The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Chase Freedom Flex Card [2024]

Updated: March 7, 2024, 12:58pm CST

Edited by:

The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Chase Freedom Flex Card [2024]

Freedom Flex Card Snapshot
The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Freedom Flex Card
Card Comparison
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is an excellent no-annual-fee credit card that offers some incredible rewards-earning potential. The card is often featured on our list of the best cash-back credit cards.

The Freedom Flex card offers a great overall earning rate and a simple welcome bonus offer and earns highly valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. With different earning categories each quarter, the Freedom Flex card is also great for pairing as part of a bigger rewards strategy.

Let’s take a look at where the Freedom Flex card shines, where it lacks in rewards-earning potential, and the best cards to pair with it to maximize your rewards.

Freedom Flex Card Snapshot

Chase Freedom Flex℠

U.P. Rating

The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.

Welcome OfferEarn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
$200

Annual Fee

APR

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.

The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.

Pros

0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
Powerful cash-back earner: 5% back on quarterly categories and travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases
No annual fee

Cons

3% foreign transaction fees in U.S. dollars

Read Full Review

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards^®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Benefits of the Freedom Flex Card

The Freedom Flex card is a great option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card.

With the Freedom Flex card, you can earn 5% cash-back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter (activation is required). These rotating quarterly bonus categories vary tremendously and have included grocery stores, wholesale clubs, gas stations, and even online purchases at Amazon in the past. You must activate your bonus categories.

The Freedom Flex card earns 5% cash-back on travel purchased through the Chase Travel portal and 5% cash-back on Lyft rides through March 2025. It also earns 3% cash-back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services. All other purchases earn 1% cash-back.

Since the Freedom Flex card is a cash-back card, the Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned can only be redeemed for a statement credit or sent as a direct deposit to most U.S. checking and savings accounts. However, if you have another Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, you have more options.

There is no minimum points requirement when it comes to redeeming points. However, it’s worth noting that this is not the best way to redeem your points. More on that below.

Where the Freedom Flex Card Is Weakest

Although the Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee cash-back card and can provide a ton of value, it does have some notable drawbacks.

First, although it earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the points cannot be transferred to Chase’s airline and hotel travel partners, which is often the best way to redeem Ultimate Rewards points. You’ll need a premium Chase card that transfers to travel partners to use your points this way.

Second, the Freedom Flex card is not great for everyday spending when the quarter doesn’t have the bonus category you need. If you have a lot of grocery spending and the current quarter is offering bonus rewards at gas stations, you’re stuck earning 1% cash-back on the grocery spend.

Lastly, the Freedom Flex card is not a card worth using abroad as it has a 3% foreign transaction fee.

The cards we will look at below will address some of the drawbacks of the Freedom Flex card.

Bottom Line:

To get the most out of the Freedom Flex card, you want to max out the bonus category each quarter for 5% cash-back. Bonus categories require activation in your Chase account.

The 3 Best Cards To Pair With the Freedom Flex Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Chase Freedom Flex Upgraded Points LLC — Image Credit: Upgraded Points

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome OfferEarn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's worth $1,125 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
75,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,500

Annual Fee

$550

APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Excellent (740-850)

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros

10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

$550 annual fee
Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel^SM.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel^SM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel^SM. For example, 75,000 points are worth $1125 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass^TM Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is Chase’s ultra-premium travel rewards card. The card comes with a ton of travel-related benefits, allows for transfers to Chase travel partners, and has some decent overall spending categories.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you’ll earn 10x points on hotels, dining, and car rentals and 5x points on flights when you purchase travel or dining through the Chase Travel portal. You will also earn 3x points on other travel and dining purchases and 10x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025).

