Uber Launching Rewards Program [Program ends Aug. 2022].
Nov 14, 2018, 12:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Uber Launching Rewards Program [Program ends Aug. 2022].
Uber’s rolling out a rewards program today. Doesn’t look spectacular, but incrementally nice.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/t...gtype=Homepage
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/t...gtype=Homepage
Nov 25, 2018, 10:30 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,672
Anyone here start out as diamond? I'm kind of bummed that I started as platinum and have to work my way up to diamond from zero -- I was pretty sure that I had $2500 in black/SUV rides over the past 6 months but I guess not.
As for the platinum benefits:
-The "locked in low rate" between 2 points is a dud -- I've never paid anywhere near the quoted "discounted" rate no matter what time of day or weather.
-The pickup at DCA today was indistinguishable from prior pickups (not sure what the "priority" feature is supposed to do)
-The $5 rebate per 500 points is a nice bonus -- 2% on UberX, 3% on black
-The flexible cancellations thing just seems to be a formalization of what Uber has always done for me... every time I click through the app to say something about a cancellation fee, it has always been automatically refunded. Maybe that's not the same for everyone?
What I would very much like about Diamond status is the free upgrades and the "special access to highly rated drivers"... I am sick of smelly low-rated ubers in DC.
As for the platinum benefits:
-The "locked in low rate" between 2 points is a dud -- I've never paid anywhere near the quoted "discounted" rate no matter what time of day or weather.
-The pickup at DCA today was indistinguishable from prior pickups (not sure what the "priority" feature is supposed to do)
-The $5 rebate per 500 points is a nice bonus -- 2% on UberX, 3% on black
-The flexible cancellations thing just seems to be a formalization of what Uber has always done for me... every time I click through the app to say something about a cancellation fee, it has always been automatically refunded. Maybe that's not the same for everyone?
What I would very much like about Diamond status is the free upgrades and the "special access to highly rated drivers"... I am sick of smelly low-rated ubers in DC.
Nov 26, 2018, 11:21 am
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St Petersburg, FL, USA
Posts: 2,253
Throwing a few couple percent back on every ride is a pittance, compared to ways of buying Uber gift cards at 15-20% off or more. That's real savings and I laugh when Uber riders brag that their credit card gives them 3X funny money points back on every Uber ride.
And the new Ride Pass (here in Tampa Bay, at least) is worthless. The old Pass ($10 for 28 days, paid when you want it to start) was worth 10% off the top of any fare, and could be stacked with other discounts, promo codes, ibotta rebates and discounted gift cards. I was stacking these for 50-60% off the total fare.
The new Pass ($15 for 28 days, auto-renew required) gives you nothing but opaque "price protection", whatever that is. For that, the current opaque price you are quoted is possibly replaced by another lower opaque price. None of these prices can be independently calculated or confirmed by the rider, you just have to trust that you are getting a "deal" from Uber's customer price-sensitivity algorithm.
And the new Ride Pass (here in Tampa Bay, at least) is worthless. The old Pass ($10 for 28 days, paid when you want it to start) was worth 10% off the top of any fare, and could be stacked with other discounts, promo codes, ibotta rebates and discounted gift cards. I was stacking these for 50-60% off the total fare.
The new Pass ($15 for 28 days, auto-renew required) gives you nothing but opaque "price protection", whatever that is. For that, the current opaque price you are quoted is possibly replaced by another lower opaque price. None of these prices can be independently calculated or confirmed by the rider, you just have to trust that you are getting a "deal" from Uber's customer price-sensitivity algorithm.
Last edited by Tino; Nov 26, 2018 at 11:30 am
Nov 27, 2018, 2:46 pm
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St Petersburg, FL, USA
Posts: 2,253
You can buy gift cards from retailers at a discount from online resellers and then purchase discounted Uber gift cards at that retailer. Some examples are Winn-Dixie or Kroger, which sell other company's gift cards at a discount, sometimes significantly. In addition, there are trusted Uber gift card resellers on eBay that have sold them for as much as 15% off. Also, Amazon, Target, etc sometimes offer 20% off Uber cards.
When I get over a 20% discount, I back up the truck and buy $500 to $1,000 at a time because I know my friends will take some off my hands.
When I get over a 20% discount, I back up the truck and buy $500 to $1,000 at a time because I know my friends will take some off my hands.
Nov 28, 2018, 1:16 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: WN A-list., Marriott Plat, National EX, UA Silver
Posts: 289
I dumped Uber after they canceled their Starwood partnership and most of my rides have been on Lyft so won't get any status. Only the diamond status level interests me for the upgrades and access to a phone number to get real support (I'm so sick of online only BS).
Last edited by flyguy6; Nov 28, 2018 at 1:25 pm
Nov 29, 2018, 7:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,379
Dec 3, 2018, 8:25 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Also haven't gotten an email about it, even though NYC is supposedly one of the cities where it's available. Finally, after many, MANY back-and-forths with their support folks, I got the following:
"Sorry for the trouble! In New York, only 12.5% of the riders are randomly selected for the Uber Rewards program. If invited, a rider will need to officially opt-in to the program. Once that happens, they start earning points for dollars spent on Uber and Uber Eats. they become a member of the program and qualify for the base tier."
"Sorry for the trouble! In New York, only 12.5% of the riders are randomly selected for the Uber Rewards program. If invited, a rider will need to officially opt-in to the program. Once that happens, they start earning points for dollars spent on Uber and Uber Eats. they become a member of the program and qualify for the base tier."
Dec 7, 2018, 11:32 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
I got a notification a short time ago to activate Uber Rewards having registered interest a while back. They put me at Gold status (I've not used it much in the last few months so maybe that's why) but it shows at the bottom of the welcome screen with a progress bar towards the next $5 of Uber cash and progress towards Platinum status.
I am Uber VIP anyway, not sure who this jives with that. I've had free upgrades and whatnot through that.
I am Uber VIP anyway, not sure who this jives with that. I've had free upgrades and whatnot through that.