The short version
From 21 September 2026 the Chase Freedom Flex charges no foreign transaction fee. The Freedom Unlimited still charges 3%. Here is what else changed.
Chase removed foreign transaction fees from the Chase Freedom Flex on 21 September 2026, so the no-annual-fee card can now be used abroad and with overseas online shops without the usual surcharge. Chase’s announcement says the change applies to Freedom Flex cardmembers “starting today”, and it does not limit it to new accounts. The same release added Points Boost offers on select hotels booked through Chase Travel, let cardmembers preview the 5% categories a quarter ahead, named the first-quarter 2027 categories, and launched a limited-time $250 welcome bonus. The change does not apply to the Freedom Unlimited, which still lists a 3% foreign transaction fee.
- The Freedom Flex is now safe to use abroad, with no foreign transaction fee on purchases outside the US or from international online merchants.
- Existing cardholders get it too. Chase’s release says “Freedom Flex cardmembers” from 21 September, with no new-account condition.
- The Freedom Unlimited did not change. Its pricing and terms still list a 3% foreign transaction fee.
- Grocery stores are a 5% category twice running, in Q4 2026 and Q1 2027, with a spend cap.
What Chase changed on 21 September
Chase made four changes to the Freedom Flex: no foreign transaction fees, Points Boost on select Chase Travel hotels, a one-quarter preview of the 5% categories, and a new card design. In the release’s words, “Starting today, Freedom Flex cardmembers can make purchases abroad or from international online merchants without paying foreign transaction fees.” Wittney Rachlin, General Manager of Chase Freedom, said: “Our cardmembers want rewards that fit their lives, from everyday purchases to their next trip.”
| Feature | Freedom Flex from 21 Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | None |
| Foreign transaction fee | None (new) |
| Rotating categories | 5% when activated each quarter, on up to $1,500 in combined purchases |
| Chase Travel | 5% |
| Dining | 3% |
| Drugstores | 3% |
| Everything else | 1% |
| Points Boost | Points worth up to 10% more on select Chase Travel hotels (new) |
| Category preview | Next quarter’s 5% categories shown in the Chase Mobile app (new) |
| Protections listed | Auto rental coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travel and emergency assistance, purchase protection, extended warranty |
| Welcome offer | $250 after $500 on purchases in the first 3 months, limited time |
Chase’s own no-foreign-transaction-fee card list now shows the Freedom Flex, with its bonus marked up from $200 to $250.
What it means if you travel
A $0 card with no foreign transaction fee is exactly what most people need on a trip: a backup that costs nothing to hold and nothing to swipe abroad. On a card that still charges one, such as Chase’s own Freedom Unlimited at 3%, every purchase abroad costs more than it earns back. On $2,000 of trip spending, a 3% fee is $60. On the Freedom Flex that $60 now stays in your pocket, and non-bonus purchases still earn 1%, or 3% at restaurants.
The Freedom Flex is not a replacement for a proper travel card. It earns 1% on most spending abroad, and its 5% categories change every quarter, so they will rarely line up with a trip. But as a second card, or as a first card for someone who does not want an annual fee, it has just removed its biggest weakness. Pay in the local currency whenever a terminal abroad offers dollars — dynamic currency conversion can cost more than the fee Chase just dropped.
Chase has two Freedom cards, and only the Flex changed. The Freedom Unlimited is not on Chase’s list of no-foreign-transaction-fee cards, and its pricing and terms list a fee of 3% of each foreign transaction. Our comparison of the Freedom Unlimited and the Capital One Quicksilver works through what that costs on a trip.
| After 21 Sep 2026 | Freedom Flex | Freedom Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | None | $0 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | 3% of each transaction |
| Everyday purchases | 1% | 1.5% |
| Dining and drugstores | 3% | 3% |
| Chase Travel | 5% | 5% |
| Rotating 5% categories | Yes, up to $1,500 a quarter when activated | No |
| Welcome bonus | $250 after $500 in 3 months (limited time) | $200 after $500 in 3 months |
At home the Freedom Unlimited’s 1.5% base still beats the Flex’s 1% outside the bonus categories. Abroad, the order flips: the Flex keeps its 1% and pays no fee, while the Freedom Unlimited’s 1.5% is swallowed by a 3% fee.
