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5% Back on Holiday Shopping? Yes, Please: Your Q4 2025 Rewards Roadmap
July 1, 2025
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Maximize your holiday spending with Chase Freedom Flex®, Discover it®, Citi Dividend®, and US Bank Cash+® rotating categories for October-December 2025.
The fourth quarter of 2025 brings holiday-focused rewards across all major rotating category credit cards. From department store gift shopping to travel bookings and Amazon purchases, this quarter's bonus categories align perfectly with seasonal spending patterns. Here's everything you need to know about Q4 2025's 5% rotating categories and how to maximize your holiday rewards.
Complete Q4 2025 Rotating Categories Overview
Chase Freedom Flex® & Chase Freedom
Categories: October 1 - December 31, 2025
- Chase Travel℠ bookings (9% total for Freedom Flex)
- Department stores
- Old Navy
December Only:
- PayPal transactions
Earning Rate: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined spending
Activation Required: Yes, through December 14, 2025
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2883", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "No-Fee Card Seekers", "headerHint" : "No Annual Fee" } ]]
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "3344", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Credit Builders", "headerHint": "Rotating Categories"} ]]
Discover It Cash Back Credit Card
Categories: October 1 - December 31, 2025
- Amazon.com purchases
- Drug stores
Earning Rate: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 combined spending
Activation Required: Yes
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "821", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Cash Back Seekers", "headerHint": "0 Annual Fee"} ]]
Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® MasterCard
Categories: October 1 - December 31, 2025
- Restaurants
- Citi Travel bookings
Earning Rate: 5% cash back on up to $6,000 annual spending (can be used entirely in Q4 or spread throughout the year)
Activation Required: Yes
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "577", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Cash Back Seekers", "headerHint": "5% on Rotating Categories"} ]]
US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
Categories: Choose 2 from these options for Q4 2025
- Home utilities
- Electronics stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Ground transportation
- TV, internet & streaming services
- Department stores
- Select clothing stores
- Gyms/fitness centers
- Furniture stores
- Cell phone providers
- Fast food
- Movie theaters
Earning Rate: 5% cash back on up to $2,000 combined spending on chosen categories Activation Required: Yes, select categories quarterly
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2353", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Cash Back Seekers", "headerHint": "No Annual Fee Card"} ]]
Category Deep Dive: Maximizing Each Bonus
Chase Travel℠: Premium Value Without Premium Fees
Chase Travel stands out this quarter, especially for Freedom Flex cardholders earning a total 9% cash back - the card's standard 5% rate plus the 4% quarterly bonus.
Eligible purchases:
- Airline tickets
- Hotel reservations
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Activities and tours
Strategy: Book holiday travel or early 2026 trips through Chase Travel. The 9% rate matches or exceeds many premium travel cards with high annual fees.
Department Stores: First Time Since 2019
Department stores return as a bonus category after six years, perfectly timed for holiday shopping at retailers like:
- Macy's
- Nordstrom
- JCPenney
- Kohl's
- Dillard's
Excluded: Supercenters (Walmart), discount stores, specialty retailers, and online marketplaces.
Gift card strategy: Many department stores sell third-party gift cards, potentially allowing you to earn 5% on Amazon, restaurant, or other branded gift cards.
Amazon.com: Discover's Holiday Play
Discover's Amazon category covers a broad range of holiday needs:
- Amazon.com purchases
- Amazon Fresh grocery orders
- Amazon Prime subscriptions
- Amazon Local Deals
- Amazon Go store purchases
Note: Whole Foods Market purchases don't qualify for the 5% rate.
Timing tip: Stack this with Amazon's holiday sales events for maximum value.
PayPal: December-Only Digital Wallet
PayPal returns for the sixth consecutive year, but only for December 2025. This creates a compressed earning window but broad merchant acceptance.
Use cases:
- Online holiday shopping
- Federal tax payments (1.85% fee via ACI Payments)
- Charity donations
- Utility bill payments
- In-store payments via QR code
Strategy: Plan major online purchases for December to maximize this category.
