Uber has long aimed to become a super app, a goal that gained urgency with Waymo’s entry into San Francisco. The company, involved in the AV sector as a data provider, investor, and distributor, is also focusing on consumer services. Recently, Uber announced at its annual GO-GET event in New York that users in the U.S. can now book hotels through the Uber app via a partnership with Expedia Group, offering access to over 700,000 properties globally. Uber One members, with a $9.99 monthly subscription, enjoy 20% off selected hotels and 10% in credits. Vrbo vacation rentals and OpenTable restaurant reservations will be added later this year, along with a “Shop for Me” feature for ordering from non-platform stores.
This strategy reflects Uber’s attempt to convert its 199 million monthly users into frequent app users. Uber CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga explained at a TechCrunch event in San Francisco that the super app concept has thrived in India and Southeast Asia but struggled in the U.S. due to poorly integrated services. Memberships, he suggested, could drive app usage across categories like food, groceries, and now, hotels. Flights aren’t available yet, though Naga hinted at potential expansion into financial services, mentioning Uber’s existing debit card for drivers in Mexico.
Uber faces competition as companies like Airbnb and Elon Musk’s vision for X pursue similar expansions. Airbnb announced transport partnerships, while Musk plans to launch X Money, a banking and payments platform. The challenge for Uber is convincing users to prefer its app over existing favorite apps, especially in the diverse U.S. market.
Uber’s current strategy leverages its existing user base and credit card information, seeking to ease hotel bookings and shop orders. Recent earnings show Uber Eats’ impressive 34% revenue growth, suggesting validation for this approach. However, its stock remains down by 8% from the previous year, but Uber One now accounts for around half of the company’s bookings, with 50 million members.
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