Uber announced a new set of products and features at its annual GO–GET product event, including hotel bookings and new travel tools.
The updates reflect Uber’s continued platform strategy to bring more of everyday life into a single app.
“Uber is becoming an app for everything—helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “We’re all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise.”
Among the new offerings, Uber introduced a partnership with Expedia Group that allows Uber customers to book hotels directly in the Uber app. The company adds that this feature comes at a time when airline prices are soaring and the summer is predicted to see a surge of travel, and consumers are looking for optimal ways to book trips and save.
Uber and Expedia Group are partnering to offer Uber users in the U.S. access to a wide selection of hotels, which will ultimately grow to more than 700,000 properties in destinations around the globe. Uber One members will earn 10% back in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings, plus they’ll save at least 20% on a list of more than 10,000 hotels worldwide. Vacation rentals from Expedia Group brand, Vrbo, will be added later this year.
The partnership is expected to expand beyond the U.S. In addition, following an initial pilot, Uber rides will be integrated directly in the Expedia app beginning in June. Travellers will receive push notifications before their hotel check-in date to book Uber rides at a discount for the duration of their trip.
“Travel should feel effortless, and this partnership gets us one step closer to offering a seamless traveler experience,” said Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin. “By connecting our two-sided marketplace with Uber, we’re bringing Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group’s lodging inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology.”
Uber introduced Travel Mode, a new experience within the Uber and Uber Eats apps, offering travellers curated recommendations on local favorites, popular tourist destinations, OpenTable reservations, Uber’s version of “room service” delivered directly to hotel room doors, and even forgotten items for those travelling to new destinations. The company says that users can now think of the Uber app as a personal travel concierge.
Uber also announced five new features designed to make its platform more versatile. The loyalty program Uber One now works globally, letting members earn credits on international trips. A new Shop for Me feature allows users to request items from any store, even those not listed on the app. Eats for the Way lets passengers booking an Uber Black or Uber Black SUV receive a drink or snack from their driver upon arrival. AI-powered Voice Bookings enables hands-free ride requests through a conversational assistant, and a redesigned One Search bar now surfaces rides, food, and shopping results in a single query.
