Waiting on Chase Freedom Unlimited double cash back to post? Here's when you can expect it

Many TPG readers took advantage of the lucrative unlimited double cash-back offer (no longer available) on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® that ran from October 2023 to January 2024.

And a lot of them are still patiently — or perhaps impatiently — waiting more than a year later for their bonus cash back to post.

Some Freedom Unlimited cardholders — including myself — have been concerned about when — or even if — the one-time bonus would post. Given the terms and conditions on the offer aren't the clearest and some Chase agents don't know about the offer, it's understandable that cardholders are doubting if and when the bonus will post.

The good news is that if it hasn't posted to your account already, it should by the end of March. We have three data points — including my own — to support this timeline.

So, let's dig in so you can calculate the exact date on which those valuable points will land in your Ultimate Rewards account.

Freedom Unlimited double cash-back offer details

As a reminder, the offer stated that in addition to the regular cash back you'd receive on purchases posted after the close of each monthly statement, you'd receive a one-time bonus of the "matched" — or doubled — cash back just over a year later.

Here are the exact terms and conditions:

With this offer you will receive a one-time bonus equal to all Cash Back rewards earned during your first 12 monthly billing cycles from account opening with your Chase Freedom Unlimited card. ... Please allow 6 to 8 weeks from the end of your 12th monthly billing cycle for bonus Cash Back rewards to post to your account.

When should you expect to receive your double cash back on the Freedom Unlimited?

You should receive your one-time bonus up to 13 months after your first statement closing date on the account.

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So, if you opened the card on Dec. 1, 2023, for example, with your first statement closing date of Jan. 1, 2024, you should receive your bonus by Feb. 1, 2025.

You can find your statement history in your online account or by calling Chase at the number on the back of your card.

On the later end of the scale: If you opened the card on Jan. 4, 2024, your first statement closing date is likely to be Feb. 4, 2024, which means your bonus should arrive on March 4, 2025.

If you do not receive your bonus by the 13-month mark, I'd recommend sending Chase a secure message through your online account or calling the number on the back of your card.

Data point 1

So, let's look at my real-life example:

• I applied and was approved for this card on Dec. 6, 2023.
• My first monthly statement closed on Dec. 25, 2023 (that's strange because I would've expected it to be a full month later, i.e., Jan. 6, 2023).
• My 12th monthly statement closed on Nov. 25, 2024.
• My one-time bonus posted on Jan. 25, 2024.

That means that from the closing date of my first statement (Dec. 25, 2023), it took 13 months for my bonus to post.

Looking at it a different way: My bonus posted exactly eight weeks after my 12th monthly statement (Nov. 25, 2024).

I earned 29,123 bonus points from the double cash back offer. Given that I also hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), I can convert that one-time bonus to fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points.

I plan to combine these points into my Sapphire Reserve account and transfer them to World of Hyatt, as I am trying to reach 60 elite nights this year to qualify for Globalist status for the first time.

Data point 2

A Reddit user had a similar experience:

• They applied for this card on Oct. 18, 2023 (and I presume were approved on the same day).
• Their first monthly statement closed on Nov. 1, 2023 (less than a month later, like my case).
• Their 12th monthly statement closed on Oct. 1, 2023.
• Their one-time bonus posted on Dec. 1, 2024.

That makes it, again, 13 months from their first statement date (Nov. 1, 2023). Or, looking at it differently, eight weeks after their 12th statement date (Oct. 1, 2023).

Data point 3

TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen is eagerly awaiting his bonus to post. Last week, he got an email letting him know his one-time bonus is on its way.

Let's look at Nick's dates:

• He applied and was approved for this card on Dec. 13, 2023.
• His first monthly statement closed on Jan. 13, 2024 (exactly a month after approval).
• His 12th monthly statement closed on Dec. 13, 2024.
• He received an email on Jan. 22, 2025.
• His one-time bonus is expected to post on Feb. 13, 2025.

Nick was also impressed that it appears that double cash back wasn't limited to spending on the card; it also doubled his Shop Through Chase earnings. He did some digging and found that the nearly 2,000 bonus points he'd earned for holiday shopping in late November and early December had become almost 4,000 points.

Bottom line

If you were one of the lucky ones who jumped on the unlimited double cash-back offer on the Chase Freedom Unlimited just over a year ago and haven't seen your bonus points post yet, don't fret.

Here's how to calculate when you'll receive them:

• Ignore your card application or approval date.
• Instead, find the date of your first statement (example: Dec. 28, 2023).
• Add 13 months to that date to calculate the date your bonus points should post (example: Jan. 28, 2025).

And if you missed out on the unlimited double cash-back offer, you can apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited (see rates and fees) and receive a great welcome offer. You'll earn $300 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That $300 cash back is worth 30,000 bonus points if you also have an Ultimate Rewards points-earning card.

To learn more, read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.

Related: The best cards to pair with the Chase Freedom Unlimited