Uber drops ride discounts for subscribers
Uber has decided to discontinue the 5% discounts on eligible rides for its Uber One subscribers. Instead, subscribers will now earn 6% ‘Uber Cash’ on eligible rides, which can be used for both Uber and Uber Eats. The change was communicated to customers via email and will take effect in the next billing cycle.
Discounted rides have been a significant incentive for customers to adopt the Uber One subscription, which was launched in 2021 at a cost of $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. According to Uber’s full-year earnings report, the number of Uber One memberships increased by 100% to around 12 million members in 2022.
While the shift to a cashback offer allows Uber to improve its profit margins, there is a risk of losing customers who were primarily attracted by the discounts. However, other member benefits, such as waived delivery fees and up to 10% off eligible Uber Eats orders, will not be affected.
In other news, Uber has introduced a new feature in the UK that enables users to book flights directly within the app. This service is made possible through a partnership with the Canadian travel agency Hopper and allows customers to purchase domestic and international flights through the Uber ride-sharing app.