Janelle Irwin Taylor
Uber is launching a Rider Loyalty Program in nine U.S. cities including Tampa and Miami, the ride-sharing company announced Wednesday.
The first-of-its-kind program for companies like Uber allows frequent users to accumulate points that give customers additional Uber benefits and monetary rewards customers can use toward certain purchases.
The program includes four membership levels including Blue, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Each level provides additional benefits and inclusion depends on how much money customers spend on Uber services during six-month cycles.
Any rider can sign up for the rewards program. Once enrolled, users get $5 in UberCash to use toward UberEats and other services.
Users earn one point for every dollar spent on UberPool, the companies share a ride service, and on UberEats, its food delivery service. Customers earn two points for every dollar spent on UberX, the traditional Uber service, UberXL, the high-occupancy vehicle services, UberSelect and WAV, the company’s luxury car and wheelchair services.
Riders earn three points for UberBlack and UberBlack SUV.
The “Blue” status in Uber’s new program is the entry level. Once a customer reaches 500 points, they enter the “Gold” status. That gives riders the ability to waive ride cancellation fees if they rebook within 15 minutes. It also earns users faster support times with Uber’s customer support.
Riders reach “Platinum” status once they reach 2,500 points. That tier gets riders all the benefits of “Gold” plus locked in prices to avoid surge pricing and priority service.
“Diamond” riders get priority customer service, random Uber upgrades, access to high-rated drivers and three UberEats delivery fee waivers. Riders reach that level when they get to 7,500 points.
The tiers reset every six months.
In addition to Tampa and Miami, the service is now available in New Jersey, Denver, New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Diego. The company plans to continue expanding the rewards program throughout the U.S. Customers in qualifying cities have access to the benefits even in cities where the program has not yet launched.