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card provides some complimentary benefits, including a Lyft Pink membership and DoorDash DashPass (activate by December 31, 2024). For DoorDash users, you also receive a monthly $5 DoorDash credit, which is valid through December 31, 2024.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. However, you have more options when it comes to redeeming these points. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can transfer points to Chase’s incredible list of hotel and transfer partners, which is often the best way to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

However, you can also redeem points through the Chase Travel portal, where the points have 50% more value. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also provides some intriguing travel benefits. The card includes a Priority Pass Select membership, which provides access to more than 1,400 airport lounges and restaurants worldwide, and a credit once every 4 years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck application fees.

Aside from the travel perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card also comes with some of the best travel insurance and purchase protections. These include trip delay/cancellation insurance, lost/delayed baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, and rental car insurance.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a ton of perks and benefits, but it also has a premium annual fee of $550. Fortunately, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a $300 annual travel credit to help offset the annual fee.

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Freedom Flex Card

Although the Freedom Flex card offers an impressive return on spending across numerous categories, it becomes more valuable when paired with a more premium Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Freedom Flex card cannot be transferred to Chase’s hotel and transfer partners. This is where a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes into play.

When paired with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can pool points together and transfer them to Chase’s hotel and transfer partners, including World of Hyatt and United MileagePlus, to redeem for substantially more value.

If you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel through the Chase Travel portal, your points are then worth 50% more when paired with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

Each quarter, the Freedom Flex card features a different bonus category that will earn 5% cash-back (up to $1,500) instead of the standard 1% cash-back. If you can max out the bonus, you will earn $75 cash-back (or 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points) each quarter.

The optimal strategy would be to use the Freedom Flex card when a certain category is offering a bonus. For example, if the quarterly bonus category was supermarkets, that would be the card to use for 5% cash-back (up to $1,500). You would ideally want to max out your bonus category each quarter to get the most out of the Freedom Flex card.

You could then use the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for all travel purchases, including those through the Chase Travel portal. You could also use the Chase Sapphire Reserve card on all purchases abroad, as the card does not have a foreign transaction fee.

Bottom Line:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers a ton of value for its $550 annual fee. The card has an overall good earning structure and provides plenty of travel perks and benefits.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's worth over $900 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
75,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros

5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel^SM.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel^SM. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Another excellent card to pair with the Freedom Flex card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards available.

The card earns incredibly valuable points, makes it simple to redeem them, and provides a plethora of travel benefits for a much lower $95 annual fee when compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. In fact, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the least expensive personal credit cards that allows you to transfer rewards to travel partners.

Being a travel rewards credit card, you will earn 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal. For all other travel worldwide, you can earn 2x points.

You will also earn 3x points on many popular everyday spending categories, including dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services. Lastly, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns 5x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee of $95, making it an excellent travel rewards credit card option. You can also receive a $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you have access to Chase’s incredible list of hotel and transfer partners. You also have the option to book travel through the Chase Travel portal, where points are worth 25% more. This means that 50,000 points are worth $625 toward travel.

Hot Tip:

Learn more about the perks and benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card in our detailed guide.

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Freedom Flex Card

The Freedom Flex card is a solid everyday card thanks to its rotating bonus categories. However, pairing it with a travel rewards credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a great way to maximize your rewards.

The best strategy would be to use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for all travel. You would earn 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel portal and 2x points for all other travel. You could also use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases to earn 3x points.

You could then use the Freedom Flex card for purchases in the rotating bonus categories, up to $1,500 in combined spending per quarter, to earn 5% cash-back. You could also use the Freedom Flex card for drugstore purchases to earn 3% cash-back.

The points earned with the Freedom Flex card are more valuable when paired with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. When utilizing the Chase Travel portal, points are worth 25% more when pooled together with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

When paired together, you can also transfer points to Chase’s travel partners, which is generally regarded as the best way to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

3. Citi Double Cash^® Card

Citi Double Cash^® Card

U.P. Rating

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Welcome OfferEarn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
$200 cash back

Annual Fee

APR

0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

The Citi Double Cash^® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

Pros

Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
Flexible redemption options
No annual fee

Cons

No bonus categories
3% foreign transaction fees

Read Full Review

Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Citi Double Cash^® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel^SM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

The first 2 card recommendations are more for those who are looking to earn travel rewards. Let’s also look at a cash-back card.

