Uber expands into hotel booking as competition intensifies
Original: Uber has always wanted to be more than a ride; now it has reason to hurry
Why This Matters
Uber's diversification strategy becomes critical as autonomous vehicles threaten ride-hailing dominance
Uber announced hotel booking through Expedia partnership at GO-GET event, offering 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members get 20% discounts and 10% credits. Move comes as autonomous vehicle competition from Waymo threatens core business.
Uber held its annual GO-GET product event in New York, announcing U.S. users can now book hotels through partnership with Expedia Group, accessing over 700,000 properties globally. Uber One subscribers ($9.99/month) receive 20% off rotating list of 10,000 hotels and 10% back in credits. Vacation rentals via Vrbo and restaurant reservations through OpenTable will follow. CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga explained the super app strategy centers on membership, giving users reasons to maintain Uber One subscriptions across multiple services. Company faces competition from Airbnb, which partnered with Welcome Pickups for airport transfers, and X's planned banking platform. Uber previously attempted flight booking in Europe unsuccessfully but hasn't ruled out future expansion into flights or financial services.