The Best Credit Cards And Rewards Programs For Lyft Rides – Forbes Advisor


Lyft doesn’t offer a branded credit card, but these alternative options can still help you earn rewards on every ride.

No Annual Fee Credit Cards

You don’t have to pay an annual fee to enjoy cash back, miles or points when paying for Lyft rides with a credit card.

Chase offers three different cash-back credit cards without an annual fee that currently earn exceptional rates on Lyft rides through a partnership that runs through March 2025. The Chase Freedom Flex℠*, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Rise* all earn an unlimited 5% cash back on Lyft.

Though all three cards offer identical earnings on Lyft, choosing your preferred Freedom-family card depends on your other spending habits and credit history. The Chase Freedom Rise* earns a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase and is specifically targeted to cardholders who are new to credit. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also earns a minimum of 1.5% cash back on most purchases but offers elevated cashback on dining, drugstores and travel booked through Chase Travel. Lastly, the Freedom Flex offers the same extra cash rewards on dining, drugstores and Chase Travel as the Freedom Unlimited, but only offers 1% on all other spending. To make up for that lower amount, Freedom Flex cardholders instead can earn 5% cashback quarterly on rotating spending categories.

Another fantastic option is the Bilt World Elite Mastercard®. It has a promotional earning rate of 3 Bilt points for each dollar spent on Lyft rides, which includes bikes and scooters. Bilt points are transferable to multiple travel programs including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, United Airlines MileagePlus and World of Hyatt, though points can also be redeemed as cash back.

Depending on your spending patterns, you may prefer a card that offers more options for bonus purchases. The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card allows you to choose two purchase categories per quarter that earn 5% cash back on up to the first $2,000 in spending. Ground transportation, including Lyft, is an eligible category. Other eligible categories include home utilities, electronic stores, fitness centers and department stores.

For a simpler strategy, you could choose one of the best 2% cash-back credit cards to earn 2% on all purchases, including Lyft. The Citi Double Cash® Card, which earns 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, is particularly accessible since applicants with fair credit may be considered for approval.

Annual Fee Cards

Customers willing to pay an annual fee for a credit card may find options with better earning rates, more reward redemption options or other valuable benefits.

The Chase-Lyft partnership extends to several other Chase cards with an annual fee beyond the Freedom cards mentioned above. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns a generous 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides until March 2025. Cardholders also receive a complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership for the first two years (a value of $199 a year) and 50% off a membership the third year. Additionally, the card includes up to $300 in annual travel credit, which can cover Lyft purchases. The annual fee of $550 is steep, but it’s offset by the easy-to-use travel credit and luxury perks such as airport lounge access.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a more modest $95 annual fee and earns 5 transferable Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on Lyft rides until March 2025. Dining, streaming and travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ earn points at elevated rates, too. The card offers an annual $50 hotel credit and travel protections such as trip cancellation, trip delay and primary auto rental insurance.

If Amex Membership Rewards are your flexible currency of choice, the American Express® Green Card* card may work for you. It earns 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar on all transit purchases (including Lyft and other rideshares), dining and travel. Its annual fee is $150, but it comes with annual credits for CLEAR® Plus and Lounge Buddy.

Someone who prefers cash back to points or miles should instead consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees). This card is typically considered a grocery card since it earns an impressive 6% on U.S. grocery purchases—where you could easily buy Lyft gift cards to load to your account. Or, use your card to pay directly, and you’ll still earn 3% cash back on rideshare and other transit purchases.

Lastly, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card earns 2 Mileage Plan miles for every dollar spent on rideshare purchases. Alaska loyalists could find this an attractive way to accumulate more Alaska miles, especially since Lyft also has a partnership directly with the airline whether or not you’re a cardholder. The card charges an annual fee of $95.

Find the Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2024

All information about American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor

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