Free Rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day 2021 if You’ve Been Drinking

Free cab, taxi, and uber rides

Getty A woman and a yellow taxi cab stand near Rockefeller Center on April 2, 2021.

There’s no reason to drink and drive on Thanksgiving Eve 2021 or Thanksgiving Day. Many transportation companies are offering free rides to help keep people safe on the roads. If you had a little too much to drink or you just don’t have access to a car, there are plenty of options for getting a free or discounted ride for the Thanksgiving holiday. Some programs have been suspended for Thanksgiving because of the pandemic and local regulations. AAA, for example, is not offering its sober program for Thanksgiving this season because of the pandemic. But other programs are still in place that you can use.


Free & Discounted Uber Codes

If you’re a new Uber user, the following codes may be able to get you a free or reduced-price ride today.

According to RetailMeNotUber Promo and other sources, the following codes may work for getting free or discounted rides, but many are limited to first-time riders only.

  • NewRider25 for $2.50 off your first 10 trips, NewRider18 for up to $3 off your first six trips, NewRider16 for up to $4 off your first four trips, and NewRider15 for up to $5 off your first three trips.
  • You can find more coupon codes listed on RetailMeNot.
  • Albuquerque & Santa Fe, New Mexico: Residents of Bernalillo County can use the code THANKS2021 to get a credit of up to $10 off one ride beginning Nov. 24 at noon through Nov. 29 at 3 a.m. Only available to the first 2,500 eligible riders, KOB reported.
  • New Mexico: You can get $15 Uber credit, not including tip, with the code ENDWI2021 from November 23 through January 3, 2022, My High Plains reported. This is sponsored by NMDOT and the Governors Highway Safety Association and Uber.
  • Colorado: The Sawaya Law Firm is offering free cab rides for those celebrating Thanksgiving (from 11/25 to 11/28). Just call a cab or an Uber or Lyft, pay the driver, and send the bill to The Sawaya Law Firm for reimbursement of up to $35. You can mail or email the receipt for reimbursement.
  • Denver, Colorado: Olson Law Firm is also offering a sober ride program on Thanksgiving Eve and Day for taxis, Uber and Lyft rides with a receipt. They’ll reimburse you if you mail in your receipt or a printed screenshot along with your driver’s license. Rides can only be in Denver, from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 11 a.m. the next day, one per household, a maximum value of $30, one-way only. It’s limited to the first 500 participants in a calendar year.
  • New York: Certain regions of New York (including Utica, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Capital Region, and Plattsburgh) have free Uber rides all year round for people who have been drinking, courtesy of Martin, Harding & Mazzotti. These are only available for businesses who have signed up to be part of the rideshare program. Learn more details here.
  • Los Angeles: Starpoint Attorneys at Law are teaming with Uber, Lyft, and cab companies to offer free rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. The ride must be in the LA County metro region between 5 p.m. on the day of the holiday and 10 a.m. the next morning. You must be 21 and over. It’s valid for a one-way ride, limit one per household, with a maximum value of $30 anywhere in the LA metro area. The maximum value includes a 10% tip, and the promotion is limited to the first 50 submissions.
  • Rogers, Arkansas, and Joplin, Missouri: Cottrell Law Office is offering free rides (via Uber, Lyft or cab rides) in Rogers, Arkansas or Joplin, Missouri for Thanksgiving Eve or Day, from 5 p.m. the day of to 10 a.m. the following morning. Maximum reimbursement is $25, one-way, for ages 21 and older, available to the first 100 submissions in the year. You must send a receipt, copy of your driver’s license, and a PayPal email to qualify.
  • Texas: If you’re in the Houston, San Angelo, Austin, Odessa/Midland, or Highland Lakes region, Sutliff & Stout is offering to reimburse cab or ride-shares for Thanksgiving Eve & Day, for rides from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 10 a.m. the next day. You must be 21 and over, and the ride must be one-way, one per household, with a maximum value of $30. It’s limited to the first 1,000 submissions who mail in a receipt, driver’s license photocopy, and PayPal email with seven days of the holiday.
  • Turlock, California: Silva Injury Law is also offering to reimburse cabs, Uber, and Lyft rides for local residents on Thanksgiving Eve & Day that meet specific qualifications, with a maximum value of $25. You’ll need to mail a receipt and photo ID within 20 days and reimbursements are limited to the first 60 submissions.
  • San Diego, California: The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong is offering a program for San Diego residents similar to the ones above, with reimbursements for mailed-in receipts for Uber, Lyft, or cab one-way rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. It’s a maximum value of $30 and limited to the first 50 submissions.

