Chase 5x Bonus Categories

As usual, the bonus earnings rates only apply to the first $1,500 in spending in those categories. If you max out your bonus category spending for the quarter, you’ll earn 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.

While 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points are worth $75 in cash, you can get way more value by transferring those points to any of the following cards:

Chase Sapphire Preferred – #1 travel card for beginners
Chase Sapphire Reserve – great for frequent travelers
Chase Ink Business Preferred – highest Chase sign-up bonus for business customers

Once your points have been transferred to one of the above cards, the value of those points are amplified even more! If you transfer the points to Chase’s travel partners like United Airlines, Southwest or Hyatt, you can get so much more value than the original $75. For example, 7,500 Chase UR points could be enough for a one-way flight to lots of great destinations!

For more information on Chase’s flexible points program, check out The Complete Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Key Things to Remember

You need to activate the 5x earnings rate by December 14, 2026
The promotion runs from October 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
The promotion is valid on purchases made on dining, grocery stores and American Red Cross donations
The 5x earnings rate only applies to the first $1,500 in spending across all categories, after which the earnings rate is 1x

Freedom Flex cardholders will actually earn 7x points on dining this quarter. That’s because the Freedom Flex earns 3x points on dining all year long. So for Q1, you’ll be able to stack the “always-on” 3x points with the extra 4x points from the quarterly category bonus.

Note: As usual, there are various inclusions and exclusions for each category. For dining, merchants whose primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fast food restaurants and fine dining establishments, will be included. Delivery and takeout services will also be included if they classify as a restaurant merchant. Merchants located within facilities such as sports stadiums, hotels and casinos, department stores will not be included in this category unless the merchant has set up such purchases to be classified in a restaurant category. For grocery stores, Walmart, Target and warehouse clubs will not earn bonus points. When in doubt, it’s always best to check the Chase Merchant List to confirm everything that’s included and excluded in each category.

How to Activate

Unfortunately Chase doesn’t automatically enroll you into the bonus category earning promotion each quarter. To activate, go to the Chase Activation website and enter your last name, zip code and the last four digits of your credit card.

Alternatively you can log into your Chase account and activate from there. Chase sprinkles links in lots of different places on their website, making it very easy to activate. In just a few minutes, I found a few different places to activate my cards for the upcoming quarter.

Option 1

Option 2

You can also request to receive a reminder email from Chase prior to each quarter. Upon receipt of the email each quarter, you can activate via an easy 1-click activation button.

Discover 5% Bonus Categories

Discover also limits the bonus earnings to the first $1,500 in spending in those categories. However, unlike Chase, there’s no option to earn points instead of cash. So maxing out your bonus category spending for the quarter will earn you $75.

That money can be redeemed as a statement credit, a direct deposit to a checking account or used to purchase 3rd party gift cards. Gift cards are often available with 5% to 20% added value, depending on the merchant.

You can also donate your cash back to charity or to pay for purchases on Amazon.com or with PayPal.

Key Things to Remember

The promotion runs from October 1, 2026 (or the date on which you activate the 5%, whichever is later) through December 31, 2026
The promotion is valid on purchases made at restaurants, entertainment and utilities
The 5% earnings rate only applies to the first $1,500 in spending across all categories, after which the earnings rate is 1%

Note: As usual, there are inclusions and exclusions to be aware of in each category. Dining purchases include those made at merchants classified as full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and caterers. Restaurants located inside of or affiliated with another business, such as hotels or retail stores, and establishments classified as a bakery may not qualify. Entertainment purchases include ticket purchases at movie theaters, sports promoters (professional and semi-professional live events), theatrical promoters, concert promoters, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, video rental locations, pool halls and bowling alleys. Utilities purchases include purchases for residential electricity, natural gas, and water service. Utilities purchases also include purchases made over the phone or online for internet, cable, satellite TV, and mobile and landline phone service. Visit the Discover Cashback Calendar page to confirm.

How to Activate

You won’t earn the 5% cash back bonus unless you activate this feature on your card each quarter. To do so, go to the Discover Online account page and click on “Log In to Activate.”

Discover also automatically emails you about 15 days prior to the start of the next quarter with a reminder. Upon receipt of the email, you can activate via an easy 1-click activation button.

Bottom Line

This quarter is shaping up to be especially rewarding for both Chase Freedom Flex and Discover cardholders.

Chase is serving up an easy set of bonus categories in dining and grocery. The fourth quarter is when spending naturally ramps up with end-of-year travel, family gatherings and holiday meals. So for many Freedom Flex cardholders, those two categories are already among the biggest line items each month, so having dining and groceries stack as simultaneous bonus categories feels like a well‑timed win. Even better, Chase is sweetening the deal for Freedom Flex cardholders with 7x rewards on dining purchases instead of the usual 5x. Note: Chase Freedom cardholders will still earn just 5x.

Discover’s rotating categories this quarter line up well with the way most people spend toward the end of the year. As with Chase’s dining category, restaurants are an easy win. Entertainment is another sneaky‑useful category, covering everything from movie nights to concerts to family activities that tend to spike as the weather cools. And utilities might not be the most glamorous category, but it’s one of the most reliable. If you can earn bonus rewards on bills you’re paying anyway, that’s about as effortless as it gets. Together, these categories make Discover’s lineup feel both broad and genuinely practical for closing out the year.

Pro tip: If you’re struggling to hit the quarterly maximum, don’t forget the gift card strategy. Most grocery stores sell gift cards to hundreds of other retailers, and those purchases count toward your bonus categories. Stock up now, and you’ll lock in the rewards while giving yourself flexibility to use the gift cards at a later date.

As always, happy spending and more importantly, happy strategizing for that 5x return.