a bit too much for me as I don't travel THAT MUCH to find that hefty AF worthwhile... but there is no denying that it certainly does have great perks for folks who's travel very frequently on a regular basis.

I've heard that a lot on the forums, @Absolution16. Not to diverge too much from your CFU question, but myself and others have pointed out that there's not as huge of a differential in fees versus benefits as some first believe. The high AF puts off many until you dig into the details. And I don't believe you need to be a truly frequent traveler to benefit more from CSR. I'll also mention that, until I got CSR five years ago, I wouldn't pay AFs on credit cards for the past several decades. That was the first card that I relented to try out cards that offered benefits and credits in lieu of AFs. CSP has $95 AF; minus the $50 annual hotel credit = effective AF of $45. CSR has $550 AF; minus the $300 annual travel credit = effective AF of $250. So even before any other differences, there's only $205 between the two as long as you spend at least $300 a year on travel. For a summary of what you get for your $205:

Roadside Assistance (not just Dispatch) equivalent to a Classic AAA plan. In my state, that currently costs $72 a year. Includes not only coordination but the first $50 of up to (4) annual service calls. This is a "travel" benefit that could be useful even for local driving.
Shopping protections: In addition to the Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty Protection offered by CSP, you also receive Return Protection (90 days; up to $500 per item that a store will not accept.)
Reserved By Sapphire: Access special "experience" opportunities (dining, sports, music, entertainment.)
LYFT: Complimentary LYFT PINK membership ($120 per year normally) with 5% LYFT discounts and priority pickup
10X UR earned on LYFT rides (versus 5X on CSP)

And then, the travel-specific benefits and perks, which could be useful even for the less-frequent traveler:

Industry-leading trip insurances and protections much better than on CSP. *See >this link< for a discussion and comparison to some other premium cards.
$25 annual credit ($100/4 years) for TSA Global Entry/Precheck/Nexus
Complimentary unlimited Priority Pass airport lounge access (PP all-free unlimited membership plan costs $469 annually; occassional traveler plan costs $99 annually plus $35 per guest.)
Extra 1x UR on travel purchases anywhere (3x UR per dollar)
Extra 5x UR (10x total) on hotel and rental car purchases through Chase travel portal
Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection - perks such as room upgrades & complimentary breakfast
50% UR point bonus for in-portal travel redemption (versus 25% for CSP)

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Absolution16 — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 23:23:50 GMT

@Aim_High

First of all, thank you for the detailed information on the CSR. There were some perks you mentioned that I was not aware of. Of course, I would expect the kind of perks like that with a $550 AF card. Something to think about, though since I already have CSP, that would mean I would have to downgrade the CSP and then apply for CSR, with a risk that I may possibly not be approved, thereby losing any kind of bonus from the Sapphire family of cards. You just never know. But, in general, I am quite satisfied with status quo in CSP.

In terms of CFU, I was making comparison with the 2+% cashback cards for general uncategorized, with the assumption that CSP/CSR is also being used together, and redemptions being made only for transfers to airlines/hotels. Cashback redemption would be the last resort, but even there, the flexibility is superior in comparison to MR and TYP. Anyhow, I am making the assumption that any kind of decent redemption through the travel partners via transferring points can be had for at least 1.5cpp at the minimum, which effectively puts the value of the CFU at 2.25% at the minimum. Am I doing the math right? If so, this is quite excellent indeed. And some nice perks, as you clearly explained. Good stuff.

The extra 3% and 5% category bonuses on the CFU are just sweet cherry on top, it seems. I do however, wish that there were some distinction between the CFU and CFF in those categories, because they are exactly the same. Part of me wishes that one of those categories were either groceries or gas, instead of just giving 1st year promotion. Or maybe even make the CFU a No-FTF card?

Having CSP already, my original plan was to actually apply for CFF and CFU. The strategy was to apply for them spaced out a year apart from each other, so that any 12-month intro promotion on gas/groceries can be fully taken advantage of, considering I also have BCE for gas/groceries, since that will more than enough cover me for the spending caps. But I am the kind of person that don't like to apply for needless number of credit cards and would prefer to simplify things. If Discover didn't "forcefully" PCed my IT to Miles, I may not have had felt the need for CFF. Still, getting 5% on AT LEAST 6 months out of the year from gas and groceries would surely be a nice boost to earning UR.

But, if the question comes down to: which would I choose if I had to pick just ONE? I am having a hard time answering that question. CFU is predictable and steady. CFF... do the extra 5% from at least 6 months out of the year on useful categories make significant enough of a difference to even bother applying for it? I guess some detailed number crunching with my spending is in order. I would still love to hear what others think about this, and any kind of datapoint with rough general spending pattern unique to their own would be appreciated as well.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Kforce — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 01:00:09 GMT

I agree with @Aim_High

Everyone should look at there "real" spend in common reward categories.

Then do some calculations and evaluate real value of getting a new card.

A real example:

Approx $ 7,000 a month total spend.

Don't travel so cashback

Single card AOD = $210/mo 3.0%

2 cards AOD, and USAlliant 6% grocery ~ 1,000/m = (180 Aod + USA 60) = $240 = 3.4%

3 cards 2 above + 5% gas with ~500/mo = (165 Aod + USA 60 + gas 25 ) = $250 = 3.6

Should one get the next card ?

