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Chase Freedom Flex vs United Gateway: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card is great for maximizing cash back on rotating quarterly categories, dining, and drugstore purchases.
- United Gateway℠ Card: This card is ideal for occasional United Airlines flyers looking to earn miles on United purchases, gas, and local transit without an annual fee.
Chase Freedom Flex® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section highlights the key reasons we believe 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 on up to $1,500 in combined purchases (then 1%), plus strong fixed rates on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases.
- You can enjoy all these benefits without paying an annual fee, making it an accessible option for savvy spenders.
- Since the card has no annual fee, your break-even point is effectively $0, meaning all cash back earned is a net gain (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Features a generous welcome bonus for new cardholders who meet an initial spending requirement, plus an introductory APR offer.
- Provides valuable consumer protections not always found on no-annual-fee cards, including cell phone protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection.
- Earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points that can be redeemed in multiple ways or transferred to a premium Chase card to access travel partners.
Cons
- The top cash back rate is earned in rotating categories that require quarterly activation and have spending caps, meaning you’ll need to stay on top of deadlines and limits to maximize rewards.
- This card isn't ideal for international travel, as purchases made abroad will incur a foreign transaction fee.
- Approval can be challenging due to Chase's application rules and the need for a good-to-excellent credit score.
United Gateway Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we’re fans of the United Gateway card.
- With no annual fee, this card is a cost-effective way to earn United MileagePlus miles on your everyday spending.
- It comes with valuable travel and purchase protections, including an auto rental collision damage waiver and trip cancellation coverage.
- Because the card has no annual fee, you begin to see a positive return as soon as you start earning rewards (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Earn United miles without the commitment of an annual fee.
- Accelerate your earnings with bonus miles on gas, local transit, and United purchases.
- Travel with more peace of mind thanks to perks like no foreign transaction fees and trip interruption coverage.
Cons
- Lacks premium travel perks like free checked bags and priority boarding.
- Offers limited categories for earning bonus miles.
- Miles can't be transferred to other loyalty programs.
United Gateway vs Chase Freedom Flex®
Categories
When deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Flex or United Gateway, it's crucial to compare their primary reward categories to see which aligns with your spending habits.
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card is best for those who want to maximize rewards through rotating quarterly bonus categories and on everyday spending like dining and drugstore purchases.
- United Gateway℠ Card: This card is ideal for United Airlines loyalists, offering bonus miles on airline purchases, as well as at gas stations and for local transit.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Flex®: Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back, travel through the Chase portal, or gift cards. These points can also be combined with other eligible Chase cards for potentially greater value.
United Gateway℠ Card: Rewards are earned as United MileagePlus miles, which are best used for booking flights with United and its Star Alliance partners. Miles can also be redeemed for other travel-related purchases like hotel stays and car rentals.
Travel Perks
- Chase Freedom Flex®: This card offers access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal for booking trips. It's important to note that this card charges a foreign transaction fee, and it does not come with airport lounge access.
- United Gateway℠ Card: The travel ecosystem for this card is built around the United MileagePlus program. It has no foreign transaction fees, making it a good choice for international travel. Cardholders also get a statement credit on in-flight purchases with United. This card does not offer airport lounge access.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the right choice, a tool like Kudos can help you compare top-rated cards based on your unique spending habits.
- Test Drive Feature: Simulate how much you could earn with a new card using your real spending data before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
- Approval Odds Analysis: Get a detailed analysis based on your credit report to estimate your chances of being approved for a new card.
- Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, the platform will match it.
- Kudos Boost: Earn extra rewards on top of your credit card rewards when you shop at participating stores.
- Comprehensive Card Comparison: Explore and compare nearly 3,000 credit cards, including many that don't pay affiliate commissions.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Flex®?
The Chase Freedom Flex® is a great fit for savvy spenders who enjoy strategizing to maximize their rewards on everyday purchases. It's particularly valuable for those who will take the time to activate and use the rotating 5% cash back categories each quarter, while also taking advantage of the consistent 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases. Additionally, it's a key component for cardholders building a Chase card combination to pool Ultimate Rewards® points, all without paying an annual fee.
Who Should Choose the United Gateway?
The United Gateway℠ Card is an excellent choice for occasional United Airlines flyers and beginners in the world of travel rewards who want to earn miles without committing to an annual fee. It's also well-suited for budget-conscious international travelers, as the card has no foreign transaction fees, and for existing Chase customers who can easily integrate it with their other accounts. Overall, it serves as a strong entry-level option for building a relationship with the United MileagePlus program without the cost of a premium card.
Alternatives to Consider
The Chase Freedom Flex® vs. United Gateway℠ Card decision often comes down to a choice between flexible cash back rewards and airline-specific travel perks. If neither of those paths aligns with your spending habits, there are several other excellent cards worth considering.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score – Most rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
- Review application rules – Be aware of issuer-specific policies, like the Chase 5/24 rule, that could affect your approval.
- Plan your spending – Make sure you can comfortably meet the minimum spend for the welcome offer through your regular purchases.
Application Strategy
- Time your application with large, planned purchases to help meet spending requirements naturally.
- Know the issuer's rules, such as the Chase 5/24 rule, before you apply.
- Don’t settle for a subpar offer; be patient and look for the best available welcome bonus.
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
Can I have both the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the United Gateway℠ Card?
Yes, you can hold both cards simultaneously. Since they belong to different card families, having both allows you to maximize rewards across different types of spending.
Which card is better for international travel?
The United Gateway℠ Card is the better option for international travel as it does not charge foreign transaction fees. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ typically charges a fee on purchases made outside of the United States.
Can I transfer points from the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to United Airlines?
To transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to United MileagePlus, you must also hold a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Points earned on the Freedom Flex alone cannot be transferred directly to airline partners.
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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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