Quarterly 5% categories have been confirmed for Q3 of 2026.
The Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card categories will be:
Gas Stations & EV Charging
Public Transport
Select Live Entertainment
United Way
Public transport includes trains, buses, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.
Taxis, limos, rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, and merchants that provide transportation (airlines, hotels, car rentals) are not included.
Select live entertainment includes major sporting events, zoos, aquariums, concerts, theatrical productions, museums, and amusement parks.
Movie theaters, bowling alleys, horse racing tracks, and casinos are not included.
5% cash back categories are active for the first $1,500 of combined spending from July through September.
With this card, it's advertised as cash back - but if you read the fine print, earnings are actually received as Ultimate Rewards Points.
So that means you could potentially earn up to 7,500 points in the 3rd quarter if maximized up to the full $1,500 of combined spending in these rotating categories.
For the Discover it® Cash Back card, the Q3 categories will be:
Gas Stations
Transportation
Drug Stores
These categories will also earn 5% back for up to $1,500 of combined spending in the 3rd quarter.
It's a bit disappointing to see a lot of overlap because that usually has not been an issue in the past - but for us, we prefer to earn more valuable Chase UR Points.
Both of these cards have no annual fee and you must activate the categories each quarter by logging into each account.
But these cards are excellent options to take advantage of when new categories become effective as of July 1 - so be sure to adjust your wallet accordingly!