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Chase Freedom Flex vs Bank of America Premium Rewards: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card is ideal for maximizing cash back on rotating quarterly categories, as well as everyday spending on dining and at drugstores.
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card: This card is best for earning flat-rate rewards on travel and dining purchases, especially for existing Bank of America customers.
Chase Freedom Flex® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why the Chase Freedom Flex® stands out in a crowded field of cash back cards.
- It offers a powerful combination of 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories and travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, plus 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases.
- With no annual fee, every dollar you earn in cash back is pure profit, making it a cost-effective choice for everyday spending.
- You can earn $300 in cash back annually just by maximizing the $1,500 quarterly spending cap on the 5% rotating categories (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Earn high cash back rates across a broad mix of rotating and fixed bonus categories, including dining and travel.
- Includes valuable consumer protections like cell phone insurance and extended warranty, which are uncommon for a card with no annual fee.
- Rewards can be taken as simple cash back or transferred to Chase’s travel partners when paired with a premium card, unlocking more value.
Cons
- Rotating bonus categories require activation each quarter and are subject to spending caps.
- The card is not ideal for international travel, as it charges a foreign transaction fee.
- Transferring points to airline and hotel partners is only possible when the card is paired with a premium Chase card.
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we think the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® card is a strong contender.
- It features a simple rewards structure, earning 2 points per dollar on travel and dining and 1.5 points on all other purchases.
- Cardholders receive valuable travel credits, including up to $100 for airline incidentals annually and up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee every four years.
- The up to $100 annual airline incidental credit can completely offset the card's $95 annual fee, making it a great value if you use the benefit. (publisher-formulated estimate)
Pros
- Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can earn a bonus on all points, significantly boosting their rewards rate.
- It comes with a variety of travel insurance protections, including coverage for trip delays, cancellations, and lost luggage.
- There are no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for international travel.
Cons
- The rewards program does not allow you to transfer points to airline or hotel partners, limiting redemption flexibility.
- It lacks premium travel perks like airport lounge access.
- Maximizing rewards requires being a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, making it less competitive for those who don't bank with BoA.
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® vs Chase Freedom Flex®
Categories
Deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Flex or Bank of America Premium Rewards, depends on your spending habits and financial goals. Each card is designed to benefit a different type of spender.
- Chase Freedom Flex® - This card is an excellent choice for no-fee card seekers who are willing to track rotating bonus categories to maximize their cash back rewards on everyday spending.
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® - This card is best for frequent travelers and existing Bank of America customers who can leverage program benefits to boost their earnings on travel and dining purchases.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Flex®: Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, or travel through the Chase portal. You can also pool your points with other eligible Chase cards to unlock more valuable redemption options.
Bank of America® Premium Rewards®: Points can be redeemed for a statement credit, deposited into an eligible Bank of America or Merrill account, or used for travel and gift cards. The flexibility allows you to choose the redemption method that best suits your financial needs.
Travel Perks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card allows you to book travel through the Chase travel portal, but it's not designed as a primary travel card. It comes with a foreign transaction fee, making it less suitable for use abroad. It does not offer premium travel benefits like airport lounge access or statement credits for travel incidentals.
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards®: This card is built with the traveler in mind. It features no foreign transaction fees, which is a significant advantage for international trips. Cardholders also receive annual statement credits for airline incidentals and a credit to cover the application fee for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry. While it doesn't offer airport lounge access, its travel credits and lack of foreign transaction fees provide substantial value.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the decision easier, you can use a tool like Kudos to compare top-rated cards based on your own spending.
- Test drive a credit card: The Test Drive feature lets you simulate the rewards you’d earn from any card based on your real spending data, without affecting your credit score.
- Personalized recommendations: Get card suggestions based on your actual transaction history to ensure you’re choosing a card that fits your spending habits.
- Approval odds: Kudos analyzes your credit report to estimate your chances of approval for specific cards.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer within three months of applying through Kudos, they will match it.
- Manage everything in one place: Track your credit score, spending, sign-up bonuses, and card perks across multiple cards.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Flex®?
The Chase Freedom Flex® is a great fit for savvy spenders who enjoy maximizing their rewards by keeping track of rotating bonus categories each quarter. It's also an excellent choice for those who frequently spend on dining and at drugstores, as it offers elevated cash back in these areas without an annual fee. Furthermore, cardholders looking to build a powerful "Chase trifecta" can pair this card with premium Chase cards to optimize their Ultimate Rewards® points.
Who Should Choose the Bank of America® Premium Rewards®?
The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is an excellent choice for moderate travelers and everyday spenders seeking solid rewards without a high annual fee. It's particularly valuable for existing Bank of America clients, as the Preferred Rewards program can significantly boost the points earned on every purchase. Cardholders who appreciate straightforward, fixed-value rewards will find this card more appealing than complex travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Chase Freedom Flex® vs. Bank of America® Premium Rewards® comparison has left you feeling like neither card is the perfect fit, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent rewards cards on the market to consider.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score before applying, as most rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Review issuer-specific rules, like Chase's 5/24 rule, which may affect your eligibility.
- Plan your spending to meet the welcome offer requirements and understand how to activate and use card benefits.
Application Strategy
- Time your application strategically to align with large planned purchases that help meet spending requirements for a welcome offer.
- Leverage existing relationships, as some issuers offer enhanced rewards or better approval odds for current banking clients.
- Consider your long-term goals because pairing certain cards from the same issuer can unlock more valuable redemption options.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit score do I need for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card?
While issuers don't publish exact credit score requirements, both cards generally require a good to excellent credit score, typically a FICO score of 670 or higher. Approval also depends on other factors like your income and overall credit history.
Can I have both the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card?
Yes, you can absolutely hold both cards at the same time since they are issued by different banks. This can be a smart strategy to maximize rewards by using each card for the spending categories where it earns the most.
Which card is better for beginners?
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is often considered more beginner-friendly due to its lack of an annual fee and straightforward rotating bonus categories. The Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card is better suited for those comfortable with leveraging travel credits and benefits to offset an annual fee.
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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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