Welcome to the Points Pro, where I answer your credit cards and travel rewards questions each week. If you have a question you’d like answered, you can submit it here.
This week, reader Joey asks:
Which credit card is best for earning rewards with Uber?
(This question has been edited for clarity and brevity.)
It’s possible to earn 3X to 5X rewards on Uber rides and Uber Eats purchases without the hassle of an annual fee. Many of these cards are also rewarding for other purchases and may be useful for more than just your next rideshare.
Aside from how many points you’re earning, it’s a good idea to think about what type of rewards you want. Cash back is straightforward, but you can also earn flexible travel rewards, which you may find more valuable.
Let’s take a look at the most rewarding consumer credit cards for Uber purchases.
Best credit cards for Uber
Earn 5X on Uber with a flexible bonus category
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature Card earns 5% cash back on the first $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter on two categories you choose. Eligible categories include ground transportation, which Uber falls into.
That’s an incredible return, but the big caveat is that you’ll only earn 5% back on around $667 in purchases per month. You probably don’t spend that much on Uber, but depending on what your other 5% back category is, it’s possible you’ll exceed the $2,000 limit each quarter. When that happens, you’ll only earn 1% back on your selected category purchases.
If you have a lower credit score or are just building your credit history, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Secured Visa® Card is one of the most lucrative secured credit cards. It earns the same 5% cash back on up to $2,000 in combined purchases in two categories you choose.
Earn 3X to 4X on Uber with no annual fee
If you want uncapped rewards on Uber purchases, there are several options for earning an unlimited 3X or 4X.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card earns 3X points on a huge list of purchases, including travel, transit, gas stations, restaurants, streaming services and phone plans. So, it can be much more than just your go-to card for rideshares.
The points you earn can be redeemed for cash back or transferred to any of Wells Fargo‘s travel partners. (Having the option to transfer to hotel and airline loyalty programs is a feature usually reserved for travel credit cards with an annual fee.) It also features an intro APR offer and an easy-to-earn welcome bonus.
That’s a lot of value packed into a no-annual-fee travel credit card. If I could only have one credit card and wanted to earn the most with Uber, this is the card I’d get.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers generous bonus spending categories and lets you transfer points to airline and hotel partners, which is rare for a credit card with no annual fee.
- Access to all of the Wells Fargo transfer partners including Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and Virgin Red
- No annual fee
- Excellent bonus spending categories
- Intro-APR for purchases
- No travel credits or other valuable travel perks
- Lacks key travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption coverage
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Apply Nowto take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value.
- Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up – like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
- $0 annual fee.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Balance transfer fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
The Citi Strata℠ Card is another solid travel credit card that also has no annual fee. It’s comparable to the Autograph card because it earns 3X points at supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging, transit and on a category of your choice. You’ll earn Citi ThankYou® Points with this card, which also transfer to travel partners.
The Citi Strata℠ Card is a solid rewards credit card that earns in several everyday spending categories, with no annual fee.
- No annual fee
- Customizable earnings category
- Earns transferable rewards
- Has foreign transaction fees
- Fewer built-in benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5%of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
However, the transfer ratios for Strata cardholders are reduced compared to what you get with premium Citi ThankYou cards. The Wells Fargo Autograph has the same transfer ratios as Wells Fargo travel cards with annual fees.
If you prefer to earn cash-back rewards, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card earns 4X points on travel, including Uber. It’s marketed as a travel credit card and has solid travel perks, but you can’t transfer the rewards to travel programs. You can redeem these points for up to 1 cent each for statement credits, travel and more, so its rewards are essentially the same as earning cash back.
There’s also the Apple Card, which earns 3% cash back on Uber if you pay with Apple Pay and offers a six-month free trial of Uber One. If you already have this card, that’s an easy-to-miss way to maximize your return on Uber rides.
Apple Card
Information about the Apple Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
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Rewards
3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple (including Apple retail stores, the Apple online store, the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music and other Apple-owned properties) on Uber and UberEats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com, in T-Mobile stores, at Nike, at Exxon and Mobil stations and at Panera Bread, 2% cash back on Apple Pay purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases
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Welcome bonus
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Annual fee
-
Intro APR
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Regular APR
19.24% to 29.49% variable
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Balance transfer fee
-
Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- No annual fee
- 3% cash back on goods or services purchased directly from Apple, on Uber and UberEats, at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, on the Walgreens app and on Walgreens.com and in T-Mobile stores and at Nike
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Cons
- Apple Pay isn’t accepted everywhere
- Purchases with the physical card only earn 1% cash back
- No special financing offers or welcome bonus
Review the cards you currently have
Before you apply for a new card, take a look at the cards you currently have. You may be able to earn more rewards just by switching the card you currently use to pay for Uber or other rideshare services.
Another consideration is: What rewards do you already have? If you’ve accumulated a large stash of Amex Membership Rewards® points or Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, then it may make sense to apply for a card that will add to those balances, even if it’s slightly less rewarding than other top Uber credit cards.
If you already have other Amex cards, the American Express® Green Card could be a good option. It earns 3X points on transit (which includes Uber), travel and restaurants. There’s also the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), a popular travel credit card that earns 2X points on travel (including rideshares, taxis, etc.) and 3X points on dining, gas and EV charging, vacation home rentals, online groceries and select streaming services.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections, flexible rewards and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- Annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
If you already have a cash-back card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Preferred is even more appealing because you can combine your rewards. That means you can transform your cash-back into transferable travel points.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus. Plus, if you pair it with a premium Chase credit card that allows point transfers, you can convert your cash back into flexible travel rewards.
- Users get a high rewards rate and strong welcome bonus
- Purchases and balance transfers receive an intro APR
- No annual fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Few rewarding ongoing benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% – 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
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