The software, which is powered by online travel agency Hopper, will let users to use Uber flight bookings and purchase tickets for both domestic and international flights. According to Andrew Brem, general manager at Uber UK, the procedure could take “as little as one minute” and will make booking and managing flight travel “simple and stress-free”.
Users must provide information to book a flight, including their destination and departure cities as well as the date of their trip. The next step is for them to choose their outbound and return flights.
Users may even be able to choose their seats on the app and then pay for the tickets using it, just like they would with any other Uber service, for major airlines.
According to the business, this will enable “true door-to-door experiences with all legs of the journey being manageable in Uber’s smart travel itinerary.”
“The addition of flights to the Uber app is a big win for UK consumers who are looking for an easier way to book travel,” claims Frederic Lalonde, CEO and co-founder of Hopper.
“This new partnership will offer Uber users choice, transparency and flexibility when booking flights, all in the same place they are already booking their other transportation.”
The company says that the new feature will be available to all users in the UK – one of Uber’s biggest markets outside of the US – “this summer”.
What other services besides Uber flight bookings does app offer in the UK?
Recently, Uber UK added a feature to its app that allows users to book trains, including National Rail routes and Eurostar. Additionally, customers can purchase tickets for buses operated by National Express, Megabus, or even the Thames Clipper riverboat service in London.
“Over the last 12 months, with the addition of rail, coach, and now flight bookings, Uber is truly a one-stop travel solution,” claims Brem.
Uber’s chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, discussed intentions for the firm to develop into a “operating system for everyday life” in 2019. Since then, the app has integrated public transportation data to assist UK users in planning their travels.
The launch of its ‘Directions to pickup’ function, which offers maps, instructions, and directions to Uber pickup sites at some of the major airports in the world, comes before the rollout of the new flight booking option.