Chase Freedom Flex Refresh
The Chase Freedom Flex® has long been one of our ToP cards. It’s a key component of the Chase trifecta, an excellent no-annual-fee personal card with some pretty lucrative earning opportunities every quarter. If you already have the card, you might have caught a sneak peek of its new art in your app. It’s part of a full refresh, as Chase reframes it as more of a travel card. Cardholders will no longer pay foreign transaction fees and they’ll gain access to Points Boost offers on select Chase Travel hotel bookings. Plus, they’ll get an earlier look at upcoming 5% (5x) quarterly categories. Oh, and there’s a new limited-time offer too. Let's take a look at the Chase Freedom Flex changes.
What's Changing
Alongside its new card art, the Chase Freedom Flex® refresh launches with a limited-time welcome offer. Earn $250 (or 25,000 Ultimate Rewards) after spending $500 within the first three months of card membership. (Learn more in our full review.) Here's a quick look at what else is new with the Chase Freedom Flex changes:
No More Foreign Transaction Fees
As we covered earlier this summer, Freedom Flex cardholders will no longer pay foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad or with international online merchants. This is a great change, especially if your international travels align well with one of the quarterly spending categories.
Earlier Sneak Peek at 5% (5x) Categories
Cardholders will now be able to preview the 5% (5x) quarterly categories one quarter in advance through the Chase Mobile app. We always eagerly await the announcements of these categories, covering them on the blog as soon as they drop. And now, we officially know that the 2027 Q1 categories will feature grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and top streaming services.
Cell Phone Protections Disappear
The card did lose one benefit, though. Cell phone protections are no longer offered, as of September 19, 2026. Read more on this change in our coverage from earlier this summer.
Increased Travel Focus, Including Points Boost
Cardmembers can access rotating Points Boost offers on select hotels booked through Chase Travel. Points will be worth up to 10% more on eligible bookings. This is in addition to the existing 5% (5x) earning category for Chase Travel purchases. We don't generally recommend portal bookings, but it is interesting to see Chase place a stronger emphasis on travel with this card.
What's Not Changing
The Chase Freedom Flex changes do not alter the Chase Freedom Flex®’s $0 annual fee. The earning structure is staying the same, too. Cardholders will continue to get:
- 5% (5x) on activated quarterly categories on up to $1,500 in combined spending
- 5% (5x) through Chase Travel
- 3% (3x) on dining and drugstore purchases
- 1% (1x) on all other eligible purchases
Chase Freedom Flex Refresh: ToP Thoughts
As they say, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Even before these updates, the Chase Freedom Flex® deserved a spot in most award travelers’ wallets. But we’ll happily take these positive changes, especially for a card with no annual fee. Removing foreign transaction fees makes this a useful card to carry internationally. It’s really cool to think we’ll be able to take advantage of the dining Q4 category abroad this fall. That will stack for 7% (7x) total, including 3% base plus 4% for the quarterly bonus. The earlier visibility of the rotating quarterly categories is also a fun change. What do you think of the Chase Freedom Flex changes? Let us know over in the ToP Facebook Group.
