Q1 2022 Cash Back Credit Cards Rotating Shopping Categories

Rotating category credit cards are cash back credit cards that offer their highest cash back percentage in shopping categories that rotate on a regular basis, often quarterly.

The major credit card issuers have already opened registration for Q1 2022 rotating bonus categories on their popular cash back credit cards. The first quarter is active from January 1, 2022, through March 31, 2022.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the most popular cash back credit cards that offer their highest cash back percentage in Q1 2022 shopping categories:

The Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom 5% bonus categories for Q1 2022 are grocery stores and eBay. Within the specified timeframe, cardholders can earn 5x points on up to $1,500 in combined purchases (1% thereafter) at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) and eBay (including Buy It Now and Auction purchases made on the ebay.com marketplace and eBay mobile apps) when they activate the bonus.

Unlike Chase, which announces cash back categories every three months, Discover has released its calendar for the entire 2022. This year, Discover is introducing some changes to its cash back calendar. For the first quarter, cardholders of the Discover it Cash Back can enroll to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in combined purchases in bonus categories – on grocery stores, fitness clubs and gym memberships.

In the grocery stores category, cardholders can earn the 5% cash back bonus at stand-alone grocery stores, including eligible supermarkets, bakeries, meat lockers and smaller grocery stores. Grocery delivery services also qualify. But purchases made at Walmart, Target, convenience stores, wholesale clubs, discount stores and supercenters are excluded from this category.

The abovementioned cards require cardholders to activate their new bonus categories before they can start earning cash back. So, it’s a good idea to activate your quarterly bonus categories well in advance of the start date because you won’t earn bonus cash back on any of your rotating bonus purchases until they are activated.

Existing cardholders of the Citi Dividend Card (no longer available to new applicants) can earn 5% on eligible purchases made at Amazon.com and purchases from Select Streaming Services. There’s no quarterly spending limit, but the total amount of cash back you can earn in a year is capped at $300.

The Bank of America and U.S. Bank cards are a little more flexible. The Cash+ Visa Signature cardholders, as an example, could choose to get the 5% bonus (up to $2,000) at department stores, fast food restaurants, furniture stores, gyms and other stores and services. The 2% cash back bonus is good at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants.

Since credit cards with rotating bonus categories come with some of the highest rewards rates available, keep track of rotating categories and don’t forget to activate a bonus to supersize your rewards.