Uber now wants you to drive yourself. The app launched parking reservations on November 9 in 15 US cities: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC, with a nationwide rollout planned. The feature is built on SpotHero, the parking reservation service Uber agreed to acquire in February. SpotHero's own network spans more than 13,000 garages, lots and valet stands across 400-plus cities in the US and Canada, though Uber's parking page currently lists around 7,000 facilities.
Using it is straightforward: tap Parking in the Uber app, enter your destination and times, and compare prices on a map. You can filter for garages versus surface lots, self-parking versus valet, and extras like on-site staff. After entering your vehicle and licence plate, you pay through Uber Wallet and follow the instructions on your parking pass. Uber says many participating locations offer rates below drive-up prices — no surprise, since operators can discount hours that would otherwise go unsold.
The rewards angle is where it gets interesting for people already in Uber's ecosystem. Uber One members earn 10% back in credits on eligible completed bookings, including taxes and fees, with credits usually landing within 24 hours. Uber One costs $9.99 a month or $96 a year — so the maths only works if you already have the membership, not if you'd buy it just for parking. Better still, Uber Cash works at supported parking locations, which means Amex Platinum and Gold cardholders can effectively burn their monthly Uber credits ($15 monthly plus $20 in December on Platinum, $10 on Gold) on garage space. Amex Platinum also reimburses up to $120 a year of Uber One membership fees, as long as the card — not Uber Cash — is charged. Amazon Prime's new Uber Eats perk does not include an Uber One membership, so Prime members don't get the rebate.
There are alternatives worth comparing before you book. SpotHero directly has a wider footprint plus airport and event parking; ParkWhiz, BestParking, ParkMobile and PayByPhone cover similar ground; and booking direct with a garage, hotel or airport can unlock validations or loyalty discounts that beat any app. Read the fine print, too: cancellation deadlines, extension rules and restrictions vary by facility, most garages don't allow in-and-out privileges on one reservation, and height limits or oversized-vehicle fees can add surprise charges. A reservation doesn't guarantee a specific space, so if a lot is full you'll be chasing help through the app.
Why does this matter to travellers? Pre-booked parking is genuinely useful around airports, events and unfamiliar downtowns, and a 10% rebate — or free parking via Amex Uber credits — is real money if you already live in Uber's app. It's a modest feature rather than a game-changer, and Uber has hinted it may eventually use these lots to stage autonomous vehicles between rides. But as a way to compare prepaid parking prices without downloading yet another app, it's a handy addition. View from the Wing
