Uber Phases Out Free Rewards Program to Push Paid Subscriptions
Uber is officially shutting down its free Uber Rewards loyalty program to focus entirely on its paid Uber One membership. Existing users have until the end of October to redeem their remaining points before the system closes.
Uber is shutting down its free Uber Rewards loyalty program so it can focus entirely on its paid Uber One membership. The company originally launched the free rewards system in 2018 as a frequent flyer-style program where users earn points on rides and Uber Eats orders to unlock tiered statuses like Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
Customers continue to earn points through the end of August and can redeem them until October 31, after which the program officially closes on November 1. To ease the transition, existing rewards members receive a free one-month trial of Uber One, which normally costs $9.99 per month and offers 5% off eligible orders plus waived delivery fees.
This shift means users now have to pay a monthly fee to receive special perks from the ride-hailing giant. While frequent Uber Eats customers might break even on the subscription cost, many casual users likely see the change as a downside compared to the previous free rewards structure.