Chase Freedom technically 6%

[mkhan1093]

Hey all,

So in most mathematical calculations looking at credit cards, when we talk about the Chase Freedom, we talk about getting 5x UR points. Before I got a Freedom, I had assumed that these calculations signified that the 5x earning replaced the ordinary 1% points back (up to the $1500/qtr limit). However, as I've used my Freedom, I noticed that category spends earned 5x points on top of the 1% that all purchases earn. Essentially, this means you earn 6% back. Why is this point never brought up when the card is discussed?

[wasCB14]

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@mkhan1093 wrote:

Hey all,

So in most mathematical calculations looking at credit cards, when we talk about the Chase Freedom, we talk about getting 5x UR points. Before I got a Freedom, I had assumed that these calculations signified that the 5x earning replaced the ordinary 1% points back (up to the $1500/qtr limit). However, as I've used my Freedom, I noticed that category spends earned 5x points on top of the 1% that all purchases earn. Essentially, this means you earn 6% back. Why is this point never brought up when the card is discussed?

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Are you sure the "5%" part isn't just 4x the base? 4x+1x=5x?

[bz386]

That is not true. The Freedom only earns 5 UR per $, that's 4 UR on top of the 1 UR of base spend. You might be confusing this with the Ultimate Rewards Portal, which indeed gives the bonus on top of whatever the base reward is.

[Anonymous]

From the FAQ for this coming quarter: How does the 5% promotion work?
You'll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. In addition, you'll earn 4% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in combined purchases in the bonus categories between April 1 to June 30, 2017. That's a total of 5% cash back, which means you can earn up to $75 cash back ($15 cash back plus your $60 bonus cash back). You must activate your 5% cash back by June 14, 2017 and use your card between April 1 to June 30, 2017 in the bonus categories to earn bonus cash back.

[deltatee]

This is definitely not how it worked wit my freedom. I received 5 UR points total, not 5 on top of the standard 1. That would have been awesome!

[Anonymous]

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@mkhan1093 wrote:

Hey all,

So in most mathematical calculations looking at credit cards, when we talk about the Chase Freedom, we talk about getting 5x UR points. Before I got a Freedom, I had assumed that these calculations signified that the 5x earning replaced the ordinary 1% points back (up to the $1500/qtr limit). However, as I've used my Freedom, I noticed that category spends earned 5x points on top of the 1% that all purchases earn. Essentially, this means you earn 6% back. Why is this point never brought up when the card is discussed?

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@mkhan1093

As others have stated, the Freedom is a 5% card, not 6%.  You might want to go back and look at your UR page to verify.

[Anonymous]

Mine was always 1x base plus 4x bonus for a total of 5x UR Points. Something is different with your card. I went back to my ToC for the Chase Freedom Card and they stated 1x plus 4x.

[K-in-Boston]

Absolutely only 5% on bonus categories.  From a recent statement (have been using Discover for fuel since the 5% is still being doubled).  This has a $30.40 fuel purchase on it. 30.40 * 4 UR = 121.6 UR, rounded to 122:

Previous points balance 3,531

+ 1% (1 Pt)/$1 earned on all purchases 88

+ Points moved to another account -3,531

+ Bonus from 1Q 5% category: Gas stations 122

= Total points available for redemption 210

Redeeming your points for Cash Back rewards is easy! For example, 2,000 points = $20 Cash Back rewards. To review your reward options visit chase.com/freedom. You always earn unlimited 1% cash back on all your purchases. Activate new bonus categories every quarter. You'll earn an additional 4% cash back, for a total of 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined bonus category purchases each quarter. Activate for free at chase.com/freedom, visit a Chase branch or call the number on the back of your card.

Also, anyone else find it at least a little cumbersome that you have to actually move points from one UR card to another, and it's not like AmEx Membership Rewards where they all pool in the same account?

[NRB525]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

Absolutely only 5% on bonus categories.  From a recent statement (have been using Discover for fuel since the 5% is still being doubled).  This has a $30.40 fuel purchase on it. 30.40 * 4 UR = 121.6 UR, rounded to 122:

Previous points balance 3,531

+ 1% (1 Pt)/$1 earned on all purchases 88

+ Points moved to another account -3,531

+ Bonus from 1Q 5% category: Gas stations 122

= Total points available for redemption 210

Redeeming your points for Cash Back rewards is easy! For example, 2,000 points = $20 Cash Back rewards. To review your reward options visit chase.com/freedom. You always earn unlimited 1% cash back on all your purchases. Activate new bonus categories every quarter. You'll earn an additional 4% cash back, for a total of 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined bonus category purchases each quarter. Activate for free at chase.com/freedom, visit a Chase branch or call the number on the back of your card.

Also, anyone else find it at least a little cumbersome that you have to actually move points from one UR card to another, and it's not like AmEx Membership Rewards where they all pool in the same account?

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This is why OP is confused. Chase does not display it as "additional 4%", and unless someone goes back and does the math, identifying if transactions are in the category or not, it looks like it is 1% on All, then 5% on the Category. It is indeed only a total of 5 UR points, I'm just saying Chase is not being clear in their presentation.

[K-in-Boston]

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@NRB525 wrote:

This is why OP is confused. Chase does not display it as "additional 4%", and unless someone goes back and does the math, identifying if transactions are in the category or not, it looks like it is 1% on All, then 5% on the Category. It is indeed only a total of 5 UR points, I'm just saying Chase is not being clear in their presentation.

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 Agreed.  I prefer the way Discover does it with 5% Cashback Bonus and Everywhere Else on two lines, completely separated.