SafeAuto has a contest going on right now through December 15. Follow SafeAuto on Instagram and comment “Play It Safe” every Wednesday when they post about staying sober while driving. Share the post to your story. Each week, 200 people will be randomly selected for a $25 Uber voucher and five will get a $500 gift card for a hotel stay, Yahoo! reported.

Note that any of these discount codes can be canceled at any time.


Lyft Codes & Discounts

If you prefer using Lyft to Uber, the following codes may help. Please note that many of them are for new riders only. Lyft may change or cancel these codes at any time. (Look at RetailMeNot  for more codes if these don’t work.)

  • WILLIS913371 – $10 off two rides
  • CHRISTIAN08237 – $10 off a ride
  • PRISCILLA30070 – $5 off a ride
  • Colorado: The Sawaya Law Firm is offering free cab rides for those celebrating Thanksgiving (from 11/25 to 11/28). Just call a cab or an Uber or Lyft, pay the driver, and send the bill to The Sawaya Law Firm for reimbursement of up to $35. You can mail or email the receipt for reimbursement.
  • Denver, Colorado: Olson Law Firm is also offering a sober ride program on Thanksgiving Eve and Day for taxis, Uber and Lyft rides with a receipt. They’ll reimburse you if you mail in your receipt or a printed screenshot along with your driver’s license. Rides can only be in Denver, from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 11 a.m. the next day, one per household, a maximum value of $30, one-way only. It’s limited to the first 500 participants in a calendar year.
  • Los Angeles: Starpoint Attorneys at Law are teaming with Uber, Lyft, and cab companies to offer free rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. The ride must be in the LA County metro region between 5 p.m. on the day of the holiday and 10 a.m. the next morning. You must be 21 and over. It’s valid for a one-way ride, limit one per household, with a maximum value of $30 anywhere in the LA metro area. The maximum value includes a 10% tip, and the promotion is limited to the first 50 submissions.
  • Rogers, Arkansas, and Joplin, Missouri: Cottrell Law Office is offering free rides (via Uber, Lyft or cab rides) in Rogers, Arkansas or Joplin, Missouri for Thanksgiving Eve or Day, from 5 p.m. the day of to 10 a.m. the following morning. Maximum reimbursement is $25, one-way, for ages 21 and older, available to the first 100 submissions in the year. You must send a receipt, copy of your driver’s license, and a PayPal email to qualify.
  • Scottsdale, Arizona: Scottsdale Injury Lawyers is teaming with Uber, Lyft, and cab companies to offer a ride home on major holidays, including Thanksgiving Eve and Day. Maximum one ride a person, $25 roundtrip, limited to the first 25 submissions in the Scottsdale metro area. You’ll need to mail in your receipt, a copy of your drivers license, and a return mailing address after your trip.
  • Texas: If you’re in the Houston, San Angelo, Austin, Odessa/Midland, or Highland Lakes region, Sutliff & Stout is offering to reimburse cab or ride-shares for Thanksgiving Eve & Day, for rides from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 10 a.m. the next day. You must be 21 and over, and the ride must be one-way, one per household, with a maximum value of $30. It’s limited to the first 1,000 submissions who mail in a receipt, driver’s license photocopy, and PayPal email with seven days of the holiday.
  • Turlock, California: Silva Injury Law is also offering to reimburse cabs, Uber, and Lyft rides for local residents on Thanksgiving Eve & Day that meet specific qualifications, with a maximum value of $25. You’ll need to mail a receipt and photo ID within 20 days and reimbursements are limited to the first 60 submissions.
  • San Diego, California: The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong is offering a program for San Diego residents similar to the ones above, with reimbursements for mailed-in receipts for Uber, Lyft, or cab one-way rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. It’s a maximum value of $30 and limited to the first 50 submissions.