The 5% categories, and the new preview
Chase has named the Q1 2027 categories early: top streaming services and grocery stores, excluding Walmart and Target. For the first time, Chase says, grocery stores are a 5% category in two consecutive quarters, Q4 2026 and Q1 2027, with a spend cap applied. Chase announced the Q4 2026 categories on 15 September as grocery stores, dining and American Red Cross donations. The 5% rate needs activating each quarter and applies to up to $1,500 in combined purchases, which is up to $75 back a quarter.
The preview matters more than it sounds. Rotating categories are only valuable if you remember to activate them and shift spending towards them; seeing next quarter’s categories in the Chase Mobile app a quarter in advance makes that planning possible.
Points Boost and the $250 bonus
Points Boost makes Chase Freedom points worth up to 10% more on select hotels booked through Chase Travel. Chase states that points are worth $0.01 each when redeemed through Chase Travel, so a boosted offer lifts that on the hotels included; the offers rotate. As with any issuer booking site, compare the price with booking the hotel directly before you redeem.
The limited-time welcome offer is $250 after $500 on purchases in the first three months, for new cardmembers. That spend is low enough that most people hit it with ordinary bills, which is the only way a bonus is worth chasing.
Our verdict
If you wanted a no-annual-fee card to take abroad, the Freedom Flex is now a sound choice; if you already hold one, you can simply start using it on your next trip. It still earns 1% on most purchases, so frequent travellers will get more from a travel card; our Venture vs Sapphire Preferred comparison covers two $95 options. And do not carry a balance on it: interest wipes out any cash back. Before your trip, read our guide to avoiding foreign transaction and ATM fees, because the card fee is only one of four charges travellers pay.
If the points are for a big trip, Nepal is where a modest balance goes furthest. Annapurna Base Camp is nine days at $920 USD solo and Everest Base Camp is twelve days at $1,700 USD solo, including permits, a government-registered guide, a porter, teahouses and meals.
See the Annapurna Base Camp trek →Does the Chase Freedom Flex have a foreign transaction fee?
No, not since 21 September 2026. Chase announced that Freedom Flex cardmembers can make purchases abroad or from international online merchants without paying foreign transaction fees.
Does the change apply to existing cardholders?
Chase’s release says it applies to Freedom Flex cardmembers starting 21 September 2026 and does not restrict it to new accounts. If in doubt, check your account or call Chase.
Did the Chase Freedom Unlimited drop its foreign transaction fee too?
No. The Freedom Unlimited is not on Chase’s list of no-foreign-transaction-fee cards, and its pricing and terms list a 3% fee on foreign transactions.
What are the Freedom Flex 5% categories for Q1 2027?
Top streaming services and grocery stores, excluding Walmart and Target. The 5% rate needs activating and applies to up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter.
What is the Freedom Flex welcome bonus?
For a limited time, new cardmembers can earn $250 after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months, according to Chase’s 21 September 2026 release.
Keep reading
The four decisions that choose a card, with every comparison in one place.
The four charges on a trip abroad, and how to dodge them.
The card-machine question that costs travellers most.
When to pay which way on a trip.
Two $95 travel cards with no foreign fees, compared.
Sources: Chase media release, “Chase Builds on Freedom Flex’s Everyday Rewards with More Travel Value”, 21 September 2026; Chase’s list of no-foreign-transaction-fee credit cards; Chase Freedom Unlimited pricing and terms; all read on 27 September 2026. The fee example is our own arithmetic. This is general information, not financial advice; card offers change, so confirm the current terms with the issuer before you apply. No card issuer pays us for placement on this page.
Photos via Pexels: Andrea Piacquadio, Marta Branco.
Written by
Bishnu AdhikariPokhara-based, NMA-certified trekking guides. We’ve led 5,000+ treks across the Annapurna and Everest regions since 1998 — every word here comes from the trail. More from this author →
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