Restaurant Rewards: Citi's Advantage
Citi Dividend's restaurant category offers value for holiday dining and entertainment with the advantage of a $6,000 annual cap rather than quarterly limits.
Covered purchases:
- Sit-down restaurants
- Fast food establishments
- Food delivery services
- Bars and lounges
Drug Stores: Everyday Essentials
Both Discover and US Bank (if selected) offer drug store bonuses, covering:
- CVS Pharmacy
- Walgreens
- Rite Aid
- Independent pharmacies
- Online pharmacy orders
Exclusions: Pharmacies inside other retailers (Target, Walmart) typically don't qualify.
Activation Guide: Step-by-Step
Chase Freedom Cards
- Visit Chase's activation page or mobile app
- Enter last name, card's last four digits, ZIP code
- Click "Activate your 5%"
- Save the confirmation screenshot (just in case)
- Deadline: December 14, 2025
Discover it Cards
- Log in to the Discover mobile app or online account
- Navigate to the rewards activation section
- Confirm Q4 categories
Citi Dividend
- Access Citi online banking or mobile app
- Find the rotating categories section
- Activate Q4 bonus rates
Advanced Strategies for Maximum Value
The Multi-Card Approach
Cardholders with multiple rotating category cards can strategically distribute spending:
- Holiday Travel: Use Chase Freedom Flex for 9% on Chase Travel bookings
- Gift Shopping: Split between department stores (Chase) and Amazon (Discover)
- Dining Out: Maximize Citi Dividend's $6,000 restaurant cap
Gift Card Maximization
Many bonus categories allow gift card purchases, extending earning potential:
- Department stores: Buy Amazon, restaurant, or retailer gift cards
- Drug stores: Purchase various merchant gift cards
- Amazon: Stock up on Amazon gift cards during Discover's bonus period
Year-End Tax Planning
December PayPal availability allows for strategic tax-related spending:
- Federal tax payments via ACI Payments (1.85% fee)
- Estimated quarterly payments
- Year-end charitable donations
Cards Worth Considering
For New Cardholders
Chase Freedom Flex®
- $200 welcome bonus after $500 spend
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months, then a Variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%
- 5% on Chase Travel year-round
Discover It Cash Back Credit Card
- Cashback match for the entire first year
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
- Social Security number monitoring
Supercharge Your Q4 Rewards with Kudos Boost
While rotating category cards offer excellent base rewards, you can significantly amplify your earnings by combining them with Kudos Boost, our free rewards program that gives you 100% of merchant commissions on top of your credit card rewards.
How Kudos Boost Works
When you shop through Kudos at over 15,000 participating stores, you automatically earn your card's regular rewards plus our full merchant commission. For example:
- Your Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% on department stores
- The store pays Kudos a 12% commission
- You receive 17% total back (5% card + 12% Kudos commission)
This stacking works with any credit card - even if your card doesn't offer rewards, you still get our full commission.
Flash Boost: Limited-Time Bonus Opportunities
Keep an eye out for our Flash Boost campaigns during Q4's busy shopping season. These special events offer temporarily increased commission rates, often coinciding with major sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. During Flash Boost events, you might earn 20%+ back when combining card rewards with elevated merchant commissions.
To maximize your Q4 earnings:
- Sign up for Kudos - It's completely free
- Install the browser extension (version 4.120+) or iOS app (version 4.7.4+)
- Shop as normal - Kudos automatically applies both your card rewards and our merchant commissions
- Watch for Flash Boost alerts during peak shopping periods
Bottom Line
Q4 2025's rotating categories offer substantial value for strategic holiday spenders, especially when combined with Kudos Boost for additional earning opportunities. The key is aligning your seasonal purchases with the strongest bonus categories: With proper planning and the addition of Kudos Boost, cardholders can potentially earn 15-20%+ back on many holiday purchases while covering normal seasonal expenses. The key is activation, strategic spending alignment, and leveraging every available rewards opportunity! Happy Holiday shopping!
Supercharge Your Credit Cards
Experience smarter spending with Kudos and unlock more from your credit cards. Earn $20.00 when you sign up for Kudos with "GET20" and make an eligible Kudos Boost purchase.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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