New: Earn and Use AMEX Membership Rewards Points With Uber
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.Do you use Uber as an alternative to taxis and public transportation?
You can now earn (and use!) American Express Membership Rewards points when you get a ride with Uber. And it’s all done through your iPhone!
What’s Uber?
Link: Uber
Link: Uber Rewards for Rides
Uber is a transportation company which connects passengers and drivers through mobile apps. Instead of calling a cab, you launch an app on your smartphone to request a ride. Uber drivers are independent contractors. You can even see how far away your ride is on your phone after you’ve requested a pick-up.Payment is made through the app on your smartphone. Sometimes Uber is a more expensive than a regular taxi (especially during busy periods), but often it is cheaper. It can be a very convenient way of getting a ride!
That said, I haven’t used Uber more than twice!
How Does The American Express Deal Work?
Link: Sign-Up for Uber
Link: Uber Rewards for Rides FAQ
Note: This deal is currently only available for the iPhone. You can get the Uber app for other smartphones, but they don’t have the American Express deal.When you sign-up for Uber and download the latest version of the Uber app to your iPhone, you’ll have the option to add your American Express card to your account.
Then, when you request a ride, you’ll have the option to either earn or use American Express Membership Rewards points.
You’ll get 2 American Express Membership Rewards points for every $1 you spend. Or, if you choose to use points to pay for your ride, they’re worth 1 cent each.
You can’t make partial payments with points – it has to be the full amount. If you don’t have enough points in your account, the full fare will be charged to your credit card.
So a $50 ride would cost 5,000 points. That’s not a very good redemption for Membership Rewards points (there are far better ways to use them!) so I think I’d rather pay for a ride and earn 2X points instead!
That said, Uber should count as a travel expense (it’s categorized as taxicabs/limousines) with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard. So you could earn 2X points on those cards, instead of with American Express. I’d prefer using my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and earning 2X Ultimate Rewards points because I prefer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to American Express Membership Rewards points.
If you live or visit cities that have Uber service, and you take cabs or public transportation often, this could be a good deal for you! At the very least, it’s a super easy way of getting around, especially in unfamiliar cities.
Which American Express Cards Are Eligible?
Link: List of Eligible American Express Cards
Not all American Express cards can be used with this deal. Here’s the full list of eligible cards, which includes:
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
- Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
Strangely, the new American Express EveryDay Preferred card (which also earns Membership Rewards points) is not on the list. A friend tried enrolling her card to the Uber app, and the American Express deal did not come up!
Bottom Line
You can earn 2 American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 you spend with Uber when you add your AMEX card to their iPhone app.
You’ll also have an option to use points to pay for your ride, but that’s not a very good value.
Only iPhones in the US can use this deal for now. But hopefully they’ll expand it to all smartphones soon.
I like using Uber for rides, especially when I’m traveling in unfamiliar cities. Earning 2X points just makes it even better!
Have you used Uber? What have your experiences been like?
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
Earn 2x total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services.
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Rates & Fees
Other
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