Chase Freedom Q3 2026: 5% on Gas & EV, Transit, Live Entertainment, and United Way
Time to re-activate. From July 1 through September 30, Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders earn 5% back (5x Ultimate Rewards points) on gas stations and EV charging, public transit, select live entertainment, and United Way donations - on up to $1,500 in combined spending. Do not forget the catch that trips people up every quarter: you have to activate before you earn.
Why this matters
Maxing the $1,500 cap is worth $75 cash back - or, if you hold a Sapphire or Ink card, 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points you can transfer to airline and hotel partners, which is where the real value lives. Summer road trips and concert season line up neatly with the gas, transit, and live-entertainment categories. Just remember rideshare and taxis do NOT count as public transit, and activate by September 14.
Chase has posted the Q3 2026 bonus categories for the Freedom and Freedom Flex cards. From July 1 - September 30, 2026, earn 5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in these categories:
- Gas stations and EV charging
- Public transit (trains, buses, ferries, tolls, parking - but not rideshare or taxis)
- Select live entertainment
- United Way donations
After the $1,500 cap, earning drops to 1%. You must activate the categories - the window runs June 15 through September 14, 2026. If you pair Freedom with a Chase Sapphire or Ink card, those 5x points become transferable Ultimate Rewards worth far more than 5% cash back.
- Start Date
- July 1, 2026
- End Date
- September 30, 2026
- Action
- Monitor This Deal
- Published
- June 18, 2026