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Chase’s bonus cash-back categories for the final quarter of 2025 focus on popular year-end spending areas.
From October 1 through December 31, Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders who activate by December 14 can earn 5% back on Chase Travel bookings and at department stores and Old Navy up to the $1,500 quarterly spend cap. Also, during December, cardholders earn the same 5% cash back on purchases made through PayPal®.
Travel purchases made through ChaseTravel.com qualify for the highest return—up to 9% cash back—when the quarterly bonus stacks with the card’s usual 5% earnings on Chase Travel bookings.
These categories target holiday spending habits, pairing Chase’s travel portal rewards with retail and digital payment options during the year’s busiest shopping season.
Q4 2025 Bonus Categories: Travel and Holiday Spending
From October 1 through December 31, Chase Freedom Flex® cardholders who activate by December 14 earn 5% cash back (in the form of Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 in combined purchases across the following categories:
- Chase Travel (booked through ChaseTravel.com)
- Department stores
- Old Navy
- PayPal (December only)
Once cardholders reach the $1,500 quarterly cap, purchases in these categories revert to the standard 1% rate.
The PayPal category applies only during December, but purchases count toward the $1,500 quarterly cap.
For travel, the rotating bonus boosts total rewards to 9%—combining the card’s regular 5% on Chase Travel with an additional 4% from this quarter’s bonus lineup.
Before You Tap, Activate Before December 14
In December, the $1,500 combined spending limit applies across all four categories: Chase Travel, department stores, Old Navy and PayPal. Any purchases in those categories beyond that quarterly cap earn 1% cash back.
To qualify for the elevated rate, cardholders must make their travel bookings through ChaseTravel.com. Reservations made directly with airlines, hotels or other travel sites won’t trigger the category bonus.
To earn the bonus cash back, timing matters. Your transactions must be processed before December 31 to qualify for the elevated rate. Purchases made at the very end of the quarter may not qualify if they are posted to your account after this deadline.
Finally, not every retailer counts as a department store. Chase typically includes major stores that carry multiple departments—such as apparel, home goods and beauty—but excludes smaller or single-category merchants.
Bottom Line
If your late-year spending naturally includes travel bookings or holiday shopping at major retailers, this quarter’s categories are worth activating. Earning up to 9% back on Chase Travel offers strong value, while the retail and PayPal bonuses can add up for seasonal purchases.
For cardholders who already book through ChaseTravel.com, activating the offer is essentially free money on spending you’re likely to make anyway. But if you normally book travel elsewhere or the cost of booking travel directly with an airline or hotel is cheaper than the rates offered through Chase Travel, the value may be more limited.