Uber Rewards Shutting Down Later This Year
The ride-hailing app's free loyalty program is being nixed, with discounts now pegged to the $10 a month Uber One program.
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If you're an Uber user who takes advantage of the app's Uber Rewards loyalty program, you'd better use up your points: The program is being discontinued.
In an email to users Saturday, the company said the free program would go bye-bye soon, as Uber turns its attention to its paid Uber One membership offering.
"You will still earn points and enjoy Rewards benefits until the end of the month," the email said. "And there's still time to get all the rewards you've earned: just use your points by October 31."
A post on Uber's help site said the program is ending Nov. 1 and that points can be redeemed until midnight local time on Oct. 31.
Launched in 2018, Uber Rewards lets users earn points with every dollar spent on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders. Points can be redeemed for rewards like Uber discounts and promotions and offers from partners.
The paid Uber One program offers things like discounts on Uber rides, no delivery fees on Uber Eats orders, and discounts on eligible Uber Eats deliveries and pickup orders. But it doesn't rely on earned points, instead you a pay a monthly fee of $10.
Sean Cudahy over at CNET sister site The Points Guy called the end of Rewards "a loss for frequent Uber riders who quickly earn points toward discounts on future rides."
"Now," he said, "you have to pay a monthly fee to get a discount on your ride, and you won't earn extra rewards. Depending on how much you spend with Uber, this could be a large loss in value."
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