2025 Chase Freedom bonus categories: Get 5% back at grocery stores and fitness centers this quarter

Cash-back fans who are willing to strategize their regular spending can get a big annual return from the Chase Freedom Flex®*.

In fact, using 2024’s rewards categories, we estimate that the average American can earn upwards of $400 cash back with this no-annual-fee card each year, based on consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But for that, you’ll need to take full advantage of its quarterly bonus categories.

In the first quarter of 2025, Chase is kicking off its yearlong 15th birthday celebration of the Chase Freedom Flex’s rotating bonus categories. As a result, you can earn major savings across new and returning categories this quarter.

From Jan. 1 through March 31, 2025, get 5% bonus cash back (on up to $1,500 in combined spending) in these categories with your Chase Freedom Flex:

Starting March 1, you can also earn 5% cash back on tax preparation and insurance purchases (up to the same combined quarterly limit).

In this article:

Each quarter, you can earn 5% back in select bonus categories with your Chase Freedom Flex.

Chase only announces new categories shortly before a new quarter starts, so it can be difficult to plan your spending throughout the year. However, we’ve included last year’s full calendar of categories to help you get an idea of what types of categories may come later in the year since they often repeat.

The current categories are in bold:

Remember: For purchases to count toward the 5% bonus category, they must post to your account by the last day of the quarter. That means purchases you make toward a Q1 category on March 31 (the last day of the quarter) may not apply since they can take up to a few days to post as a charge on your statement.

To earn 5% cash-back rewards, you must activate the categories each quarter. These are the dates to keep in mind throughout the year so you never miss an activation:

• Q1 January – March: Activate by March 14

• Q2 April – June: Activate by June 14

• Q3 July – September: Activate by Sept. 14

• Q4 October – December: Activate by Dec. 14

While you don’t have to activate until close to the end of each quarter, it’s smart to check your account at the start. You can review the eligible categories for the months ahead and activate them.

If you do wait until the activation deadline, don’t worry. Your 5% rewards will still apply retroactively to qualifying purchases you’ve already made throughout the quarter.

Activate the current bonus categories by logging into your Chase account online or through the mobile app. You can also activate in person at a Chase bank branch by calling the number on the back of your card or even while visiting a Chase ATM.

If you’re worried about forgetting quarterly deadlines, consider signing up for email reminders from Chase when it’s time to activate.

This quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex 5% categories include purchases at grocery stores; fitness clubs; hair, nails, and spa services; and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Here are some details about each one to help make the most of your spending.

Grocery stores (not including Walmart and Target)

Long-term Chase Freedom Flex cardholders may have seen this one coming — grocery stores have been a regular Q1 Chase Freedom bonus category for the past few years.

This quarter, you can again get 5% cash back on your grocery store purchases, which includes supermarkets and smaller grocery stores. Like previous years, you won’t earn 5% at superstores such as Walmart and Target or at warehouse clubs and discount stores. However, Chase does specify that grocery delivery services like Instacart may count if they’re classified as grocery merchants at checkout.

Read more: Best credit cards for groceries

Fitness clubs and gym memberships

Just like grocery stores, fitness clubs and gym memberships are a common 5% Chase Freedom Flex category during the first quarter of each year — the perfect time to get ahead of any health-focused New Year’s resolutions.

This category is focused on memberships with physical gym locations. That includes places like gyms, fitness centers and fitness studios that offer memberships, as well as specialized gyms for activities like aerobics or yoga.

Virtual and at-home fitness purchases aren’t included. You also won’t earn 5% on fitness equipment, sporting goods, supplements, or other related spending.

Hair, nails, and spa services

Earn 5% cash back this quarter on hair, nails, and spa services. This includes everything from a haircut at your regular salon or barber to your monthly manicure appointment. At the spa, this category may cover massages, treatments, tanning, hair and nail services, and more.

Medical treatments are excluded from the 5% back. If you plan to make a trip out of your spa experience, be aware of how those spa services are classified. If you visit a hotel spa, for example, but the service is classified as hotel spending at checkout, you may not earn the 5%. Salon or spa products (like haircare and skincare products) may also depend on how the purchase is classified at checkout.

