Hilton Deepens Ties with Uber

When Hilton and Uber connected in September 2015, that connection was notably tentative. Unlike the Starwood-Uber link, which allows Starwood Preferred Guest members to earn points for Uber rides, the Hilton-Uber tie-up was limited to reminding Hilton customers to book an Uber ride during their hotel stay. Hardly a game-changer, for either of the two companies or their customers.

This week, Hilton and Uber cozied up a tad closer, with an extra layer of integration between their smartphone apps. Here’s how Hilton describes what it boasts as “a first for the hospitality industry”:

Hilton HHonors members can now order an Uber straight from the HHonors app, and Uber riders can now view their hotel stay information and check-in, all accessed via the Uber app en route to their hotel.

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What that description glosses over is the way the Hilton and Uber apps are connected. To order an Uber ride from the Hilton app, that app takes the user to the Uber app. And to view hotel information from the Uber app requires loading the Hilton app. There’s a link, yes. But “integration” seems like overstatement.

And no, members of Hilton’s HHonors program still don’t earn points for their Uber rides.

Step by step…

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.