The ridesharing trend has changed the way we make transportation choices by giving us several additional and potentially money-saving options from which to select.
Credit card issuers have been quick to jump on board to form partnerships with ridesharing companies, offer bonus-earning incentives, and include complimentary rideshare memberships to provide even greater benefits.
If you’re a frequent rideshare user, you’ll want to know how to earn the most rewards possible on every purchase. We’ll look at the cards that are top earners when it comes to rideshare purchases, specifically Uber and Lyft. We’ll point out any special membership perks, statement credits, or other benefits you might also receive.
In the end, you’ll know which of your current cards are best for Uber and Lyft and which cards you might consider in the future.
Here’s a look at some of the best cards for Uber and Lyft purchases.
The 12 Best Cards for Uber and Lyft Purchases — Overview
Before we fully detail the various cards that offer elevated earnings for Uber and Lyft purchases, let’s look at all the information combined in 1 spot for an easy card comparison.
| Card |
Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee |
Uber and Lyft Ride Benefits |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $550
|
- 3x points on travel, which includes Uber purchases
- 10x points on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
- Lyft Pink credit
|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- 2x points on travel, which includes Uber purchases
- 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express |
- Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)
|
- 1x points on all non-bonus purchases, which would be Uber purchases
- Up to $200 in annual Uber Cash credits
|
| American Express® Gold Card |
- Earn 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
- Annual fee of $250 (rates and fees)
|
- 1x points on all non-bonus purchases, which would be Uber purchases
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash credits
|
| American Express® Green Card |
- Earn 30,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $150
|
- 3x points on all travel, which includes Uber and Lyft purchases
|
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
- Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
- Annual fee of $95 (rates and fees)
|
- 3% cash-back on transit, which includes Uber and Lyft purchases
|
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
- Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- 2x miles on all non-bonus purchases, which include Uber and Lyft purchases
|
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- Annual fee of $0
|
- 5% cash-back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
- 1.5% cash-back on all non-bonus purchases, which includes Uber
|
| Apple Card |
- No welcome offer available.
- Annual fee of $0
|
- 3% back in Apple Cash for Uber purchases made with Apple Pay
- 2% back in Apple Cash for all other purchases made with Apple Pay, which includes Lyft
|
| Citi® Double Cash Card |
- For a limited time, earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
- Annual fee of $0
|
- 2% cash-back on every purchase, with 1% when you buy, and an another 1% when you pay, including Uber and Lyft
|
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card |
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Annual fee of $95
|
- 3x points on travel, which includes Uber
- 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 2025)
|
The 7 Best Personal Cards for Uber and Lyft
Using the right card can help you earn big on rideshare purchases. Image Credit: Ivan81 via Shutterstock
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
With the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, Uber purchases count as a travel bonus-earnings category, so you’ll receive 3x Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar spent.
On Lyft purchases, due to a partnership with Chase, you’ll earn 10x Ultimate Rewards points through March 2025 for each dollar spent.
The card also comes with worldwide lounge access via Priority Pass Select membership, up to $300 travel statement credit, travel insurance coverages, and shopping benefits and protections.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
If you want a solid travel rewards card with a lower annual fee, you’ll find value with one of our favorite cards; the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
We like that the card earns 2x Ultimate Rewards points on all other travel purchases, which includes Uber, and 5x earnings on Lyft purchases through March 2025.
3. The Platinum Card® from American Express
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Platinum card! (The current public offer is 100,000.)
Why We Like the Card for Uber Purchases
The Amex Platinum card comes with up to $200 each calendar year in Uber Cash that can be used for U.S. Uber rides, or U.S. Uber Eats purchases. Each month, January through November, you’ll receive $15, and in December, you’ll receive $35.
In addition to Uber Cash, cardmembers receive complimentary Uber VIP status that gives access to highly-rated drivers, nicer vehicles, and elevated service. Just remember to update your payment method to your Amex Platinum card for benefits to apply!
With a long list of premium travel benefits and flexible redemption options, the card is one of the best for travelers.
4. American Express® Gold Card
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card! (The current public offer is 60,000 points.)
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
You won’t be earning big on Uber and Lyft purchases as these are not bonus-earning categories on the Amex Gold card and fall into the 1x earning level.
However, when you add your Amex Gold card to your Uber account, you’ll automatically score up to $10 in Uber Cash credited each month to your Uber account for U.S. Uber Eats orders or U.S. Uber rides, totaling up to $120 per year. Like the Amex Platinum card’s benefit, remember to update your payment method to your Amex Gold card for benefits to apply. These Uber Cash credits do not accumulate — you’ll need to use the credits each month or lose them.