Note that all deals are subject to change at any time.


Additional Safe Ride Programs for Cab Rides

Additional safe ride programs are being offered around the country.

  • East Valley Waymo Rides: The autonomous driving service Waymo is offering half-off rides to the public around the holidays, Yahoo! News reported. From noon Nov. 24 to Jan. 2, any rider using the Waymo app in the East Valley service area can get 50% off one ride using the code MADD21.
  • Colorado: The Sawaya Law Firm is offering free cab rides for those celebrating Thanksgiving (from 11/25 to 11/28). Just call a cab or an Uber or Lyft, pay the driver, and send the bill to The Sawaya Law Firm for reimbursement of up to $35. You can mail or email the receipt for reimbursement.
  • Los Angeles: Starpoint Attorneys at Law are teaming with Uber, Lyft, and cab companies to offer free rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. The ride must be in the LA County metro region between 5 p.m. on the day of the holiday and 10 a.m. the next morning. You must be 21 and over. It’s valid for a one-way ride, limit one per household, with a maximum value of $30 anywhere in the LA metro area. The maximum value includes a 10% tip, and the promotion is limited to the first 50 submissions.
  • Denver, Colorado: Olson Law Firm is also offering a sober ride program on Thanksgiving Eve and Day for taxis, Uber and Lyft rides with a receipt. They’ll reimburse you if you mail in your receipt or a printed screenshot along with your driver’s license. Rides can only be in Denver, from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 11 a.m. the next day, one per household, a maximum value of $30, one-way only. It’s limited to the first 500 participants in a calendar year.
  • Rogers, Arkansas, and Joplin, Missouri: Cottrell Law Office is offering free rides (via Uber, Lyft or cab rides) in Rogers, Arkansas or Joplin, Missouri for Thanksgiving Eve or Day, from 5 p.m. the day of to 10 a.m. the following morning. Maximum reimbursement is $25, one-way, for ages 21 and older, available to the first 100 submissions in the year. You must send a receipt, copy of your driver’s license, and a PayPal email to qualify.
  • Texas: If you’re in the Houston, San Angelo, Austin, Odessa/Midland, or Highland Lakes region, Sutliff & Stout is offering to reimburse cab or ride-shares for Thanksgiving Eve & Day, for rides from 5 p.m. the day of the holiday to 10 a.m. the next day. You must be 21 and over, and the ride must be one-way, one per household, with a maximum value of $30. It’s limited to the first 1,000 submissions who mail in a receipt, driver’s license photocopy, and PayPal email with seven days of the holiday.
  • Turlock, California: Silva Injury Law is also offering to reimburse cabs, Uber, and Lyft rides for local residents on Thanksgiving Eve & Day that meet specific qualifications, with a maximum value of $25. You’ll need to mail a receipt and photo ID within 20 days and reimbursements are limited to the first 60 submissions.
  • San Diego, California: The Law Offices of Kerry L. Armstrong is offering a program for San Diego residents similar to the ones above, with reimbursements for mailed-in receipts for Uber, Lyft, or cab one-way rides on Thanksgiving Eve & Day. It’s a maximum value of $30 and limited to the first 50 submissions.

Note that all deals are subject to change at any time.


AAA Is Not Offering Its Sober Ride ‘Tipsy Tow’ Service This Year

AAA’s Tipsy Tow and Holiday Safe Ride program are still on hiatus and are not being offered for Thanksgiving and December holidays again this year, an AAA representative told Heavy.

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