The Citi Double Cash card is an excellent option for those who want a card with a $0 annual fee and prefer having a basic earning structure without any bonus categories. With the Citi Double Cash card, you will earn 2% cash-back on every purchase (an unlimited 1% cash-back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases).

However, best of all, cash-back is earned in the form of Citi ThankYou Points that can be redeemed for cash-back or travel. However, a more premium Citi ThankYou Rewards card is needed to transfer points to the full slate of Citi’s transfer partners.

Why This Card Pairs Well With the Freedom Flex Card

This credit card pairing is best for those looking at a cash-back strategy. With this 2-card setup, you are looking at at least 2% cash-back on every purchase plus a bit more on certain purchases.

You could use the Freedom Flex card on all purchases in the rotating quarterly bonus categories to earn 5% cash-back on up to $1,500 in combined spending per quarter. You could also use the Freedom Flex card for dining and drugstore purchases to earn 3% cash-back.

The Citi Double Cash card could then be used for all other purchases to earn an unlimited 2% cash-back (1% at the time of purchase and 1% when you pay).

Card Comparison

Comparing Cards by Bonus Category Earnings

Now that we have covered some of the best cards to pair with the Freedom Flex card let’s look at which card is best to use on some common spending categories.

SCROLL FOR MORE

	Freedom Flex Card	Chase Sapphire Reserve Card	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Citi Double Cash Card
Flights	5% cash-back on Chase Travel, 1% otherwise	5x points on Chase Travel, 3x otherwise	5x points on Chase Travel, 2x otherwise	2% cash-back
Hotels	5% cash-back on Chase Travel, 1% otherwise	10x points on Chase Travel, 3x otherwise	5x points on Chase Travel, 2x otherwise	2% cash-back
Restaurants/Dining	3% cash-back	10x points on Chase Travel, 3x otherwise	3x points	2% cash-back
Lyft	5% cash-back	10x points (through March 31, 2025)	5x points (through March 31, 2025)	2% cash-back
Drugstores	3% cash-back	1x points	1x points	2% cash-back
Rotating Categories	5% cash-back	1x points	1x points	2% cash-back
Everything Else	1% cash-back	1x points	1x points	2% cash-back

Comparing Cards by Welcome Offer and Annual Fee

Now that we have looked at which card is best for some common spending categories, let’s also look at each card’s introductory welcome bonus offer and annual fee. Here are the current welcome offers and annual fees of the cards mentioned:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Card Name	Welcome Offer	Annual Fee
Freedom Flex Card	Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months.	$0
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card	Earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.	$550
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.	$95
Citi Double Cash Card	Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months.	$0

Final Thoughts

The Freedom Flex card offers a ton of value for a no-annual-fee credit card. If you can maximize the quarterly bonus rotating categories, you can earn 30,000 Ultimate Rewards points a year. You will have to make sure to activate your bonus spending categories every quarter.

However, by pairing the Freedom Flex card with 1 (or more) of the credit cards covered in this article, you can maximize your spending and earn more rewards in the process.

Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are great options, as they allow you to transfer the points earned from the Freedom Flex card to Chase’s numerous travel partners. The Citi Double Cash card is another solid option for those looking for more of a cash-back strategy.

When it comes to deciding which card is best to pair, it’s important to know what your spending habits look like. Knowing where you spend the most money will simplify the decision of what cards to carry in your wallet.

The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has a $550 annual fee. However, the card does come with a few credits, including a $300 annual travel credit.

Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred card have a foreign transaction fee?

No, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not have any foreign transaction fees.

Does the Citi Double Cash card have a foreign transaction fee?

Yes, the Citi Double Cash card has a 3% foreign transaction fee.

Can I transfer ThankYou Points earned with the Double Cash card?

To transfer ThankYou Points earned with the Double Cash card to Citi’s transfer partners, you will need to pair the card with a premium ThankYou Rewards card.

Was this page helpful?

About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE^™