How I turned my pet's emergency vet bills into a free night in London
Pet parenthood is one of life's most fulfilling experiences, but as many pet parents will tell you, it can also be one of the most expensive. While I'd do anything in the world to ensure my dog's health and safety without hesitation, it often takes a pretty penny — even with a pet insurance policy in place.
That's the situation I found myself in this past December when my pup needed emergency care while traveling. Here's how using the right credit card in an unfortunate situation helped me earn thousands of additional points and ease a bit of the financial sting.
The emergency
The day before I planned to leave on a pet-friendly road trip, my dog, Stevie, developed a serious-looking limp. I brought her to my local emergency vet, who immediately noticed one of her toes was swollen. Thinking the issue was orthopedic, the vet ordered X-rays, and nearly $700 later, I had a prescription for a pain reliever, confirmation that there was no fracture and the all-clear to head out on the trip.
Unfortunately, two days after leaving home, Stevie's entire leg had swelled up, and a second emergency vet trip — this time to an animal hospital along our road trip route — confirmed that it was seriously infected. After prescribing several more medications and a cone of shame, the vet scheduled an emergency drainage procedure for the following day, and costs quickly escalated.
Unfortunately, the emergency vet visits didn't end there. After the procedure, we had to bring Stevie in three more times for dressing changes and wound care. The fact that we were on the move as part of our road trip, coupled with the difficulty of securing a vet appointment, meant that those visits happened at three different clinics, and establishing care as a new patient each time wound up pushing costs higher than they would have been if we had been returning to the same clinic for follow-up appointments.
Thankfully, the infection fully cleared after about four weeks of antibiotics — but not before racking up bills well into the four-figure range.
Related: The best credit cards for pet expenses
Using the right cards
I've had the Chase Freedom (no longer available to new applicants) in my wallet for years, and more recently, I added the Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees) by downgrading a different Chase card. Both the Freedom and Freedom Flex offer the opportunity to earn 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar) on up to $1,500 of spending in rotating quarterly bonus categories (after activation). And because my husband also has a Freedom Flex, we can collectively earn bonus points on up to $4,500 in spending each quarter.
As luck would have it, last quarter's bonus categories included pet shops and veterinary services for the first time since TPG began tracking them back in 2012. Between the vet visits on the road and some follow-up appointments at home — plus multiple rounds of antibiotics and a slew of other medications for pain, inflammation and anxiety — I was able to max out the bonus on all three cards, earning 5 points per dollar on $4,500 of spending for a grand total of 22,500 points.
The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Chase Freedom Flex card review: Incredible earning with no annual fee
That's a sum far higher than I would have earned had I not used the Freedom and Freedom Flex cards. When not working toward a sign-up bonus, I typically use my Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) at the vet to earn 1.5% cash back (or 1.5 points per dollar). In this case, doing so would have resulted in just 6,750 points — a difference of 15,750 points.
Redeeming the points
The Freedom and Freedom Flex are advertised as cash-back cards, meaning they don't offer the ability to transfer points to Chase's airline and hotel partners. Thankfully, there's a workaround. If you have another Chase card that earns fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points — such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) — you can combine the rewards from your Freedom cards with those in your other accounts, instantly unlocking the potential to transfer them and substantially increasing their value.
As a self-professed hotel fanatic, I wind up transferring a good portion of my Chase points to World of Hyatt for free hotel stays, which is where my recent Chase Freedom haul ultimately went. Not long after the ill-fated road trip, I began planning my next getaway: a long weekend in London this April. For this trip, I chose the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection, based on its walkability to major sites and shopping.
The 22,500 Chase points from the vet bills put me just shy of the 25,000 points needed to cover the first night of my stay, which would have otherwise cost 384 pounds — or about $484 based on current conversion rates — for World of Hyatt members. The redemption rate came out to 1.94 cents per point, which is slightly below the 2.05 cents per point that Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth, according to TPG's February 2025 valuations. But in this case, I was more than happy to sacrifice a little potential value for the chance to cut down my travel spending after an expensive couple of months.
Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value
Bottom line
Surprise expenses are never fun, especially when it comes in the form of a medical emergency. But a simple credit card swap can greatly amplify your rewards-earning potential, helping you turn unexpected bills into your next vacation. Even a no-annual-fee card such as the Chase Freedom Flex can rack up substantial rewards when used to its full potential, making it all the more important to have the right tools in your wallet — and the knowledge to deploy them effectively.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.