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-   -   Uber should offer "frequent rider miles" (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ride-services-including-uber-lyft/1884272-uber-should-offer-frequent-rider-miles.html)

nd2010 Dec 23, 2017 1:19 pm

Uber should offer "frequent rider miles"
 
Keeping up with the theme of miles from traveling frequently on airlines, Uber should offer frequent rider miles. Get a mile for each mile that you ride in an Uber. Redeem the miles for free rides and upgrades to Uber Black. Perhaps let someone who travels by Uber often redeem their miles to get a free ride when it's surging. Could offer "elite" status for riding so many miles in a year.

flyguy6 Dec 24, 2017 6:08 am


Originally Posted by nd2010 (Post 29209048)
Keeping up with the theme of miles from traveling frequently on airlines, Uber should offer frequent rider miles. Get a mile for each mile that you ride in an Uber. Redeem the miles for free rides and upgrades to Uber Black. Perhaps let someone who travels by Uber often redeem their miles to get a free ride when it's surging. Could offer "elite" status for riding so many miles in a year.

I agree. Uber needs to offer some kind of miles/point program (through them self or a hotel/airline). I am sad to see Starwood program end. They now offer an Uber credit card which is mostly worthless to me because most of my rides are for work and I must use my corporate CC. I will be sticking with Lyft to earn Delta miles until Uber offers something better.

tmiw Dec 24, 2017 1:48 pm

I feel like such a program would be revenue based and not ride/distance based (much like airline programs these days). Still, really heavy users would likely benefit.

john2g1 Dec 27, 2017 4:42 am

@nd2010 @flyguy6 @tmiw

So Uber does have a "VIP" program. It's (sadly) updated every month based on your number of rides. The VIP program has gone through many changes and sometimes it depends on when you became a VIP member.
On top of that, Uber and SPG have a partnership, so you can earn bonus Starpoints for your Uber rides (you can earn even more points if you’re using Uber in conjunction with a hotel). stay). Granted this program is probably dead or dying but it does/did exist.

This is the fast dirty not all rule apply all of the time everywhere version of the latest greatest:
  1. Using an AMEX Platinum or Centurion card gets automatic VIP status
  2. No matter where you are (in the US anyway) you are working towards VIP status.
  3. The benefits of VIP are only available in major cities. (note I said cities not US cities New Delhi has VIP for example)
  4. Short list includes: Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, and New York City
  5. The four main benefits are:
    1. Access to VIP drivers (4.8*'s or higher)
    2. Access to VIP cars (most not all are UberSELECT qualified)
    3. Access to Uber sponsored events (concerts, celebrity chef pop ups, etc)
    4. Access to Uber VIP coupons
  6. There are (currently) 3 tiers:
    1. Silver (complete 5 rides or 5 UberEATS orders in one month)
    2. Gold (complete 10 rides or 10 UberEATS orders in one month)
    3. Platinum (complete 25 rides or 25 UberEATS orders in one month)
  7. To my knowledge currently VIP cars cost as much as UberX and the same rules apply
And now where things need to be improved...
An UberVIP ride is an UberX ride but almost always in a nicer car (than usual) with a higher rated driver.
Virtually every UberSELECT driver is also a VIP driver but generally speaking outside of a surge higher than 2.3X no UberSELECT driver is going to downgrade to UberX wages.
UberVIP Silver generally counts for nothing more than a thank you email
At the end of the month you ride count resets again

nd2010 Dec 30, 2017 7:34 pm

For the most part, Uber miles correlate directly to revenue. Could offer a multiplier for surges or higher classes. I could imagine people asking the Uber driver to go 3 extra miles so they can hit the next tier.

sedubby Dec 31, 2017 8:15 am

Anyone else gaming the "Shop Your Way" $4/ride promo right now? It's amazingly generous. I have a bunch of UberEats referral credits for free delivery, so ordering even a $1 cheeseburger order from McDonalds will trigger $4 Shop Your Way credits from Sears/Kmart that can be used like store credit for anything except gift cards. Luckily there's a big Kmart in central NYC...redeemed like $80 last week for household goods I'd normally get at CVS.

cestmoi123 Jan 2, 2018 7:54 am


Originally Posted by john2g1 (Post 29218575)
@nd2010 @flyguy6 @tmiw

So Uber does have a "VIP" program. It's (sadly) updated every month based on your number of rides. The VIP program has gone through many changes and sometimes it depends on when you became a VIP member.
On top of that, Uber and SPG have a partnership, so you can earn bonus Starpoints for your Uber rides (you can earn even more points if you’re using Uber in conjunction with a hotel). stay). Granted this program is probably dead or dying but it does/did exist.

