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Chase Freedom Unlimited’s Welcome Bonus Offer History [Since 2020]

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If you think you can’t earn outsized rewards from a card with a $0 annual fee, think again. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the perfect example of a card with excellent earning potential, all for a $0 annual fee.

But knowing when the right time might be to apply for a card can make an already good card even greater. Here’s a look at the Chase Freedom Unlimited card and its current and previous welcome bonus offers.

When to Apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card

Welcome bonus offers are never a one-size-fits-all situation. Some people may benefit from a card that provides an easy way to earn bonus rewards with a clear spending minimum, while others would rather see long-term value from an elevated welcome offer.

Cash back on the Chase Freedom Unlimited card is earned as Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to airline and hotel travel programs if paired with a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Because of this, we estimate that Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents each.

With those travel credit cards, you can unlock incredible value for flights, hotels, and more.

You’ll see exactly what we mean by taking a look at the welcome offer history of the Chase Freedom Unlimited card since 2020, which has upped the ante several times in recent times:

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Offer Date

Welcome Offer Details

Our Value*

January 2024 to now

INTRO OFFER: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back.

Up to 30,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $600)

October 2023 to January 2024

Earn unlimited double cash back for the first twelve months from account opening

Uncapped potential depending on your spending habits. For instance, spending $30,000 on the card in one year would result in 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,200), or potentially more

December 2022 to October 2023

Earn an extra 1.5% cash back on all purchases during the first year (on up to $20,000 of purchases)

Up to 30,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $300)

October 2022 to December 2022

Earn $200 back after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus earn 5% back on grocery purchases (not including Target or Walmart) on up to $12,000 of spending) during the first year

Up to 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,200) 

July 2021 to October 2022

Earn $200 back after spending $500 on in the first three months, plus earn 5% back on gas station purchases — up to $6,000 spent during the first year

Up to 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $1,200)

February 2021 to June 2021

Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening

20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $400)

September 2020 to January 2021

Earn $200 back after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus earn 5% back on grocery purchases (not including Target or Walmart) on up to $12,000 of spending) during the first year

Up to 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards (worth $1,200)

January 2020 to September 2020

Earn $200 back after you spend $500 in the first 3 months.

15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (worth $300)

*Value is determined based on our valuations of points and miles and are not provided by the issuer.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Card Benefits

Now that we’ve displayed the welcome offer details, here are some of the ongoing rewards and benefits you can expect from holding the Chase Freedom Unlimited card in your wallet:

  • Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants; and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
  • Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
  • Access to travel and purchase protections
  • Complimentary 3 months of DoorDash DashPass (enroll by January 31, 2025)
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
Bottom Line:

The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is a good catch-all card for spend that falls outside of typical bonus categories, such as dining and travel, as it earns 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Final Thoughts

We hope this guide has been helpful in informing you about the previous bonuses. You can’t always take a welcome offer at face value, especially when it comes to the popular Chase Freedom Unlimited card.

The issuer will tend to offer varying welcome bonus opportunities throughout the year. For instance, you may want to wait for the grocery store bonus to come back if you have a larger family, while others may prefer unlimited cash-back earnings.

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About Stella Shon

With a degree in media and journalism, Stella has been in the points and miles game for more than 6 years. She most recently worked as a Corporate Communications Analyst for JetBlue. Find her work in The New York Times, USA Today, and more.

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