If you have American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® from American ExpressListen up: Your Uber benefits are about to change.
Going forward, you’ll need to pay with an Amex card for Uber transactions, and you’ll need to download the latest version of the Uber App to be able to use Uber Cash.
We’ve heard some reports of cardholders receiving specific notices about this change in their accounts. While many of us at TPG have yet to receive notice from Amex, the official pages for Uber benefits on Amex Gold And Amex Platinum Card There is now a note stating the change was made on November 8.
Amex Uber Benefits Changes
Here’s how it works: As long as you have an Uber Cash card linked to your Uber account as a payment method, Uber Cash will be deposited directly into your account at the beginning of each month.
You can now use any card to pay for a transaction if the cost is higher than the Uber Cash in your account. This is great for those of us who have card earn more on ride-hailing services because we can use Uber Cash from the linked Amex card and then pay with the card earning over 1 point per dollar on any remaining Uber charges.
However, starting November 8, you’ll need to use an Amex card as a payment method to use Uber Cash on your account. Depending on what type of Amex card you have in your wallet, this change could significantly reduce rewards for frequent Uber riders.
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For example, if you are using Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is your primary payment method and must be converted to Platinum or Gold, you will go from earning 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points per dollar down to just 1 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar on your Uber rides — taking you from a profit margin of more than 6% to a profit margin of 2%, according to TPG’s September 2024 report valuation.
But it’s not all bad news. If you’re like me and use your Amex Gold Uber Cash primarily for Uber Eats, this might not even be considered a change. I’ve always used my Amex Gold for Uber Eats because it earns 4 points per dollar on restaurant dining, including takeout, in the US. But if you have an Amex Platinum and/or use Uber Cash primarily for rides, this could mean a change in your Uber earning rate.
Note that you can use any Amex card as a payment method to use your Uber Cash — not just cards with benefits. This means that if you have American Express® Green CardFor example, you can use it to earn 3 points per dollar on Uber rides.
The information about the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The last line
Starting November 8, Amex Platinum and Amex Gold card members will need to use their Amex card as their payment method to access their monthly Uber Cash benefits. Depending on which Amex card you have and how you use Uber Cash, this change may require some adjustments to your shopping habits.
However, it’s still relatively easy to take full advantage of the monthly Uber Cash benefit on both the Amex Gold and Amex Platinum cards.
Related: How to Use Your Amex Uber Credit
