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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Iberia Visa Signature: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great choice for everyday spending, offering strong cash back rates on dining, drugstore purchases, and all other regular purchases.
- The Iberia Visa Signature® is ideal for international travelers who frequently fly with Iberia or its Oneworld alliance partners and want to earn Avios for award flights.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a quick look at why the Chase Freedom Unlimited® stands out to us.
- It offers a great mix of rewards with 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases and a flat 1.5% on everything else.
- The card comes with valuable benefits like purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, and trip cancellation insurance.
- With no annual fee, the break-even math is simple—every dollar you spend earns you pure cash back from day one (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Flexible rewards program: You earn valuable points that can be redeemed for cash back or travel. When paired with a premium Chase card, these points can unlock even greater value.
- Strong earning on everyday spending: The card offers a straightforward way to earn rewards on all purchases, with bonus earnings in common categories like dining and drugstores.
- Valuable built-in protections: It includes a suite of travel and purchase protections, like trip cancellation insurance and extended warranty, that add significant value without an annual cost.
Cons
- Foreign transaction fees: The card isn’t ideal for international travel, as it charges a fee on purchases made abroad.
- Limited point transfers: To unlock the highest value for your points by transferring them to travel partners, you must also hold a premium Chase card.
- Strict credit requirements: Approval typically requires a good to excellent credit score, making it inaccessible for those with fair or developing credit.
Iberia Visa Signature® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at why we think the Iberia Visa Signature® Card is a strong contender for international travelers.
- Cardholders receive a 10% discount on Iberia flights purchased through the airline's specific portal for Chase cardmembers.
- Avios can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to other airline partners like British Airways and Aer Lingus, adding valuable redemption flexibility.
- Spending $30,000 on the card in a year earns a $1,000 discount voucher for two tickets, which more than covers the card's annual fee (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Substantial welcome offer to kickstart your Avios balance.
- No foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel.
- Bonus Avios on purchases with partner airlines and hotels.
Cons
- Despite carrying an annual fee, the card lacks common airline perks like a free checked bag or priority boarding.
- The annual discount voucher has restrictions that make it difficult for solo travelers to use.
- The airline’s website is considered difficult to use, which can complicate the redemption process.
Iberia Visa Signature® vs Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Categories
Deciding which is better, Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Iberia Visa Signature®, depends entirely on your personal spending habits and financial goals.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® is designed for cash back seekers. It's a great fit for everyday spenders who want to earn consistent rewards on a wide variety of purchases.
- Iberia Visa Signature® falls into the international airline credit card category. This card is best for travelers who frequently fly with Iberia or its airline partners and want to earn rewards for future flights.
Redemption
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Rewards earned with this card are highly flexible and can be redeemed for cash back, travel booked through the Chase portal, or gift cards.
Iberia Visa Signature®: Points earned with this card, called Avios, are primarily used for booking award flights with Iberia and its Oneworld airline partners.
Travel Perks
- Foreign Transaction Fees: The Iberia Visa Signature® card is built for international travel and does not charge foreign transaction fees. The Chase Freedom Unlimited®, on the other hand, does have a foreign transaction fee, making it less ideal for purchases outside the U.S.
- Travel Booking and Flexibility: With the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can book travel through the flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal. The Iberia Visa Signature® card’s rewards, Avios, are used for booking flights directly with Iberia and its Oneworld® Alliance partners.
- Airline-Specific Perks: The Iberia Visa Signature® offers several valuable benefits for its loyal flyers, including a discount on Iberia flights and a discount voucher for a companion ticket after meeting an annual spending requirement. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® does not offer comparable airline-specific perks.
- Airport Lounge Access: Neither of these cards comes with complimentary airport lounge access, a benefit typically reserved for more premium travel credit cards.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make the right choice, a tool like Kudos can help by allowing you to compare nearly 3,000 credit cards based on your unique spending habits.
- Test drive credit cards: Simulate potential earnings from any card using your real spending data to see a personalized rewards projection before you apply.
- Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer within three months of approval, Kudos will match it.
- Approval odds analysis: Get a detailed breakdown of your approval chances based on your credit report.
- Kudos Boost rewards: Earn extra rewards on top of your card's rewards when you shop at participating stores.
- Personalized recommendations: Discover new cards that are a better match for your spending patterns.
- Spending and credit score tracking: Monitor your transactions, spending habits, and credit score all in one place.
- Exclusive offers: Gain access to special deals, including a $20 sign-up bonus with the code GET20 after an eligible purchase.
Who Should Choose the Chase Freedom Unlimited®?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent choice for everyday spenders who want a straightforward rewards structure without the hassle of tracking rotating categories or paying an annual fee. It's also a strategic pick for existing Chase customers who want to maximize their Ultimate Rewards® points by pairing it with a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Reserve®. Additionally, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® appeals to those seeking valuable purchase protections and travel benefits on a no-annual-fee card.
Who Should Choose the Iberia Visa Signature®?
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is tailor-made for travelers deeply invested in the Avios rewards program, particularly those who frequently fly with Iberia, British Airways, Aer Lingus, or Level. This card is a strong choice for anyone looking to leverage Avios for high-value redemptions, such as off-peak business class flights to Madrid or short-haul trips within Europe. As the sole Iberia-branded credit card available in the U.S., it also appeals to high-spenders who can unlock the annual $1,000 companion flight voucher, a key feature detailed in the full card review.
Alternatives to Consider
If our Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs Iberia Visa Signature® comparison has you thinking neither card is the right fit, don't worry. We've rounded up a few other excellent options to consider that might better suit your spending habits and travel goals.
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Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score - Good to excellent credit is typically required for approval.
- Review issuer application rules - Be aware of policies like the Chase 5/24 rule before applying.
- Consider your card strategy - Understand how this card pairs with others to maximize value.
Application Strategy
- Time your application before a large planned purchase to help meet any welcome offer spending requirements.
- Apply through Kudos for streamlined access to the best available offers and card details.
- Be patient and try different methods if you don't find the top offer immediately.
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 transfer points from Chase Freedom Unlimited to Iberia?
Yes, you can transfer points earned with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to the Iberia Plus program. However, you'll need another Chase card that earns premium Ultimate Rewards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, to make the transfer.
Which card is better for international travel?
The Iberia Visa Signature® Card is generally better for international travel as it has no foreign transaction fees and is geared towards earning Avios for international flights. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® typically charges a foreign transaction fee, making it less ideal for purchases abroad.
Do both cards have an annual fee?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® does not have an annual fee, making it a cost-effective choice for everyday spending. In contrast, the Iberia Visa Signature® Card does carry 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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