Uber is ending its free loyalty program, Uber Rewards, so it can turn its attention to its subscription-based Uber One membership. In an email sent to customers, Uber explains that users can earn points until the end of August and that the last day to redeem points is October 31.
“Thank you for being part of Uber Rewards,” the email reads. “It’s been a great ride, but we’ve decided to end Rewards soon as we shift our focus to our new Uber One membership program.”
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Uber has since posted an update about the upcoming closure of the loyalty program, which will take place on November 1, 2022. Launched in 2018, Uber Rewards is a free program that allows you to earn points for every dollar you spend when you take a ride or order food through Uber and Uber Eats. You can then use these points to earn discounts on future rides or deliveries. The more points you earn, the more benefits you get. For example, earning 7,500 points unlocks the highest Diamond tier, which comes with perks like premium customer support, free ride upgrades, better drivers, and three free Uber Eats deliveries.
But now that’s all gone. Uber doesn’t offer a replacement for the program, and there’s no other way to consistently earn perks and discounts unless you pay for an Uber One subscription, which Uber launched last year as a replacement for Eats Pass. A $9.99/month (or $49.99/year) subscription comes with benefits like free food delivery, up to 10 percent off “qualifying” Uber Eats orders, and 5 percent off rides from top-rated drivers .
Uber gives existing Rewards members a free one month subscription to Uber One, but after that you still have to pay. As a frequent Uber Eats user (who refuses to pay for an Uber One subscription), it’s a little disconcerting to see Uber take away a free and easily accessible loyalty program, something that’s a lot harder to find these days.
