Uber Expands App with Hotels and Shopping Features to Become a U.S. Super App

Uber is accelerating its push to transform from a ride-hailing platform into a comprehensive super app in the U.S., following trends seen in Asia. At its recent GO-GET event in New York, Uber announced partnerships with Expedia to allow users to book over 700,000 hotels directly within the Uber app, offering Uber One members 20% off on select properties. Vacation rentals through Vrbo and restaurant reservations via OpenTable are expected to follow later this year. Additionally, a ‘Shop for Me’ feature will let users order from stores not currently on Uber’s platform. Uber’s strategy hinges on membership, using Uber One to provide multiple reasons for users to stay within the app ecosystem. While flights and expanded financial services remain potential future offerings, current priorities focus on hotel bookings. Uber faces competition as Airbnb has introduced airport transfer services and Elon Musk’s X platform prepares to launch X Money, a banking and payments feature, to evolve into an ‘everything app.’ Despite these expansions, challenges remain in convincing U.S. users to consolidate multiple services into one platform, given the wide availability of specialized apps. However, Uber’s 199 million monthly active users and 50 million Uber One subscribers provide a strong base to support this super app vision. Growth in Uber Eats, which increased revenue by 34% year over year in Q1, shows the potential for expansion beyond mobility.