If you’re planning on taking a cruise vacation in 2025, this could be a great way to save some money on the cost of your voyage. Norwegian offers cruise destinations across the globe, from Alaska and the Caribbean to Mexico, Northern Europe, Africa, and the Panama Canal.

With this quarterly category, you can get 5% back on cruise fares purchased directly with Norwegian Cruise Lines. It does not include purchases through third parties or travel agencies (like excursions or activities during your trip).

The Freedom Flex card does offer 5% cash back on travel through Chase Travel as an ongoing bonus category, but it doesn’t earn bonus rewards on general travel purchases. If you’re a regular cruise traveler, this quarter is a great time to maximize your travel spending with this cash-back credit card.

Read more: Best credit cards for cruises

Tax preparation and insurance

The beginning of the year brings the start of tax season, and you can use the final Chase Freedom Flex bonus category this quarter to get rewarded on tax prep spending throughout March.

This category applies to in-person or digital tax preparation services. You’ll earn bonus rewards on the charges you incur when you work with an accountant or prepare your return with an online tax service this month.

You’ll also save on insurance costs in March. This category is pretty comprehensive; you can get rewarded on spending for health insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, and more. However, Chase specifies that product warranties and trip insurance does not qualify.

Rewards on tax prep and insurance begin March 1 and apply through the end of the quarter. Like the other quarterly categories, you’ll earn bonus rewards as long as you activate by the deadline (and rewards still apply if you’ve already activated before March 1).

Read more: Can you pay taxes with a credit card, and how much will it cost?

While Chase Freedom Flex is a cash-back credit card, you can also use your rewards for travel redemptions through Chase’s rewards program. Even better, you can combine points with other top Chase credit cards under your same account to further supercharge your redemptions with the card issuer.

Though it does have some overlapping rewards categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred makes a great pair with the Freedom Flex because of its 25% redemption boost.

When you redeem your Chase Freedom Flex rewards for travel through Chase, you’ll get 1 cent per point. But Chase Sapphire Preferred rewards are worth 1.25 cents per point when you redeem them through Chase Travel. With both cards in your wallet, you can maximize spending in eligible bonus categories, then pool your points and redeem them using your Sapphire Preferred for maximum redemption value.

There’s another travel perk to combining these cards, too. Sapphire Preferred cardholders have the option to transfer points to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners. If you want to transfer your Chase rewards to your United MileagePlus or Marriott Bonvoy account, for example, these cards can make a powerful pair.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred review

There are many benefits to combining a premium rewards credit card like Chase Sapphire Reserve with the Freedom Flex. But with a high annual fee, this option is likely best for frequent travelers looking to boost their travel rewards with cash-back earnings.

Sapphire Reserve points get a 50% boost when you redeem through Chase Travel — when you pool your Freedom Flex rewards under your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you can get up to 1.5 cents per point for travel. You can also transfer Sapphire Reserve points to Chase’s travel partners.

With the extra travel benefits, combining these two cards can be a great way to ensure you get maximum travel value from your spending while still keeping the flexibility of rotating bonus categories.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve review

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a no-annual-fee cash-back card that’s similar to the Freedom Flex. It earns the same 5% cash back on Chase Travel, plus 3% back on dining and at drugstores. But instead of 5% back in rotating quarterly categories, the Freedom Unlimited earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all other spending.

Both Freedom cards earn rewards that can be redeemed as points through Chase Travel, so you can pool your points for a bigger redemption. Unlike the Sapphire cards, though, you won’t get any boost on your rewards; they’re worth a standard 1 cent per point. You also can’t access Chase’s transfer partners with the Freedom Flex or Freedom Unlimited.

With the overlap in rewards categories and lack of added boost for redemptions, there are probably fewer benefits to combining the two Freedom cards compared to a Freedom and Sapphire card pair. But if you like earning cash back and want to maximize quarterly categories while still earning a minimum 1.5% back, this could make a solid combination.

Read more:
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Freedom Flex
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Sapphire Preferred

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

*All information about Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Yahoo Finance. Chase Freedom Flex is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.

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