Update 9/27/24: Another round of product changes are going out now, to take place on October 7, 2024. (ht r/churning)
Original Post 11/30/21:
Some existing vanilla Chase Freedom cardholders have received an e-mail with the subject line ‘<name>, your Freedom® card is being upgraded to Freedom Unlimited®’ stating that their card will be converted to the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Others are being told their card will be converted to the Chase Freedom Flex.
It seems that so far inactive cardholders (e.g cardholders that haven’t used their existing cards in the last few months) are being converted but there are rumblings that all cardholders will be converted. The Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% on rotating categories (same as the Vanilla freedom) but the Freedom Unlimited earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
I assume cardholders with a Freedom Flex already are being converted to the Freedom Unlimited, and those without the Freedom Flex are being converted to that but that doesn’t always seem to be the case based on the datapoints I’ve seen.
View Comments (150)
I started using my Chase Freedom classic more often for the quarterly categories. Last month was gas. This month PayPal, McDonalds, and charities. Hopefully, Chase will let me keep it longer and not convert it. I do not shop at Costco but that is one of the advantages of Chase Freedom over Chase Freedom Flex.
I haven't been hit by this, hadn't used my OG Freedom (opened in Jan 2011) in almost 2 years, and got a notice from Chase that they would be closing my account if I didn't put some spend on it. I made a few transactions and it stayed open.
I'm surprised that you haven't gotten use of the 5% categories. I have several CFs and I manage to max out the 5% most quarters. 😉
P2's OG Freedom is still alive for now, it gets at least one $25 charge each month and gets used regularly in the easier 5X quarters like grocery stores. Really don't want to lose it as the 5X at Costco has been nice when they've run Disney gift card sales in the same quarter.
Searching P2's e-mail I did stumble on this invitation for points to convert that I missed:
"Receive new rewards and benefits, all with no annual fee, by requesting to switch your Freedom® card to Freedom Unlimited.
If you upgrade, while you'll no longer earn 5% on quarterly rotating categories, you will enjoy more ways to earn unlimited cash back on all purchases.Plus, earn $30 cash back, or 3,000 bonus points, when you upgrade to Freedom Unlimited by 8/31/2024 and make 20 purchases (minimum $5 per transaction) by 9/30/2024.*"
Don't want to switch, but if the writing is on the wall that we're getting forced conversions from Visa I'd rather get one last extra bonus out of it. Will have to watch if another invite comes around again.
If an OG freedom gets PC’d to a freedom flex, will it still have the same account number and stay a Visa?
No. VISA PC MC have to change account number. Chase Freedom is VISA whereas Chase Freedom Flex is MasterCard. Different numbering system. That is why it is easier to CF PC CFU because both are VISA.
I think the only flavor of Flex is Mastercard so the number would change.
The Freedom Unlimited only makes sense if you want Ultimate Rewards points more than anything else (if you already have the Freedom Flex for the 3% categories).
They run these stupid TV ads claiming that 1.5% is so great as cashback, but if you look at it as just cashback, there are lots of other banks that have 2% cashback cards, including many of Chase's big competitors.
It was such an upgrade that I haven't used it since the change to Unlimited.
might be their intention
I've got the Legacy Freedom card and haven't heard anything. I use it on a semi-regular basis, so maybe that's it.
Same. I have 7 legacy Freedoms in 2P mode.
Unless you already have one, except for the Visa vs. Mastercard question, there's no reason to not change it to a Flex. Same 5% categories as the plain Freedom with the 3% on dining and drugstores from the Unlimited.
What difference does it make if it's a MasterCard or Visa? Do they have different benefits or something?
Costco is one reason I like to keep a Visa version for warehouse and gas categories.
Same. My first Chase card actually. I have a sub autopaid to it every month. I also use it for the occasional Chase offer or if I maxed out my Flex for the quarter.
i really don't want them to auto-convert my og freedom to unlimited... just recently converted an unlimited to a flex, so it would be going backwards logically
Unlimited to Flex isn't an upgrade (or downgrade, for that matter). They just have different bonus structures. Unless you can always hit the quarterly bonus hard, it makes sense sense to have both Unlimited and Flex cards.
If you're worried about it, just change your plain Freedom to a Freedom Flex and have two of them.
for me it is a downgrade since i don’t need an everything else card (already on 2x via venturex), and i already have 3 freedom family cards 😅 im probably just gonna wait and if they convert it i’ll just pc it to flex…
Same here. If they do that, I'll request to PC the Unlimited to another Flex.
If you PC a Freedom to CFF, does the quarterly category limit reset?
No
You know what would be great? Merge all cards and create Chase Unlimited Flex Freedom- Visa. 5% rotating, 5% Chase travel, 3% dining and drug, and 1.5% everything else.
BTW, adding 3% on restaurants just devalues sapphire preferred and reserved. They should up that a bit.
Just give me all your money Chase!!!
I would love it but it will never happen. They are counting on the system being too confusing for the average Joe to maximize earnings.
Although I agree with you - I think 3x on dining should be reserved for the Sapphire line.
That would not be good. I like trying to max out the quarterly bonus on both the Freedom and Freedom Flex each quarter.