Uber is shutting down its free loyalty program later this year

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 still earn points until the end of August, and that the last day to redeem points is October 31st.

“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.”

Uber has since posted an update about the loyalty program’s imminent shutdown, which will take place on November 1st, 2022. Launched in 2018, Uber Rewards is a free program that lets you rack up points for every dollar you spend when hitching a ride or ordering 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 better perks you get — earning 7,500 points, for example, unlocks the highest Diamond tier, which comes with benefits like premium customer support, complimentary ride upgrades, better drivers, and three free Uber Eats deliveries.

But now that’s all going away. Uber isn’t offering a replacement for the program, and there isn’t another way to consistently earn perks and discounts unless you pay for an Uber One subscription, which Uber launched as a replacement for Eats Pass last year. A $9.99 / month (or $49.99 / year) subscription comes with perks like free food deliveries, up to 10 percent off of “eligible” Uber Eats orders, and 5 percent off on rides from top-rated drivers.

Uber’s giving existing Rewards members a free one-month subscription to Uber One, but you’ll still have to pay after that. As a frequent Uber Eats user (who refuses to pay for an Uber One subscription), it’s a bit upsetting to see Uber taking away a free and easily accessible loyalty program, something that’s becoming much harder to find these days.