Uber has introduced Uber Elite, a new category of professional chauffeur-driven travel aimed at corporate users and high-net-worth travelers. The service is positioned as the most exclusive option in the application, above Uber Black, and is part of the company’s strategy to strengthen its premium segment, which already exceeds $10 billion in annual reservations according to the company’s own data.
The proposal is based on trips made by professional drivers employed by fleet companies and on recent luxury vehicles – less than three years old – such as the Cadillac Escalade, Lucid Air or Lincoln Navigator. Unlike other Uber categories, trips must be booked in advance, at least one hour before or up to 90 days before the trip, a model closer to that of traditional chauffeur services.
Each trip includes bottled water, chargers, candy and disinfectant wipes
The service thus promises a more careful experience than the current categories. Each ride will include bottled water, device chargers, candy and disinfectant wipes, plus the ability to request personalized details from the app, such as specific brands of sparkling water or even champagne.
Uber Elite also incorporates specific functions for business or airport trips. Users will be able to call their driver before pickup, and an optional pick-up service will be available at airports. “meet and greet”with the driver waiting in the luggage area to receive the passenger.
At the moment, Uber Elite is available by invitation only to frequent Uber Black users and corporate account customers. The service has begun operating in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and is expected to soon arrive in New York, with plans to expand to other cities in the United States and international markets.
The move comes at a time when competition in premium transportation is intensifying. Uber and Lyft are strengthening their high-end offerings to improve margins and attract new customers. In fact, Lyft recently acquired TBR Global Chauffeuring for around $110 million, an operation that allows it to expand its chauffeur offering in more than 120 countries, especially in Asia and the Middle East.
With Uber Elite, the company recovers in a certain way its origin, when it was born as a black car service with a driver, but adapted to a market where on-demand mobility increasingly coexists with luxury transportation experiences.
More info: Uber Elite
