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Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

Both are Chase cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 1.3% 1x base rate

Dining

  1. Freedom Unlimited 3.0% 3%
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 1.3% 1x base rate

Groceries

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 2.5% 2x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Gas

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 2.5% 2x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Travel · portal

  1. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel 5.0% 5%

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Unlimited 3.0% 3%
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 1.3% 1x base rate

Flights

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 2.5% 2x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 1.5% 1.5% base rate

Lyft

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus 2.5% 2x
  2. Freedom Unlimited 2.0% 2%

What the numbers are doing

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus tops lyft at 2.5% only because this table values its points at 1.25 cents each. Value them at one cent and Freedom Unlimited wins that category instead.

Abroad the answer flips: Freedom Unlimited charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so once that comes off the rate Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus is the better card for everyday spend.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge Freedom Unlimited $0 and Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus $99 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseFreedom Unlimited1.5%
DiningFreedom Unlimited3.0%
GroceriesSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus2.5%
GasSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus2.5%
Travel · portalFreedom Unlimited · Chase Travel5.0%
DrugstoresFreedom Unlimited3.0%
FlightsSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus2.5%
LyftSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus2.5%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 1.3%

Dining

  1. Freedom Unlimited — 3.0%
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 1.3%

Groceries

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 2.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Gas

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 2.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Travel · portal

  1. Freedom Unlimited · Chase Travel — 5.0%

Drugstores

  1. Freedom Unlimited — 3.0%
  2. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 1.3%

Flights

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 2.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 1.5%

Lyft

  1. Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus — 2.5%
  2. Freedom Unlimited — 2.0%
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