Chase Freedom Limitless® Assessment

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

Nonetheless, regardless of how typically I discuss in regards to the matter, 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 charge, or simply are typically cautious of the entire thing.

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

This card affords nice worth, with no annual charge and strong incomes potential. It’s glorious as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your sport if and once 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 (typically known as CFU) is a bank card issued by Chase. What I really like about it’s that it has a $0 annual charge and affords 1.5% money again on all purchases. It’s nice for factors and miles rookies who don’t wish to fear about incomes at totally different charges throughout varied classes.

Plus, if you happen to do wish to degree up your sport, you’ll be able to mix it with a Chase Sapphire card to supercharge your rewards incomes capabilities (extra on that under).

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 every thing you purchase on as much as $20,000 spent within the first 12 months

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

However you will get much more out of this card once 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 charge, these are all simply bonuses.

• Entry to Chase Presents, an ever-changing choice of offers for varied retailers , together with on-line procuring, gasoline stations, supply companies, clothes manufacturers, and lodges, amongst many different sectors (you may actually see something right here)
• Complimentary three months of DashPass once 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 particular person and $6,000 per journey in your pay as you go, nonrefundable passenger fares, in case your journey is canceled or lower 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 greatest 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 may 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, once you additionally maintain one in all these playing cards, you’ll be able to convert the money again earned on the CFU to worthwhile Chase Final Rewards factors. (The Freedom Limitless by itself solely earns money again.) Which means 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 engaging), I think about factors to be rather more worthwhile. That’s as a result of you’ll be able to usually get at the very least 2 cents per level when transferring to journey companions (typically rather more).

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

Whereas this is a wonderful choice (and what many individuals do), having two playing cards inside 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 various kinds of factors you can’t mix.)

By holding each a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Limitless, you’ll be able to make certain that you’re incomes at the very least 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 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 Chase Journey (each playing cards)

Lastly, for the reason that CFU does have a international transaction charge, you gained’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 fee on all purchases. Utilizing the 2 collectively is a wonderful mixture.

Professionals of the CFU

• No annual charge
• Stable rewards construction, with at the very least 1.5% again on every thing
• 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% international transaction charge
• 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 permits you to proceed to degree up your sport, maximizing your rewards on all purchases.

As with all bank card, you shouldn’t get it if you happen to’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 totally different. The factors simply aren’t value it if you happen to’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, take a look at the most effective bank cards for poor credit so you can begin enhancing your rating at the moment.)

Lastly, this card does rely 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) inside the previous two years (or wish to open extra quickly), you both gained’t have the ability to get this card or may wish 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 charge and spectacular incomes charges, it’s the proper gateway to the world of factors and miles if you happen to’re simply beginning out.

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