For January through March of 2026, the Chase Freedom Flex® card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 (then 1%) in combined purchases on Old Navy, Chase Travel℠ and department stores. Purchases outside of bonus categories earn 1% cash back.
You’ll need to activate these bonus categories by Mar. 14, 2026, to qualify for the 5% cash back.
Read on for a closer look at these categories, including any restrictions on your purchases, and a guide to activating and redeeming your rewards.
2025 Chase Freedom Flex® cash back calendar
| Q1: January–March | Grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) Norwegian Cruise Lines® Fitness clubs and gym memberships Hair, nails and spa services Tax preparation and insurance (March only) |
| Q2: April–June | Amazon Select streaming purchases |
| Q3: July–September | Gas stations EV charging Select live entertainment Instacart |
| Q4: October–December | Old Navy Chase Travel Department stores PayPal (December only) |
A closer look at this quarter’s bonus categories
Dining
This category is the headliner of this quarter’s offerings, and not just because it’s the most flexible one.
In practice, you’ll earn a whopping 7% back on dining purchases before reaching the $1,500 spending cap. Chase Freedom Flex® already offers 3% back on dining purchases, and the quarterly bonus categories technically add an additional 4% back to the base 1% cash back rate on all purchases.
Chase says that dining purchases include merchants’ whose “primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining,” but that often includes delivery and takeout services. Given that dining is a standard category on the card, it’s a safe bet that any purchase that usually earns you 3% back will earn this quarter’s bonus rate, too.
Norwegian Cruise Line
This category includes any purchases made directly with Norwegian Cruise Line. If you book a cruise through a travel agency or various excursions with third-party vendors, they won’t be included.
American Heart Association donations
Chase advises that qualifying donations should be made directly through the American Heart Association’s official channels. Verified links are available through the Chase website.
How to activate your bonus categories
To earn the 5% cash back rate, you’ll need to activate the bonus each quarter by the deadline specified on the Chase website (usually the middle of the last month of the quarter). As long as you activate by the deadline, you’ll be eligible for 5% cash back on qualifying purchases you made dating back to the beginning of the quarter.
The deadline to activate your 5% cash back for the first quarter is Mar. 14, 2026. You can do this on the Chase mobile app, by email, phone, online or at a physical Chase branch. And if you’re a Chase checking customer, you can activate at an ATM.
How to redeem your rewards
You’ll earn your rewards as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that can be redeemed in a number of different ways.
If you’re looking for simple cash back on your purchases, you can redeem your rewards for a statement credit or a direct deposit into a U.S. checking or savings account. To redeem, you’ll need to do so through your online account, calling the number on the back of your card, or visiting a physical Chase branch.
If you’d like another option, you can also redeem rewards for gift cards or with Chase Travel to book flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises.