Accommodation will always be one of your biggest travel expenses…but what if it wasn’t? What if you could reduce the cost of your accommodation to zero while still enjoying the comforts of home? That’s what house swaps promise. House swaps have been around for decades. It was the entire premise of the movie The Holiday (starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet). They became all the rage but then were soon eclipsed by sites like Airbnb. But as travel prices skyrocketed post-COVID, more and more people have turned back to house swaps as a means of saving money while they travel while still getting a local experience (but without the hassle of an Airbnb). House swaps are exactly what they sound like. You sign up, list your home, and then swap with someone else in another city. They stay in your place and you stay in their place. The biggest and most popular platform for swaps is HomeExchange . And, in this post, I’ll go over everything you need to know to get started with a house swa...
If you want to travel cheaper, better, and longer, one of the best tools in your arsenal is a solid rewards credit card.
Still, despite how often I talk about the topic, many travelers (or would-be travelers) are reluctant to get one. They think it’s a scam, don’t want to pay an annual fee, or just are generally wary of the whole thing.
If you’re in that camp, today I want to discuss a credit card that may be the perfect introduction to the world of points and miles: the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
This card offers great value, with no annual fee and solid earning potential. It’s excellent as a standalone card with tons of potential for leveling up your game if and when you’re ready. It’s a favorite for newbies and seasoned travelers alike.
So, in this post, I’m going to break down why the Chase Freedom Unlimited deserves a spot in your wallet and how you can use it to turn everyday purchases into free travel.
What is the Chase Freedom Unlimited?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited (sometimes referred to as CFU) is a credit card issued by Chase. What I love about it is that it has a $0 annual fee and offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It’s great for points and miles beginners who don’t want to worry about earning at different rates across various categories.
Plus, if you do want to level up your game, you can combine it with a Chase Sapphire card to supercharge your rewards earning capabilities (more on that below).
This card earns you the following:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
- Current welcome offer: an extra 1.5% cash back on everything you buy on up to $20,000 spent in the first year
You can redeem this cash back against your next statement or choose to get it directly deposited into your bank account.
But you can get even more out of this card when you combine it with one of Chase’s Sapphire cards (more on this soon).
Perks and Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited
In addition to these excellent earning rates, you’ll get access to a number of perks and benefits. Again, since it has a $0 annual fee, these are all just bonuses.
- Access to Chase Offers, an ever-changing selection of deals for various merchants , including online shopping, gas stations, delivery services, clothing brands, and hotels, among many other sectors (you could really see anything here)
- Complimentary three months of DashPass when you activate by January 31, 2025 (through which members get up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders)
- Secondary Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance (up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for your prepaid, nonrefundable passenger fares, if your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather, or other covered situations)
- Purchase protection (covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account)
- Extended warranty protection
Combining with a Chase Sapphire Card
While this card is a great cash-back card in its own right, it’s best when paired with a more premium Chase card that earns transferable points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred®(CSP) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® are the two most popular, though you could also do this with my favorite business card, the Ink Business Preferred®. (Note that these cards do have fees.)
That’s because, when you also hold one of these cards, you can convert the cash back earned on the CFU to valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points. (The Freedom Unlimited on its own only earns cash back.) That means you can pool points earned on either card together and have access to Chase’s great airline and hotel transfer partners.
While getting cash back is easier (and certainly enticing), I consider points to be much more valuable. That’s because you can typically get at least 2 cents per point when transferring to travel partners (sometimes much more).
So why not just have one of the Chase Sapphire Cards and no Freedom Unlimited?
While this is an excellent option (and what many people do), having two cards within the same “family” ensures that you maximize earning categories while earning the same type of points. (You don’t want to spread yourself too thin across too many different cards earning different types of points that you can’t combine.)
By holding both a Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can be sure that you’re earning at least 1.5x points on all purchases, a rarity in a travel card (both Sapphires only earn 1x points on all purchases).
If you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Freedom Unlimited, for example, you’d earn:
- 1.5x on all purchases (CFU)
- 2x on all travel (CSP)
- 3x on drugstores (CFU)
- 3x on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services (both cards)
- 5x on Lyft (until March 2025, both cards)
- 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel (both cards)
Lastly, since the CFU does have a foreign transaction fee, you won’t want to use this card when traveling. Think of the CSP as your travel card and the CFU as your everyday card with a higher earning rate on all purchases. Using the two together is an excellent combination.
Pros of the CFU
- No annual fee
- Solid rewards structure, with at least 1.5% back on everything
- Easy to redeem cash back as statement credit or direct deposit
- Great value when paired with a Chase Sapphire card
Cons of the CFU
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- Not a ton of travel benefits
Who is this card for?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is ideal for those who want an easy-to-use card that gets a better-than-average earning rate on all purchases. It also leaves room to grow into the points-and-miles world when combined with a higher-level card from Chase. And, if you already have a Sapphire card, adding the CFU to your wallet allows you to continue to level up your game, maximizing your rewards on all purchases.
As with any credit card, you should not get it if you’re already carrying a balance or plan to carry one. Interest rates for travel credit cards are notoriously high, and this one is no different. The points just aren’t worth it if you’re paying interest each month.
This card is also not for anyone with poor credit, as you need good or excellent credit to qualify. (If that’s you, check out the best credit cards for bad credit so you can start improving your score today.)
Lastly, this card does count toward Chase’s 5/24 rule (you can’t open more than five cards within 24 months). If you’ve already opened five credit cards (any cards, not just Chase cards) within the past two years (or want to open more soon), you either won’t be able to get this card or might want to skip it for now.
Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the points-and-miles game or looking to complement your current lineup, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a fantastic card. With no annual fee and impressive earning rates, it’s the perfect gateway to the world of points and miles if you’re just starting out.
And, if and when you want to take things up a notch, you can pair it with a premium Chase card down the road to really maximize your points. It’s a no-brainer choice that can kickstart your journey to mastering points and miles.
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- SafetyWing (best for everyone)
- InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over)
- Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)
Want to Travel for Free?
Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip?
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
The post Chase Freedom Unlimited® Review appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
https://ift.tt/kVQZ7ei October 16, 2024 at 07:02PM
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