--- title: Can Uber become a travel superapp? - The Hustle description: With a wide range of new travel options on its UK app, Uber showed it wants to be a one-stop shop for travel. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/440860306-HS-News-Brief_2022-04-07T014654.903Z.webp --- # Can Uber become a travel superapp? ![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit) Published: April 07, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 Hopefully you’ve been treating your Uber drivers kindly because recent news suggests your rating may soon extend far beyond car rides. ![Can Uber become a travel superapp?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/440860306-HS-News-Brief_2022-04-07T014654.903Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=440860306-HS-News-Brief_2022-04-07T014654.903Z.webp) Per *CNBC*, Uber [announced](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/06/uber-chases-superapp-by-adding-planes-trains-and-rental-cars.html) it will let travelers book a wide range of travel options in its UK app this year, including trains, buses, planes, and car rentals. #### **The catch?** Uber won’t be providing the travel services itself. Uber will announce various partners over the coming months, and may take a cut of the bookings. This isn’t the 1st time Uber has offered 3rd-party travel services in the app: - In 2019, Uber [partnered](https://www.uber.com/blog/new-york-city/uber-copter/) with air carrier HeliFlite to launch Uber Copter, which allowed users to book short flights from Manhattan to JFK airport - In 2020, Uber [partnered](https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/uber-boats-launch-summer-london-2020) with Thames Clippers, an English boat company, to offer boat rides along the Thames River - Last month, Uber [struck](https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-reaches-deal-to-list-all-new-york-city-taxis-on-its-app-11648123201) an agreement to list NYC taxis on the app The move signals Uber’s goal to diversify its offerings as it shoots for long-term profitability and [recovery from the pandemic](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/09/technology/uber-business-pandemic.html). The company’s leader has experience in the travel space. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi spent 12 years as CEO of Expedia Group, home to travel aggregation sites like Expedia.com, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. #### **But can they pull it off?** Becoming the go-to destination for travel won’t be a cakewalk. Along with Khosrowshahi’s old stomping grounds, Uber will have to compete with: - **Google Travel**, which [includes](https://www.google.com/travel/?dest_src=ut&tcfs=UgRgAXgB&ved=0CAEQyJABahgKEwjgzNSj5__2AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQhwE&ictx=2) Google Maps, Google Flights, and other tools to help users plan their next trip - **Airbnb**, which has hinted at its own superapp ambitions by allowing [boutique hotels](https://www.airbnb.com/d/hotels) to list on the app, and building out trip planning features through its Experiences tab - **Upstarts** like Hopper, the [fastest growing](https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/online-travel-update-hopper-is-the-5374220/) travel app in 2021, make the competitive picture even scarier Then again, Uber has proven it’s cool with competition. After battling Lyft for years, the company duked it out with a long list of restaurant delivery apps to [become](https://secondmeasure.com/datapoints/food-delivery-services-grubhub-uber-eats-doordash-postmates/) DoorDash’s top challenger. 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