This is the fast dirty not all rule apply all of the time everywhere version of the latest greatest:
  1. Using an AMEX Platinum or Centurion card gets automatic VIP status
  2. No matter where you are (in the US anyway) you are working towards VIP status.
  3. The benefits of VIP are only available in major cities. (note I said cities not US cities New Delhi has VIP for example)
  4. Short list includes: Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, and New York City
  5. The four main benefits are:
    1. Access to VIP drivers (4.8*'s or higher)
    2. Access to VIP cars (most not all are UberSELECT qualified)
    3. Access to Uber sponsored events (concerts, celebrity chef pop ups, etc)
    4. Access to Uber VIP coupons
  6. There are (currently) 3 tiers:
    1. Silver (complete 5 rides or 5 UberEATS orders in one month)
    2. Gold (complete 10 rides or 10 UberEATS orders in one month)
    3. Platinum (complete 25 rides or 25 UberEATS orders in one month)
  7. To my knowledge currently VIP cars cost as much as UberX and the same rules apply
And now where things need to be improved...
An UberVIP ride is an UberX ride but almost always in a nicer car (than usual) with a higher rated driver.
Virtually every UberSELECT driver is also a VIP driver but generally speaking outside of a surge higher than 2.3X no UberSELECT driver is going to downgrade to UberX wages.
UberVIP Silver generally counts for nothing more than a thank you email
At the end of the month you ride count resets again

I've never gotten any sort of "thank you email" from Uber, even though I'd certainly be Platinum... Can you cite any reference for these tiers?

cestmoi123 Jan 2, 2018 7:55 am


Originally Posted by flyguy6 (Post 29210825)
I agree. Uber needs to offer some kind of miles/point program (through them self or a hotel/airline). I am sad to see Starwood program end. They now offer an Uber credit card which is mostly worthless to me because most of my rides are for work and I must use my corporate CC. I will be sticking with Lyft to earn Delta miles until Uber offers something better.

The Uber credit card isn't even a good card to use for Uber rides - Chase Sapphire Reserve is much better.

SkyTeam777 Jan 13, 2018 2:44 am


Originally Posted by john2g1 (Post 29218575)
@nd2010 @flyguy6 @tmiw

So Uber does have a "VIP" program. It's (sadly) updated every month based on your number of rides. The VIP program has gone through many changes and sometimes it depends on when you became a VIP member.
On top of that, Uber and SPG have a partnership, so you can earn bonus Starpoints for your Uber rides (you can earn even more points if you’re using Uber in conjunction with a hotel). stay). Granted this program is probably dead or dying but it does/did exist.

This is the fast dirty not all rule apply all of the time everywhere version of the latest greatest:
  1. Using an AMEX Platinum or Centurion card gets automatic VIP status
  2. No matter where you are (in the US anyway) you are working towards VIP status.
  3. The benefits of VIP are only available in major cities. (note I said cities not US cities New Delhi has VIP for example)
  4. Short list includes: Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, and New York City
  5. The four main benefits are:
    1. Access to VIP drivers (4.8*'s or higher)
    2. Access to VIP cars (most not all are UberSELECT qualified)
    3. Access to Uber sponsored events (concerts, celebrity chef pop ups, etc)
    4. Access to Uber VIP coupons
  6. There are (currently) 3 tiers:
    1. Silver (complete 5 rides or 5 UberEATS orders in one month)
    2. Gold (complete 10 rides or 10 UberEATS orders in one month)
    3. Platinum (complete 25 rides or 25 UberEATS orders in one month)
  7. To my knowledge currently VIP cars cost as much as UberX and the same rules apply
And now where things need to be improved...
An UberVIP ride is an UberX ride but almost always in a nicer car (than usual) with a higher rated driver.
Virtually every UberSELECT driver is also a VIP driver but generally speaking outside of a surge higher than 2.3X no UberSELECT driver is going to downgrade to UberX wages.
UberVIP Silver generally counts for nothing more than a thank you email
At the end of the month you ride count resets again

Does Uber elite status show in the app? I have taken at least five rides several times before within one month, but no status appeared.

cestmoi123 Jan 16, 2018 9:00 am


Originally Posted by SkyTeam777 (Post 29287121)
Does Uber elite status show in the app? I have taken at least five rides several times before within one month, but no status appeared.

I think the poster may have made that up.

themicah Jan 19, 2018 12:38 pm

Like many Uber programs, they seem to play around with the VIP program quite a bit and it seems to be different in different locations. I'm in NYC, and the email I got two years ago said I earned it by taking more than 100 trips in NYC. A few months later they sent me an e-mail saying I'd need to take 10 or more trips per month in NYC to maintain it, and I've definitely not done that consistently, but the "VIP" option still shows up when I go to request rides in NYC. I haven't seen any benefits of having VIP status other than the ability to specify a VIP car when I request a ride. I also haven't noticed a material difference in driver or car quality with VIP vs. regular UberX, although the wait time for VIP is sometimes a little longer and the price can sometimes be slightly different (usually by less than 50 cents, in either direction).

Tino Feb 6, 2018 3:57 pm

Uber gets more of my business than Lyft because I can consistently find Uber gift card deals at discounts of 10% or more. That beats a few pennies per ride in Lyft/Delta miles.


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