Add 5% utility ~500/mo (150+60+25+25) = $260 = 3.7%

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Anonymalous — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 02:12:31 GMT

@Aim_High wrote:
Prior to the Freedom cards makeover a couple of years ago, CFU lagged the 2% cards since it was simply a flat 1.5% card. Not bad when it was introduced a few years ago but 1.5% cards have been eclipsed. While the makeover improved the card rewards, it also muddied the waters since it has multiple rewards rates.

I know you don't intend it that way, but a lot of the internet credit card community does dismiss 1.5% cards entirely in favor of 2% cards, and I think they're wrong. Most of the 2% cards have tended be pretty bare bones, with no benefits aside from the cash back rate. Citi's Double Cash for instance stripped away most of the partner benefits, and until very recently was known for not having a sign up bonus. While there's been a bit of a competitive increase lately, with the PayPal card adding a 3% category, and cards like the FNBO's Evergreen, WF's Active Cash, and even Citi's DC coming with a SUB (the WF's AC even has cell protection), the 1.5%ers tend to outstrip them in those areas. The Cap1 Quicksilver has no FTF, virtual cards, a whole suite of WEMC benefits, and a very consistent SUB. Even without considering the portal or transfer partners via a Sapphire card, Chase's FU has two 3% categories, various VISA Signature protections, and one of the best SUBs of any non-AF card. I think for many people -- especially people who don't have a collection of CCs -- those extras can be a worth a lot more than an extra 0.5% cash back. These are all competitive cards, they're just competing on a different mix of features.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

wasCB14 — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 02:27:51 GMT

@Anonymalous wrote:
@Aim_High wrote:
Prior to the Freedom cards makeover a couple of years ago, CFU lagged the 2% cards since it was simply a flat 1.5% card. Not bad when it was introduced a few years ago but 1.5% cards have been eclipsed. While the makeover improved the card rewards, it also muddied the waters since it has multiple rewards rates.

I know you don't intend it that way, but a lot of the internet credit card community does dismiss 1.5% cards entirely in favor of 2% cards, and I think they're wrong. Most of the 2% cards have tended be pretty bare bones, with no benefits aside from the cash back rate. Citi's Double Cash for instance stripped away most of the partner benefits, and until very recently was known for not having a sign up bonus. While there's been a bit of a competitive increase lately, with the PayPal card adding a 3% category, and cards like the FNBO's Evergreen, WF's Active Cash, and even Citi's DC coming with a SUB (the WF's AC even has cell protection), the 1.5%ers tend to outstrip them in those areas. The Cap1 Quicksilver has no FTF, virtual cards, a whole suite of WEMC benefits, and a very consistent SUB. Even without considering the portal or transfer partners via a Sapphire card, Chase's FU has two 3% categories, various VISA Signature protections, and one of the best SUBs of any non-AF card. I think for many people -- especially people who don't have a collection of CCs -- those extras can be a worth a lot more than an extra 0.5% cash back. These are all competitive cards, they're just competing on a different mix of features.

1.5% is to 2% what 2% is to AOD and BofA Platinum Honors.

Re: Seeking Viewpoints on CFU (Chase Freedom Unlimited)

Anonymalous — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 06:05:11 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@Anonymalous wrote:
@Aim_High wrote:
Prior to the Freedom cards makeover a couple of years ago, CFU lagged the 2% cards since it was simply a flat 1.5% card. Not bad when it was introduced a few years ago but 1.5% cards have been eclipsed. While the makeover improved the card rewards, it also muddied the waters since it has multiple rewards rates.

I know you don't intend it that way, but a lot of the internet credit card community does dismiss 1.5% cards entirely in favor of 2% cards, and I think they're wrong. Most of the 2% cards have tended be pretty bare bones, with no benefits aside from the cash back rate. Citi's Double Cash for instance stripped away most of the partner benefits, and until very recently was known for not having a sign up bonus. While there's been a bit of a competitive increase lately, with the PayPal card adding a 3% category, and cards like the FNBO's Evergreen, WF's Active Cash, and even Citi's DC coming with a SUB (the WF's AC even has cell protection), the 1.5%ers tend to outstrip them in those areas. The Cap1 Quicksilver has no FTF, virtual cards, a whole suite of WEMC benefits, and a very consistent SUB. Even without considering the portal or transfer partners via a Sapphire card, Chase's FU has two 3% categories, various VISA Signature protections, and one of the best SUBs of any non-AF card. I think for many people -- especially people who don't have a collection of CCs -- those extras can be a worth a lot more than an extra 0.5% cash back. These are all competitive cards, they're just competing on a different mix of features.
1.5% is to 2% what 2% is to AOD and BofA Platinum Honors.

Not based on the argument I was making. The 1.5% cards I mentioned have substantially better benefits than the 2% cards, and there doesn't seem to be a further drop down to the BOA 1.5%/2.625% card. It's just a higher rate, though of course it's restricted to those who are feeding the bull. And the AOD card is a true unicorn. Not only is 3% a 50% increase over a 2% card, which is substantially larger than the roughly 1/3rd increase of 2/1.5 or 2.625/2, but it also has superb secondary features, like a low fixed rate, no FTF, and other benefits. It's an exceptional card, by almost any measure, though of course it's no longer available to new applicants. Which seems to be a pattern -- the widely available cards tend to cap at at a 2% flat rate, with the exceptions tending to either go away or be nerfed, restricted in various degrees (like Alliant or Aerospace), or just kept as secrets.