Best No-Annual-Fee Cards For Travel Of April 2024
If you’re looking for a cash-back credit card and want the option to redeem points for travel, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ may be exactly what you need. This card lets you earn a strong base rate of rewards for each dollar you spend, and you can redeem points for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise or travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
Welcome bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Other benefits and drawbacks: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ may be marketed as a cash-back credit card, but you can redeem rewards for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Since you can also redeem your rewards for statement credits at a rate of 1 cent per point, you can cover travel purchases charged to your card as well.
This card paired with a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card can provide extra leverage as points are worth 1.25 to 1.5 cents each when redeemed through the Chase travel portal depending on which premium card you have. Carrying both the Flex card and a premium Chase card also gives you the opportunity for 1:1 transfers to Chase’s airline and hotel partners like United and Hyatt.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies. This makes the card a solid option if you want to charge a big purchase and pay down your balance over time without worrying about interest for the duration of the 0% introductory APR period.
The card’s benefits also include purchase protection against damage and theft and extended warranties for eligible items.
