Uber launches “Uber Balloon” to book your ride in... hot air balloon

After conquering city centers around the world, Uber is now taking to the skies. From this Monday until November 19, users of the application will be able to book a hot air balloon flight in the Turkish city of Göreme, in the very touristy region of Cappadocia. “Uber Balloon” will be available through “Uber Reserve”, an already existing option, which allows trips to be reserved in advance.

Single price: 150 euros per flight, to admire the sunrise from the air, at an altitude of 1000 meters. At this rate, a driver will pick you up directly from your hotel. To create excitement, the platform offers the trip to the first 100 customers. The region is strategic for Uber. Indeed, Göreme National Park is a major tourist attraction in Türkiye. In 2018, nearly 3 million people visited it. For several months now, the phenomenon has grown further through TikTok. On the social network, videos of balloon flights have been viewed more than 1.6 billion times, benefiting hot air balloon companies on site. Turkey is one of the fastest growing markets for Uber. According to the platform, international journeys increased by more than 30% in the country, where almost 26 million people opened the application in 2023.

Uber is not its first departure from asphalt roads: boat, sled and even helicopter, the application is developing more and more in tourism through unusual means of transport. “We're always looking for new ways to add a little Uber magic to vacations,” says Anabel Diaz, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa Mobility at Uber. In 2019, the platform opened helicopter trips to New York, to reach JFK international airport. Last year, the American firm experimented with “Uber Sleigh” in Lapland. The initiative allows you to book a free sleigh ride pulled by reindeer. The service is only available during the Christmas period.

In London, Uber has also launched a 'bus' service on the River Thames, while in Mykonos, users can book a boat through 'Uber Boat' to visit the Greek islands by sea. Latest innovation: in the Kingdom -United, Uber is testing, through a partnership with the Hopper platform, the reservation of plane tickets.