Uber riders are accusing the company of charging higher fares when an American Express card is selected in the app. A viral video with over 2.5M views shows an UberX ride in Atlanta priced at $33.05 when the rider selected an Amex card, then dropping to $20.33 after she switched to a Visa card.
Seriously, Uber?! A 63% increase in fare price for using an Amex card? You know they'll give those to anyone, right?
I remember arriving in the Philippines for the first time many years ago and the immigration officer asking if I had either a credit card or enough money for the duration of my stay. I showed him my Amex card and he waived me through. Apparently Uber and the Philippines still think it's the 60s and only rich people can have an Amex.
The video that went viral was published over six months ago at this point, but similar claims have since circulated across Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, FlyerTalk, and on credit card forums, where users say fares rise when Amex cards, Uber Cash, Uber One memberships, gift card balances, or business profiles are attached to their accounts.
Uber adamantly denies the allegations. The company told Fortune:
“Prices on Uber are not personalized. We never set prices based on credit/debit card brand, whether you’re paying by card, gift card, or Uber Cash, your account balance, or your battery level.”
Uber also said it does not use battery information or other technical characteristics to set prices or promotions, and only personalizes promotions based on factors like whether the customer has not used the app in a while, in which case it may send a discount to encourage them to return.
If what Uber says is true, then how do they explain all the stories circulating around the web saying otherwise? For example, on this recent Reddit thread where users commented:
- “I have Amex in my uber account. Wife doesn’t. We always check both ours. And her prices are consistently 10-20% less”
- “took Ubers every day for over years. Same route every single time would be under 20$. Ever since I paid with an Amex, the rate is now close to $40. Ridiculous”
- “Can also confirm. I was going to get an uber for my friend to get to my apartment which is less than 2 miles away from her. It was $30 for me and when she checked on her uber it was $9”
- “They also do it for Uber for Business as well. I took Uber to the airport for a business trip this weekend and watched the price go up $35 as I moved from my personal account to my business account and switched from Visa to Amex.”
- “Can confirm. Was with a group of friends and we were checking our uber apps and my friend and I who use Amex had a higher rate for same route/distance than the friend who didn’t use Amex.”
Have you experienced fare increases when using certain payment methods on Uber? Hit reply and let me know.