The Rideshare Perks That Might Surprise You – Forbes Advisor


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Whether you take Uber everywhere or use rideshare occasionally in a city with rich public transit, The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) can help you save. can help you save.

The travel card offers a monthly Uber Cash benefit and a statement credit toward Uber One membership so you can save while riding in style.

Hop In With the Amex Platinum

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers cardholders $15 in Uber Cash each month to use on rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S., with a bonus $20 in December. As long as you pay with your Platinum Card for the transaction, these rewards provide up to $200 in Uber Cash annually.

While the card carries a high annual fee of $895, the Uber benefit is just one of many perks that help make card ownership worthwhile. Its astounding welcome bonus can also help cover the cost of rideshares for months after redemption. Cardholders can earn a personalized offer as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on the card in the first 6 months of card membership (approval required, welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer).

In addition to monthly Uber Cash, cardholders receive up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year when they purchase an auto-renewing Uber One membership with their card.

An Uber One membership provides $0 delivery fees and 5% on eligible Uber Eats restaurant orders, 5% back in Uber One credits on UberX and UberXL purchases and 10% back in Uber One credits on car rentals.

Cardholders also get a range of travel benefits, including statement credits toward the application fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, which can expediate the airport security experience. When used in full, these statement credits add up to offset the card’s annual fee.

Finally, the premium travel card lets members earn rewards at high multipliers, including 5 Membership Rewards® points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel® and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

How To Redeem

To activate the Uber Cash benefit, users must add the American Express Platinum Card to their Uber profile and use it to pay for rides.

Users must have the latest version of the Uber app downloaded and must toggle on Uber Cash to redeem the monthly credits. Keep in mind that Uber Cash can be used on both Uber rides and Uber Eats for food delivery and groceries in the U.S.

Once the Platinum Card is added to an Uber account, users also unlock Uber VIP status, which provides access to top-rated drivers in the Uber ecosystem.

Note that cards added to an Uber account through a third party or digital wallet such as Apple Pay or PayPal are not eligible for the monthly Uber Cash benefit. The credit can only be granted to one Uber account per card.

To activate the statement credits toward an Uber One membership, all a user must do is purchase an auto-renewing membership in the U.S. with their Platinum Card.

Bottom Line

If you rely heavily on Ubers, the American Express Platinum Card could be a smart investment, saving you up to $200 on rides every year and comping a $120 Uber One membership.

For frequent travelers, the Platinum can also help cut costs on flights, hotels, rental cars, rideshares and other expenses, making the annual fee worthwhile over time.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page. 

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