It’s safe to say that SPG Starpoints are among the most valuable of the travel currencies. This is true for a variety of reasons that include the obvious of staying at Starwood hotels but also for cool redemption methods such as their Nights & Flights options and the transferring of points to airline miles with a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 20,000 points transferred.
SPG and Uber Form Earning Partnership
SPG and Uber form a partnership to earn more points!
So, anyway to earn more Starpoints is a good way and now you can earn them on Uber rides! Thanks to a new partnership between Uber and SPG, after having one qualifying stay at a SPG hotel, you will receive at least 1 Starpoint per $1 spent with Uber!
That earning rate goes up based on your elite status with SPG and if you are staying at a SPG hotel while using Uber. Here is the breakdown of the earning structure:
Earn more Starpoints for using Uber during your stay!
That is a great way to encourage your use of Uber while visiting a SPG hotel! Since it is easy to achieve Gold status without even staying the requisite nights for qualification, this could be very helpful (SPG Gold is a benefit of the American Express Platinum card)!
Maximizing This Partnership
Once you have linked your accounts and stayed the required one night in a calendar year for earning purposes, you will begin to earn your Starpoints on each Uber trip. But, you can also earn based on the card you have to pay for your Uber rides. If you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you will receive 2 Ultimate Reward points per $1 while using your American Express Membership Reward’s earning card will earn you 2 Membership Reward points per $1.
So, as a SPG Gold member using Uber during a SPG stay, I could earn 3 Starpoints per $1 and either 2 UR or MR points per $1 as well. Not a bad way to double dip in the earnings department!
Setting Up For This Partnership
To begin earning Starpoints during your Uber rides, you will need to link your accounts. Here are the instructions from Uber on how to do that:
1. Visit spg.com/uber to link your accounts.
2. Log-in to your existing SPG account, or create a new SPG account here. PRO TIP: Use the same e-mail address and last name as your Uber account.
3. Enter your Uber account information.
4. Complete a qualifying stay this calendar year at any Starwood hotel.
5. Begin taking rides and start earning Starpoints!
#SuiteRide Promo
To kick off this partnership, on February 28 from 2PM – 7PM local time, customers who have linked their accounts and are in Dubai, London, Mexico City, New York, or San Francisco will be able to select a special “SPG” option on the Uber app. These rides are limited but any lucky customer who takes advantage of this will be able to receive 15,000 Starpoints and special gifts/treatment at one of several SPG brands during this period.
CATCH A SUITE RIDE:
- Link your Uber and SPG accounts at spg.com/uber. PRO TIP: Use the same e-mail address and last name as your Uber account.
- Open up the Uber app at 2 pm and 7 pm on Saturday, February 28.
- Request the “SPG” option in your app for the chance to take a #SuiteRide
- The lucky requester will receive 15,000 Starwood points – good for a free night at any qualifying Starwood hotel and amenities from one of Starwood’s distinct brands.
- Rides are limited and are on a first come, first serve basis. Only one #SuiteRide per Uber account.
Summary
All in all, this sounds like a great partnership. I have not been able to use Uber a ton yet as they are not in my city and most cities I visit I already have travel arranged, but this could push me to try to use Uber more often. Earning Starpoints is a great benefit and I will be looking forward to the added earning.
If you have not already signed-up for and used Uber, you can sign-up using my link – here – and receive a free ride up to $20 (and I will receive $20 as well). Thanks and enjoy this new partnership!
