Does Amex Platinum make Uber trips more expensive?
Jun 28, 2017, 8:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SJC/LGA/DCA
Programs: SPG P100, DL DM, B6 Mosaic
Posts: 37
Does Amex Platinum make Uber trips more expensive?
Hi!
I've noticed recently that my Uber trips consistently cost ~15% more, despite traveling at the same time to the same place. This behavior approximately correlates to linking my American Express Platinum card to my Uber account.
Wild theory, but we know Uber differentiates price based on what they believe your income/willingness to pay is. Having an Amex Platinum card is a pretty good predictor of being willing to pay more--seems like Uber is getting the $15/mo benefit back, and then some...
I've noticed recently that my Uber trips consistently cost ~15% more, despite traveling at the same time to the same place. This behavior approximately correlates to linking my American Express Platinum card to my Uber account.
Wild theory, but we know Uber differentiates price based on what they believe your income/willingness to pay is. Having an Amex Platinum card is a pretty good predictor of being willing to pay more--seems like Uber is getting the $15/mo benefit back, and then some...
Jun 28, 2017, 8:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 395
Hi!
I've noticed recently that my Uber trips consistently cost ~15% more, despite traveling at the same time to the same place. This behavior approximately correlates to linking my American Express Platinum card to my Uber account.
Wild theory, but we know Uber differentiates price based on what they believe your income/willingness to pay is. Having an Amex Platinum card is a pretty good predictor of being willing to pay more--seems like Uber is getting the $15/mo benefit back, and then some...
I've noticed recently that my Uber trips consistently cost ~15% more, despite traveling at the same time to the same place. This behavior approximately correlates to linking my American Express Platinum card to my Uber account.
Wild theory, but we know Uber differentiates price based on what they believe your income/willingness to pay is. Having an Amex Platinum card is a pretty good predictor of being willing to pay more--seems like Uber is getting the $15/mo benefit back, and then some...
Jun 28, 2017, 9:48 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SJC/LGA/DCA
Programs: SPG P100, DL DM, B6 Mosaic
Posts: 37
Not sure that's enough -- Uber's claim to a competitive advantage is simply that their data since is that much better than their rivals. I don't think switching payment profiles going to cause their algorithm to forget that I happen to have a card that's a pretty good marker of price insensitivity
Jun 28, 2017, 9:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Not sure that's enough -- Uber's claim to a competitive advantage is simply that their data since is that much better than their rivals. I don't think switching payment profiles going to cause their algorithm to forget that I happen to have a card that's a pretty good marker of price insensitivity
Jun 29, 2017, 12:22 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PNW
Programs: BAEC Silver, DL GM, AA Plat, NEXUS
Posts: 467
I was waiting for this!
I switched to Amex Plat from PGR about 3 weeks ago and linked it to my Uber account, I take Uber once a week to make a trip to the same place at roughly the same time of the day (way off-peak, 10PMish) and when I compare what I have been paying for the past 6 months using my old card I strangely found it cheaper by an amount ranging from 13% to 17% compared to what I'm getting charged now using the Platinum.
Looks like the advertised credit is a trap.
I switched to Amex Plat from PGR about 3 weeks ago and linked it to my Uber account, I take Uber once a week to make a trip to the same place at roughly the same time of the day (way off-peak, 10PMish) and when I compare what I have been paying for the past 6 months using my old card I strangely found it cheaper by an amount ranging from 13% to 17% compared to what I'm getting charged now using the Platinum.
Looks like the advertised credit is a trap.
Jun 29, 2017, 1:48 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA
Posts: 138
Shouldn't Amex have a "most favored nation"-like clause in their contract with Uber? I can't imagine Amex would have intentionally entered a contract where their cardholders end up charged more than their competitors' cardholders.
Jun 29, 2017, 2:27 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 207
Me too - in a different way - I have a Work Amex that is Green, and Personal Plat. If I have it set to the Work Amex Green, the realize it's a personal trip (before even picking the car), I change it to Plat Amex and it goes up $5. I thought it was surge at that exact moment a couple of times, but am wondering now.....
Edit test 2... f-ing hell.
amex 14.06 pool / 17.09 uberx
double 12.82 pool / 16.95 uberx
The phones are right next to each other
Jun 29, 2017, 5:56 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,857
Just to be clear: these are 2 different phones logged into the same Uber account requesting the same trip using 2 different cards?
My daughter uses my monthly Uber credit, but charges all rides to her own Visa card, so she wouldn't notice the increase.
My daughter uses my monthly Uber credit, but charges all rides to her own Visa card, so she wouldn't notice the increase.
Jun 29, 2017, 8:25 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 812
Best way to test this is two different phones with two different Uber accounts. Open Uber and request ride at the same time, side-by-side. One has the Plat as a payment method in their account, and the other only has "normal" cards in their account.
