Uber is making a serious play to become more than just a ride-hailing app.
At its latest GO-GET event, the company unveiled a wave of updates, with the biggest shift being a new hotel booking feature that lets you plan entire trips without leaving the Uber app.
Built through a partnership with Expedia Group, the new Hotels tab allows users to search and book from over 700,000 properties worldwide. It sits directly on the Uber Home Screen, and allows you to enter a destination and filter results, just like how you would on a traditional travel site.
There’s also an incentive to stay within Uber’s ecosystem, too. Uber One members get up to 20% off select hotels and 10% back in Uber credits on every booking. Users can apply these credits to future rides, and the service will add Vrbo rentals later this year. This will expand the offering beyond hotels.
The move doesn’t stop there. Starting in June, Uber rides will also be integrated into the Expedia app. Travellers will receive prompts to book discounted rides around check-in. Uber One perks are going global at the same time. This means members can earn rewards and access benefits while travelling abroad.
Alongside hotel bookings, Uber is adding smaller features that lean into the idea of a full travel companion. “Eats for the Way” lets Uber Black riders add snacks or drinks to a trip. This way, they’re ready when the car arrives. It will launch first in select US cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco.
There’s also Travel Mode, which surfaces local recommendations and restaurant suggestions when you land somewhere new. In addition, Shop for Me is a courier service that lets you request items from almost any store, even those not listed on Uber Eats.
Rounding things out are voice bookings, allowing hands-free ride requests. There is also a unified search feature that pulls together rides, food, and shopping results in one place.
At the time of writing, Uber Hotels is available on the Uber smartphone app in the United States. A global rollout is expected in the near future.
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