Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited
Aug 16, 2016, 2:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited
Hi all,
Starting a new thread for this, apologies if this discussion would more properly go elsewhere but I couldn't find a thread that seemed to fit. Anyways, I'm sure there will be a fair number of folks facing the dilemma of whether to downgrade their CSP to a Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited in coming weeks as people get the Reserve and their CSP becomes redundant. I'm in that boat, have never had either card before and can't get either, other than by converting, due to 5/24.
Do people with the Freedom generally find they use most of their 5x bandwidth? Which one would you all go with? Do you need to wait a full year after switching to switch again?
Starting a new thread for this, apologies if this discussion would more properly go elsewhere but I couldn't find a thread that seemed to fit. Anyways, I'm sure there will be a fair number of folks facing the dilemma of whether to downgrade their CSP to a Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited in coming weeks as people get the Reserve and their CSP becomes redundant. I'm in that boat, have never had either card before and can't get either, other than by converting, due to 5/24.
Do people with the Freedom generally find they use most of their 5x bandwidth? Which one would you all go with? Do you need to wait a full year after switching to switch again?
Aug 16, 2016, 3:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,654
I do think there will be a lot of people trying to figure out what is best for them. Really boils down to if 1.5 points per $1 on the Freedom Unlimited is better for you on an annual basis than the 5 points per $1 bonus categories on the Freedom.
Decision might also hing on if you have an AMEX EDP card which a lot of us probably do. I will likely continue to use the EDP as my 1.5 earning card and downgrade my Sapphire Preferred to a Freedom to get the benefit of the bonus categories. This also helps me not keep all my eggs in one basked and diversify between AMEX MR and Chase UR.
Decision might also hing on if you have an AMEX EDP card which a lot of us probably do. I will likely continue to use the EDP as my 1.5 earning card and downgrade my Sapphire Preferred to a Freedom to get the benefit of the bonus categories. This also helps me not keep all my eggs in one basked and diversify between AMEX MR and Chase UR.
Aug 16, 2016, 3:38 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,929
I have two Freedoms, last year got 45K URs. With two you don't have to max out out every quarter, I skipped gas.
If I only had one Freedom I'd try for the second as they are more valuable to me than the Unlimited.
With Costco I'll hit 45K again.
If I only had one Freedom I'd try for the second as they are more valuable to me than the Unlimited.
With Costco I'll hit 45K again.
Aug 16, 2016, 3:41 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,929
Aug 16, 2016, 7:51 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
The rumor came and went.
Aug 16, 2016, 8:45 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 73
I got FU thinking it would be valuable to me. Now, 2 months later, I'm still getting a new card or 2 each month for which I need to hit min spend. FU is in sock drawer. Even if I didn't have new cards to meet min spend with, there are so many cards with unique bonus categories that I can only see 1.5URs being used in very rare scenarios. On the other hand, when Freedom categories are active, it is THE go to card.
To put things in perspective, I currently have about 6k of min spend to hit in 2 months and I'm still putting all dining on Freedom. This scenario, of course, assumes that you are capable/comfortable/willing to MS.
To put things in perspective, I currently have about 6k of min spend to hit in 2 months and I'm still putting all dining on Freedom. This scenario, of course, assumes that you are capable/comfortable/willing to MS.
Aug 17, 2016, 9:17 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 422
I prefer 5% Freedom
You can take a look at their calendar to see if the 5% categories are worth it to you -- biggest thing this year is the 5% wholesale clubs for 3 quarters
Max $1500 in purchases each quarter for up to $75 cash back
https://creditcards.chase.com/freedom/calendar
You can take a look at their calendar to see if the 5% categories are worth it to you -- biggest thing this year is the 5% wholesale clubs for 3 quarters
Max $1500 in purchases each quarter for up to $75 cash back
https://creditcards.chase.com/freedom/calendar
Aug 17, 2016, 10:42 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,784
If you can only have 1 of the 2 cards, and you can spend all $6000 on 5x category on the Freedom card, the break even point is at $48,000 a year spent.
Most people will probably benefit from the Freedom card more even if they are not spending the entire $1500 per quarter on 5x.
Most people will probably benefit from the Freedom card more even if they are not spending the entire $1500 per quarter on 5x.
Aug 17, 2016, 12:42 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
If you can only have 1 of the 2 cards, and you can spend all $6000 on 5x category on the Freedom card, the break even point is at $48,000 a year spent.
Most people will probably benefit from the Freedom card more even if they are not spending the entire $1500 per quarter on 5x.
Most people will probably benefit from the Freedom card more even if they are not spending the entire $1500 per quarter on 5x.
reset the cap in the middle of the fourth quarter, so if you had maxed out the fourth quarter by that time, you would have had an extra $1500 cap on which to now earn 10%.
Of course, that promo was not announced ahead of time, so you would have had to "luck out" on the cap reset to maximize it.
But in any case, it was 10% for a bit over a month of last year, not 5% all year.
Aug 19, 2016, 8:15 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Somewhere in Florida
Posts: 2,616
It depends on your spending patterns. I have the CSP, Freedom, FU. FU has become my go-to card for non-bonused spend, which is the majority of my purchases. Freedom is where I pick up many points due to the 5% categories. CSP offers the travel protection benefits. So all three have a place and purpose in my wallet. I do wish that they'd roll the FU's 1.5% over to the CSP/CS-R cards so it'd be one less card in my wallet to think about. I'm surprised they didn't do it with the CS-R.
As far as the 5% lasting -- none of the point schemes are guaranteed. Get in, earn your points, spend your points, and move on. It's a business decision, not a long-term relationship.
As far as the 5% lasting -- none of the point schemes are guaranteed. Get in, earn your points, spend your points, and move on. It's a business decision, not a long-term relationship.
Aug 19, 2016, 6:41 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 148
Downgraded mine to FU; don't really care for the 5x categories and didn't want to think about it depending on the time of year. I don't really use it that much but when I do shop through Chase for certain items, it'll give me 1x and the _x depending on what the point bonus was for that particular store.
Mar 17, 2018, 1:26 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,071
Which one for wife?
Neither of us have either Freedom card. I have the CSR & she has the CSP. The AF fee is coming up for her CSP and I'm thinking of doing a PC to the Freedom Unlimited, since she only charges $300-$400/month (food, clothing, gifts). She will not mess around with categories. 
Does the FU make sense for her? Then I can xfer her UR to my CSR acct.
I'm always hoovering around 5/24 and normally open 2 to 4 new cards/year so I don't want to get a Freedom card (too many better bonuses out there).
Does the FU make sense for her? Then I can xfer her UR to my CSR acct.I'm always hoovering around 5/24 and normally open 2 to 4 new cards/year so I don't want to get a Freedom card (too many better bonuses out there).
Mar 17, 2018, 2:01 pm
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
I have multiple Chase cards. I kept one FU card thinking that this is a catch-up card for non-category spending. But I find it hardly of any use. All the spendings are on the SUBs and VGCs. I still stock Costco cash cards and other cards. So I PC'd the last FU to Freedom, No regret. I still have the AmEx SPG card if I need to find a card for the spending.