Chase Freedom Flex Gets a Facelift: Bigger Bonus, No Foreign Fees, and a New Look

Chase just gave the Freedom Flex® a mid-life refresh, and there's a mix of good news and a little bad. The welcome offer is the highest we've seen for this card, and the removal of foreign transaction fees is a game-changer for frequent travelers. But not everything is a win—cellphone protection is out. Let's break down what's new and whether it's worth your attention.

The Welcome Offer Is the Best We've Seen

If you've been on the fence about the Freedom Flex, this might be the nudge you need. The card is now offering $250 (as 25,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend just $500 in the first three months. That's a remarkably low spending requirement for a bonus of this size.

To put it in perspective, the previous best offer on this card was $200 (20,000 points) plus 5X on groceries for the first year. While that had its own appeal, the straightforward $250 bonus is hard to beat, especially if you're not a big grocery spender.

• Earn $250 (25,000 points) after $500 spend in 3 months
• No annual fee
• Points can be combined with premium Chase cards for better redemption value

No More Foreign Transaction Fees: A Big Win for Travelers

Perhaps the most exciting change is that the Freedom Flex no longer charges foreign transaction fees. Previously, a 3% fee applied to purchases made outside the U.S., which made using the card abroad less appealing, even with its 5X rotating categories.

Now, if you're traveling internationally, you can use the Freedom Flex without worrying about extra costs. This is especially useful if you have a premium Chase card like the Sapphire Preferred® or Sapphire Reserve®—you can earn 5X on rotating categories abroad and then transfer those points to travel partners for maximum value.

• No foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad
• Great for international travel when combined with a premium Ultimate Rewards card
• Makes the 5X rotating categories more valuable for overseas spending

New Hotel Points Boost (But It's Not a Game-Changer)

Chase also quietly added a new benefit: a 10% Points Boost when you redeem points for select hotel stays through Chase Travel℠. Essentially, your points are worth 10% more on those bookings.

While it's a nice addition, it's not particularly exciting. The boost only applies to select hotels, and if you have a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can already transfer your points to partners like Hyatt, United, or Southwest for potentially much higher value. So this perk is more of a minor extra than a reason to apply.

• 10% more value when redeeming points for select hotels via Chase Travel℠
• Limited to select properties, so check before booking
• Often better to transfer points to travel partners if you have a premium card

Cellphone Protection Is Gone

As part of the refresh, Chase removed cellphone protection from the Freedom Flex. This benefit used to cover damage or theft of your phone when you paid your monthly bill with the card.

It's a loss, but probably not a deal-breaker for most. Paying your phone bill on the Freedom Flex only earned 1X points, so many people used other cards for that anyway. If cellphone protection was a key reason you had this card, you'll need to look elsewhere.

• Cellphone protection benefit discontinued
• Previously required paying your phone bill with the card
• Consider other cards if this benefit was important to you

Should You Apply or Product Change?

If you're new to the Freedom Flex, the increased welcome offer and no foreign transaction fees make it a solid addition to any wallet, especially if you're building a Chase Ultimate Rewards strategy.

If you already have an older Chase Freedom card (the one that's no longer available for new applications), you might consider product changing to the Freedom Flex. That way you can take advantage of the new benefits without a new application. Just note that product changes typically don't come with the welcome offer.

• New applicants: Great time to apply for the increased bonus
• Existing Freedom cardholders: Consider product changing to get the new benefits
• Product changes do not earn the welcome bonus

Bottom Line

• The $250 (25,000 points) welcome offer after $500 spend is the best we've seen on the Freedom Flex.
• No foreign transaction fees make this card much more useful for international travel.
• The new 10% hotel Points Boost is a minor perk, especially if you can transfer points to partners.
• Cellphone protection is gone, so factor that into your decision if it mattered to you.
• If you have an old Freedom card, a product change might be a smart move to get the new benefits.

Common Questions