Chase Freedom Limitless® Evaluation

If you wish to journey cheaper, higher, and longer, among the finest instruments in your arsenal is a strong rewards bank card.

Nonetheless, regardless of how usually I speak in regards to the subject, many vacationers (or would-be vacationers) are reluctant to get one. They suppose it’s a rip-off, don’t wish to pay an annual price, or simply are usually cautious of the entire thing.

For those who’re in that camp, at this time I wish to talk about a bank card which may be the right introduction to the world of factors and miles: the Chase Freedom Limitless®.

This card presents nice worth, with no annual price and strong incomes potential. It’s wonderful as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your recreation if and whenever you’re prepared. It’s a favourite for newbies and seasoned vacationers alike.

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

What’s the Chase Freedom Limitless?

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

Plus, when you do wish to stage up your recreation, you’ll be able to 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 way of Chase Journey^SM
• 5% money again on Lyft rides (by way of 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 supply: an additional 1.5% money again on every part you purchase on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr

You possibly can redeem this money again in opposition to your subsequent assertion or select to get it immediately deposited into your checking account.

However you may get much more out of this card whenever you mix it with certainly one of Chase’s Sapphire playing cards (extra on this quickly).

Perks and Advantages of the Chase Freedom Limitless

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

• Entry to Chase Provides, an ever-changing collection of offers for varied retailers , together with on-line purchasing, gasoline stations, supply companies, clothes manufacturers, and resorts, amongst many different sectors (you could possibly actually see something right here)
• Complimentary three months of DashPass whenever you activate by January 31, 2025 (by way of which members stand up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders)
• Secondary Auto Rental Collision Harm Waiver
• Journey cancellation/interruption insurance coverage (as much as $1,500 per particular person and $6,000 per journey on your pay as you go, nonrefundable passenger fares, in case your journey is canceled or lower quick by illness, extreme climate, or different coated 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 good cash-back card in its personal proper, it’s finest 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, whenever you additionally maintain certainly one of these playing cards, you’ll be able to 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’ll be able to pool factors earned on both card collectively and have entry to Chase’s nice airline and resort switch companions.

Whereas getting money again is less complicated (and definitely attractive), I take into account factors to be far more helpful. That’s as a result of you’ll be able to sometimes get a minimum of 2 cents per level when transferring to journey companions (typically far more).

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

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

By holding each a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Limitless, you’ll be able to make sure that you’re incomes a minimum of 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 way of Chase Journey (each playing cards)

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

Execs of the CFU

• No annual price
• Strong rewards construction, with a minimum of 1.5% again on every part
• Simple 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 price
• Not a ton of journey advantages

Who is that this card for?

The Chase Freedom Limitless is good 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 lets you proceed to stage up your recreation, maximizing your rewards on all purchases.

As with all bank card, you shouldn’t get it when you’re already carrying a stability 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 when you’re paying curiosity every month.

This card can also be not for anybody with poor credit score, as you want good or wonderful credit score to qualify. (If that’s you, take a look at one of the best bank cards for weak credit so you can begin enhancing your rating at this time.)

Lastly, this card does depend towards Chase’s 5/24 rule (you’ll be able to’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) throughout the previous two years (or wish to open extra quickly), you both received’t be capable of get this card or would possibly wish to skip it for now.

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

And, if and whenever you wish to take issues up a notch, you’ll be able to pair it with a premium Chase card down the street to actually maximize your factors. It’s a no brainer alternative that may kickstart your journey to mastering factors and miles.