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

When you’re in that camp, right now I wish to focus on a bank card which may be the proper 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 glorious as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your recreation if and while you’re prepared. It’s a favourite for newbies and seasoned vacationers alike.

So, on this put up, 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 price and presents 1.5% money again on all purchases. It’s nice for factors and miles newbies who don’t wish to fear about incomes at completely different charges throughout numerous classes.

Plus, for those who do wish to stage up your recreation, you possibly can 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 means of Chase Journey^SM
• 5% money again on Lyft rides (by means 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 provide: an additional 1.5% money again on all the things you purchase on as much as $20,000 spent within the first 12 months

You may redeem this money again towards your subsequent assertion or select to get it straight 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 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 number of offers for numerous retailers , together with on-line purchasing, gasoline stations, supply companies, clothes manufacturers, and accommodations, amongst many different sectors (you would actually see something right here)
• Complimentary three months of DashPass while you activate by January 31, 2025 (by means of which members rise 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 minimize brief by illness, extreme climate, or different coated conditions)
• Buy safety (covers your new purchases for 120 days towards 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 well-liked® Card (CSP) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are the 2 hottest, although you would additionally do that with my favourite enterprise card, the Ink Enterprise Most well-liked®. (Observe that these playing cards do have charges.)

That’s as a result of, while you additionally maintain one in all these playing cards, you possibly can convert the money again earned on the CFU to precious Chase Final Rewards factors. (The Freedom Limitless by itself solely earns money again.) Which means you possibly can 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 engaging), I think about factors to be rather more precious. That’s as a result of you possibly can usually get no less than 2 cents per level when transferring to journey companions (generally rather more).

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

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

By holding each a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Limitless, you possibly can make certain 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).

When you maintain the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked 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 means of Chase Journey (each playing cards)

Lastly, because the 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 a better incomes charge on all purchases. Utilizing the 2 collectively is a wonderful mixture.

Execs of the CFU

• No annual price
• Strong rewards construction, with no less than 1.5% again on all the things
• 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 right for individuals who need an easy-to-use card that will get a better-than-average incomes charge 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 for those who’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 for those who’re paying curiosity every month.

This card can 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 weak credit so you can begin bettering your rating right now.)

Lastly, this card does rely towards Chase’s 5/24 rule (you possibly can’t open greater than 5 playing cards inside 24 months). When you’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 have the ability to 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 improbable card. With no annual price and spectacular incomes charges, it’s the proper gateway to the world of factors and miles for those who’re simply beginning out.

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