We do love how this card earns big at U.S. supermarkets (4x points per $1 on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x), where you may be able to purchase Uber or Lyft gift cards.
5. American Express® Green Card
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
We like that the Amex Green card earns 3x Membership Rewards per dollar spent on travel purchases, including Uber and Lyft ride purchases.
Additionally, the card offers the same bonus earnings on worldwide dining, an up to $100 statement credit towards a CLEAR membership, and an up to $100 statement credit for LoungeBuddy purchases.
6. Blue Cash Preferred Card® from American Express
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card earns 3% cash-back on transit, including rains, taxicabs, rideshare services (including Uber and Lyft), ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways (airfare, car rental, and cruises are not considered transit). You’ll also earn 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations.
With 6% cash-back earnings at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per card anniversary year) and unlimited 6% earning on select U.S. streaming services, the card has plenty of earning power.
7. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
With its simplistic earning structure, you can count on the CapOne Venture card‘s 2x miles on every purchase, including Uber and Lyft rides.
World and World Elite Mastercards
All U.S. World and World Elite Mastercard cardholders will automatically receive $5 in Lyft credit after your third ride in a calendar month (until September 30, 2022). The credit can only be used once per month.
Hot Tip: Check for additional rideshare savings and earning bonuses with Amex Offers or Chase Offers. For Amex Offers, log in to your online card account and scroll down the page until you see the list of offers. Chase Offers are also found on the home page of your Chase card account. All offers need to be added to the associated card before purchasing.
The 4 Best No-Annual-Fee Cards for Uber and Lyft
Can you actually earn rewards for your Uber and Lyft purchases with a no-annual-fee card? Yes, and here are some great card options for doing just that.
1. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
2. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Why We Like the Cards for Uber and Lyft
You’ll be earning 5% cash-back on either of these cards for Lyft purchases through March 2025. The cards offer many additional ways to earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points without paying an annual fee.
The Freedom Flex card also comes with a 5% cash-back quarterly rotating bonus earning categories that can include transit, rideshares, or merchants that sell rideshare gift cards.
The Freedom Unlimited card earns 3% cash-back at drugstores that may sell rideshare gift cards.
Pair either of these cards with premium Chase cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Chase Sapphire Reserve card for expanded redemption options and up to 50% more value when points are redeemed for travel via the Chase travel portal. Points can also be transferred from Chase premium cards to travel partners for even greater potential value.
To help you decide which of these cards is right for you, check out our head-to-head comparison of the Freedom Flex card and Freedom Unlimited card.
3. Apple Card
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
The Apple Card earns 3% back in Apple Cash on Panera Bread, Exxon/Mobil, Walgreens, Nike, and Uber and Uber Eats purchases when you use Apple Pay. You’ll also earn 2% back in Apple Cash when using Apple Pay for Lyft rides, as the card earns 2% back every time you use your Apple Card with Apple Pay.
4. Citi® Double Cash Card
Why We Like the Card for Uber and Lyft
Since the Double Cash card earns 2% cash-back on every purchase — an unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases (earned as ThankYou Points) — it’s a decent choice for Uber and Lyft ride purchases.
Hot Tip: Check for Uber or Lyft gift cards being sold at the bonus category merchants offered on specific cards. Bonus category merchants such as grocery stores, drugstores, gas stations, office supply stores, and others may earn greater rewards than using your card to make purchases direct with Uber or Lyft.
The Best Business Card for Uber and Lyft
You can earn tons of points on various cards just by using Lyft. Image Credit: Roman Tiraspolsky via Shutterstock
Very few business cards offer elevated earnings or benefits for rideshares. Here is one of the best business credit cards that offers top earnings for Uber and Lyft.
1. Ink Business Preferred® Card
The Ink Business Preferred card is one of our favorite business cards, partially due to its bonus earnings on purchases that businesses commonly make.
You’ll earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on travel, including Uber and Lyft purchases. However, through March 2025, the Ink Business Preferred card earns 5x points on Lyft purchases.
You’ll also earn on everyday business purchases such as shipping, internet/cable/phone services, and advertising via select social media and search engines. When it comes redemption time, you’ll receive 25% more value for your points when using the Chase travel portal and have the option to transfer points to airline and hotel partners for potentially even greater value.
Final Thoughts
While you wouldn’t usually select a card based solely on Uber or Lyft earnings and benefits, knowing which cards offer bonus earnings is valuable information that ensures you’ll be maximizing your rewards earning.
If you spend a lot for rideshares on an ongoing basis, of course, earnings and benefits are more of a priority and may influence your choice of cards.
Be sure to add any current cards to your Uber or Lyft account to take advantage of earning rewards when it’s time to book your ride.
The information regarding the American Express® Green Card and Apple Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express, click here.
