Amex Platinum cardholders get up to $200 in Uber Cash credits every year — here’s how to use the benefit, even if you’re not traveling

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• The Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $200 in Uber Cash credits each year.
• Cardholders receive up to $15 in Uber Cash per month, with an additional $20 (total $35) in December.
• You can apply the credit to US Uber rides or to Uber Eats food delivery and takeout.
• Read Insider’s guide to the best American Express cards.

The last few years have seen an unmistakable trend emerging in the world of premium cards, including popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and American Express® Gold Card. Customers are being asked to pay higher annual fees upfront, but the net out-of-pocket cost to hold some of these cards is dropping as issuers continue to add more perks, statement credits, and other valuable rewards.

Read more: The Amex Platinum just launched an increased welcome bonus of 100,000 points, along with new travel benefits and a higher annual fee

One of the best examples of this is The Platinum Card® from American Express, which carries a hefty annual fee of $550 (The Platinum Card® from American Express – Rates & Fees) but offers a litany of luxury travel perks and statement credits. With travel still struggling to recover from the COVID pandemic, one of the most valuable benefits of the Platinum Card has been up to $200 in Uber Cash credits cardholders receive each year — which takes a huge bite out of the card’s annual fee.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know to maximize the Amex Platinum Card‘s Uber credits.

Amex Platinum Uber credits: How they work

While you can earn up to $200 in Uber Cash credits a year with the Platinum Card, you don’t get the full value all at once. Instead, you get up to $15 in Uber Cash each month, with a $20 bonus (total $35) in December for a grand total of up to $200 each year.

The most important thing to remember is that this benefit isn’t applied automatically — you need to add your Platinum Card as a payment method on your Uber account to receive the credit. 

Read more: The 11 best credit cards to earn points and cash back on rideshares like Uber and Lyft

You’ll also want to be sure you select your Uber Cash balance as your payment method when paying for a ride or food delivery with Uber Eats (more on that later). Keep an eye out for an email on the first of the month from Uber with the subject line “American Express® reward — your $15 in Uber Cash is here.”

There are a few other key terms to keep in mind:

• If you don’t have enough Uber credits to cover the cost of your ride or Uber Eats purchase, the remaining balance will be charged to the Amex card on your account
• Amex Platinum Uber Cash credits can only be applied in the US
• You must add the card directly to your account and not through a third party like Apple Pay or PayPal
• If you don’t redeem your entire credit for the month, it will not roll over to the next month — so use it or lose it
• The credits expire on the last day of each month at 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time
• Only the first Uber account you add your card to will be eligible for the credit (even if you have multiple Uber accounts)
• The Amex Uber benefit also includes an upgrade to Uber VIP status, which means — in select cities — you’ll be connected to drivers with at least a 4.8-star rating and “high-quality cars”

Read more: Activate your new American Express Platinum card benefits so you can get hundreds of dollars in perks

Generally speaking, American Express makes you jump through one or two extra hoops in order to activate certain benefits on its cards. Either you have to add your card as a payment method like in the case of this Uber Cash credit, or you have to enroll in the benefit through the American Express website (for example, the Amex Platinum Saks Fifth Avenue credit or Amex airline incidental fee credits), so if you’re expecting to automatically receive the statement credit you might end up sorely disappointed. 

The Amex Platinum credit works for Uber Eats, too

Due to their high-touch nature, many people are avoiding rideshare services like Uber in an attempt to reduce their potential exposure to COVID-19. Thankfully, you can use the Platinum Card‘s Uber benefit in a much more pandemic-friendly way: ordering food delivery with Uber Eats. 

Read more: 5 credit cards from Amex, Chase, and Capital One that score you bonus rewards and extra perks for food delivery

Uber’s rideshare and food delivery services share the same back-end tech infrastructure, meaning that an Uber Cash balance earned on one platform can be used with the other. I’ve been using my $15 monthly Uber credit to order delivery pretty much all year long, and Amex recently added another limited-time offer that sweetens this deal and helps you stretch the value of your credit even further.

Through December 31, 2021, customers who have the Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, or American Express® Green Card can enroll to receive a free year of Uber Eats Pass. This membership, which normally costs $119 a year (this savings estimate is based on the $9.99 monthly price over 12 months), comes with a $0 delivery fee and 5% off when you spend $15 or more at eligible restaurants (taxes and service fees may apply and do not count toward the order minimum) (enrollment is required by 12/31/2021 and Uber Eats Pass will auto-bill starting 12 months from initial enrollment in this offer, at then-current monthly rate. The offer is available in the U.S. only for U.S. orders).

You won’t receive the free year of Uber Eats Pass automatically. To activate it, you’ll need to download or update to the latest version of the Uber Eats app. Be sure to add your eligible Amex card to your wallet if it’s not there already — then, from the app, you’ll have the option to claim your complimentary Uber Eats Pass.

Read more: The Amex Platinum increased its annual fee to $695 — are the new benefits worth it?

Food delivery services are notorious for charging hefty service fees, and in the past, it was easy to spend more of your Uber credit on taxes than on actual food. Now Amex is helping to drop those costs for some of its most valuable customers, and in the process get you more value out of the existing perks on your Platinum Card. 

Other Amex credits can save you money

Amex has been on a roll adding new benefits and statement credits to the Platinum Card in recent months. These include:

• Up to $200 per calendar year in credits toward prepaid hotel bookings made with Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or the Hotel Collection
• Up to $179 per year in credit toward CLEAR membership**
• Up to $300 annual credits (divided into monthly increments of $25) to Equinox**
• $300 statement credit when you use your card to buy a SoulCycle at-home bike
• Up to $240 in annual digital entertainment credits (divided into monthly increments of up to $20)**
• Up to $155 in annual statement credits toward Walmart+ membership (divided into monthly increments of $12.95)**

Read more: Don’t let the Amex Platinum’s new ‘lifestyle’ benefits distract you from its true value — here’s what the card is worth to the average person

Bottom line

Even prior to the pandemic, the $200 in annual Uber Cash credits that come with The Platinum Card® from American Express played a big role in helping justify the card’s annual fee. With travel taking a back seat this year and more people opting to order in instead of going out, this perk has become one of the most important that the card offers.

Once you add your Platinum Card as a payment method on your Uber account you can sit back and watch the $15 credit roll in each month, as well as a $20 bonus in December. Make sure to register for a free year of Uber Eats Pass with your Platinum Card before the end of 2021 in order to stretch this benefit even further.