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Save Big On Uber Spends Through Your Amex Credit Cards

Shubham Aggarwal

5 Apr 2025

3 minutes read

Save Big On Uber Spends Through Your Amex Credit Cards

How to Optimize Your Amex Credit Cards for Uber Spends

American Express credit cards offer some of the most lucrative reward opportunities in the market, especially when strategically used for everyday services like Uber. By understanding the unique features and benefits of different Amex cards, you can significantly enhance your rewards and savings on your Uber rides. This guide explores how to optimize your spending across various Amex cards to maximize your returns when using Uber services, potentially turning your transportation expenses into substantial rewards.

Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC)

The Amex MRCC offers an excellent opportunity to boost your rewards through strategic spending:

Strategy: Complete 4 transactions of ₹1,500 each (₹6,000 total) in a calendar month
Action: Purchase Amazon Pay vouchers through Amex Gyftr
Reward: Earn 1,242 accelerated Membership Rewards points
Total Cost: ₹6,053.1 (including processing fees)
Reward Rate: Approximately 16.41%
Additional Boost: If you have Amazon Prime, use Amazon Pay as your payment gateway for Uber to earn an additional 5% back in Uber Cash, increasing your total reward rate to 21.41%
Alternative Option: If you don't have Amazon Prime, consider purchasing Uber vouchers directly from Amex Gyftr instead for a slightly higher reward rate of 16.53%, and save ₹53.1

Amex SmartEarn Card

The SmartEarn card is designed specifically for services like Uber:

Monthly Spend Requirement: ₹2,500 on Uber services (excluding Auto rides, which require cash payment)
Rewards Breakdown:

Base Points: 1 MR point per ₹50 spent = 50 MR points
Accelerated Points: 9 MR points per ₹50 spent = 450 MR points
Total: 500 MR points (with each point valued at ₹0.8)
Reward Rate: 16%

Maximize Your Returns: Add an Uber One Membership to earn an additional 10% in Uber One credits, boosting total savings to 26%
Important Note: Unlike other cards, you cannot purchase vouchers through Amex Gyftr with this card - you must use it directly on the Uber platform.

Amex Platinum Travel Card

This milestone-based card requires strategic high-value spending:

Strategy for ₹1,90,000 Annual Spend:

Allocate ₹1,20,000 to Amazon Pay vouchers through Gyftr
Spend remaining ₹70,000 earning base rewards (1 MR point per ₹50)
Earn 7,263 MR points from vouchers, 1,400 MR points from base spend, and 15,000 additional MR points from milestone achievement
Total: 23,663 MR points
Reward Rate: 9.96%

Strategy for ₹4,00,000 Annual Spend:

Base Points: 4,200 MR
Milestone Rewards: 15,000 + 25,000 MR
Other Rewards: 8,663 MR points
Total: 52,863 MR points + ₹10,000 Taj voucher
Reward Rate: 13.07%
Additional Boost: Add Uber One Membership for an extra 10% Uber One credit, taking total reward rate to 23.07%

Amex Gold Charge Card

This card offers one of the highest reward rates:

Strategy: Complete 6 transactions of ₹1,000 each (₹6,000 total) in a calendar month
Action: Purchase Amazon Pay vouchers through Amex Gyftr
Reward: Earn 1,605 accelerated MR points
Total Cost: ₹6,053.1 (including processing fees)
Reward Rate: Approximately 21.21%
Amazon Prime Boost: Add 5% back in Uber Cash if you use Amazon Pay for Uber
Total Reward Rate with Prime: 26.21%
Alternative Option: Without Prime, directly purchase Uber vouchers for a slightly better reward rate of 21.33% and save ₹53.1

SaveSage Insights

You can use any Amex card you’re holding, but don’t forget to pair it with Uber One Membership and Amazon Prime. This way, the rewards can be accelerated by up to 15%. If you don’t have Amazon Prime, consider purchasing Uber vouchers via the Amex Gyftr platform and buying the Uber One membership separately. Can’t find Uber One? Just email Uber and they’ll activate it for you.

Conclusion

American Express cards provide multiple pathways to maximize your returns on Uber spending, with reward rates potentially reaching over 26% depending on your card and strategy. The key is understanding your specific card's reward structure and pairing it smartly with services like Amazon Prime or Uber One.

For frequent Uber users, the Amex Gold Charge and SmartEarn cards offer the highest returns, while milestone-based cards like the Platinum Travel Card deliver long-term value for higher spenders. Track your spending and be mindful of card fees to ensure maximum net benefit.