Chase Freedom Limitless® Evaluation

If you wish to journey cheaper, higher, and longer, top-of-the-line instruments in your arsenal is a strong rewards bank card.

Nonetheless, regardless of how usually I speak concerning the matter, many vacationers (or would-be vacationers) are reluctant to get one. They assume it’s a rip-off, don’t need to pay an annual payment, or simply are usually cautious of the entire thing.

For those who’re in that camp, as we speak I need to focus on a bank card that could be the proper introduction to the world of factors and miles: the Chase Freedom Limitless®.

This card affords nice worth, with no annual payment and strong incomes potential. It’s glorious as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your sport if and while you’re prepared. It’s a favourite for newbies and seasoned vacationers alike.

So, on this submit, I’m going to interrupt down why the Chase Freedom Limitless deserves a spot in your pockets and the way you should use it to show on a regular basis purchases into free journey.

What’s the Chase Freedom Limitless?

The Chase Freedom Limitless (generally known as CFU) is a bank card issued by Chase. What I really like about it’s that it has a $0 annual payment and affords 1.5% money again on all purchases. It’s nice for factors and miles novices who don’t need to fear about incomes at completely different charges throughout varied classes.

Plus, in case you do need to stage up your sport, you may mix it with a Chase Sapphire card to supercharge your rewards incomes capabilities (extra on that beneath).

This card earns you the next:

• 5% money again on journey bought by Chase Journey^SM
• 5% money again on Lyft rides (by March 2025)
• 3% money again on drugstore purchases and eating at eating places, together with takeout and eligible supply companies
• 1.5% money again on all different purchases
• Present welcome provide: an additional 1.5% money again on the whole lot you purchase on as much as $20,000 spent within the first 12 months

You’ll be able to redeem this money again in opposition to your subsequent assertion or select to get it immediately deposited into your checking account.

However you will get much more out of this card while you mix it with one in all Chase’s Sapphire playing cards (extra on this quickly).

Perks and Advantages of the Chase Freedom Limitless

Along with these glorious incomes charges, you’ll get entry to quite a few perks and advantages. Once more, because it has a $0 annual payment, these are all simply bonuses.

• Entry to Chase Presents, an ever-changing choice of offers for varied retailers , together with on-line procuring, fuel stations, supply companies, clothes manufacturers, and lodges, amongst many different sectors (you could possibly actually see something right here)
• Complimentary three months of DashPass while you activate by January 31, 2025 (by which members rise up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders)
• Secondary Auto Rental Collision Injury Waiver
• Journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage (as much as $1,500 per individual and $6,000 per journey in your pay as you go, nonrefundable passenger fares, in case your journey is canceled or lower quick by illness, extreme climate, or different lined conditions)
• Buy safety (covers your new purchases for 120 days in opposition to harm or theft as much as $500 per declare and $50,000 per account)
• Prolonged guarantee safety

Combining with a Chase Sapphire Card

Whereas this card is a superb cash-back card in its personal proper, it’s greatest when paired with a extra premium Chase card that earns transferable factors. The Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (CSP) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are the 2 hottest, although you could possibly additionally do that with my favourite enterprise card, the Ink Enterprise Most popular®. (Be aware that these playing cards do have charges.)

That’s as a result of, while you additionally maintain one in all these playing cards, you may convert the money again earned on the CFU to helpful Chase Final Rewards factors. (The Freedom Limitless by itself solely earns money again.) Meaning you may pool factors earned on both card collectively and have entry to Chase’s nice airline and resort switch companions.

Whereas getting money again is simpler (and definitely attractive), I take into account factors to be far more helpful. That’s as a result of you may usually get no less than 2 cents per level when transferring to journey companions (generally far more).

So why not simply have one of many Chase Sapphire Playing cards and no Freedom Limitless?

Whereas this is a superb choice (and what many individuals do), having two playing cards inside the similar “household” ensures that you just maximize incomes classes whereas incomes the identical kind of factors. (You don’t need to unfold your self too skinny throughout too many various playing cards incomes several types of factors that you may’t mix.)

By holding each a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Limitless, you may make sure that you’re incomes no less than 1.5x factors on all purchases, a rarity in a journey card (each Sapphires solely earn 1x factors on all purchases).

For those who maintain the Chase Sapphire Most popular and the Chase Freedom Limitless, for instance, you’d earn:

• 1.5x on all purchases (CFU)
• 2x on all journey (CSP)
• 3x on drugstores (CFU)
• 3x on eating, together with takeout and eligible supply companies (each playing cards)
• 5x on Lyft (till March 2025, each playing cards)
• 5x on journey bought by Chase Journey (each playing cards)

Lastly, because the CFU does have a overseas transaction payment, you received’t need to use this card when touring. Consider the CSP as your journey card and the CFU as your on a regular basis card with a better incomes fee on all purchases. Utilizing the 2 collectively is a superb mixture.

Professionals of the CFU

• No annual payment
• Stable rewards construction, with no less than 1.5% again on the whole lot
• Straightforward to redeem money again as assertion credit score or direct deposit
• Nice worth when paired with a Chase Sapphire card

Cons of the CFU

• 3% overseas transaction payment
• Not a ton of journey advantages

Who is that this card for?

The Chase Freedom Limitless is right for many who need an easy-to-use card that will get a better-than-average incomes fee on all purchases. It additionally leaves room to develop into the points-and-miles world when mixed with a higher-level card from Chase. And, if you have already got a Sapphire card, including the CFU to your pockets permits you to proceed to stage up your sport, maximizing your rewards on all purchases.

As with all bank card, you shouldn’t get it in case you’re already carrying a steadiness or plan to hold one. Rates of interest for journey bank cards are notoriously excessive, and this one isn’t any completely different. The factors simply aren’t price it in case you’re paying curiosity every month.

This card can also be not for anybody with poor credit score, as you want good or glorious credit score to qualify. (If that’s you, try one of the best bank cards for unfavorable credit ratings so you can begin bettering your rating as we speak.)

Lastly, this card does rely towards Chase’s 5/24 rule (you may’t open greater than 5 playing cards inside 24 months). For those who’ve already opened 5 bank cards (any playing cards, not simply Chase playing cards) inside the previous two years (or need to open extra quickly), you both received’t have the ability to get this card or may need to skip it for now.

Whether or not you’re simply dipping your toes into the points-and-miles sport or trying to complement your present lineup, the Chase Freedom Limitless is a implausible card. With no annual payment and spectacular incomes charges, it’s the proper gateway to the world of factors and miles in case you’re simply beginning out.

And, if and while you need to take issues up a notch, you may pair it with a premium Chase card down the street to essentially maximize your factors. It’s a no brainer selection that may kickstart your journey to mastering factors and miles.