March 30, 2026 2:38 PM, EDT
Uber Technologies Inc. has agreed to buy the chauffeur booking app Blacklane, the company’s latest move to court a high-end clientele.
The deal will expand Uber’s offerings targeting business executives and wealthy consumers, a fast-growing segment of the business, the company said in a statement March 30. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Competition is heating up at the luxury end of the ride-hailing market. Uber just a few weeks ago introduced a new chauffeur ride option called Uber Elite. Last week, London-based Wheely, which specializes in serving business elites and high net worth individuals, announced that it is expanding to New York City, its first U.S. market. And in a move similar to the Blacklane acquisition, Lyft Inc. bought TBR Global Chauffeuring five months ago for $110 million.
Berlin-based Blacklane, whose backers include Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG, operates in more 500 cities across more than 60 countries through a mobile app and web booking platform. The purchase is set to bolster Uber Elite, which the rideshare giant is so far offering to frequent Uber Black riders and corporate account customers in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is planning to expand the service soon to New York City.
Uber’s premium ride options, which include Uber Comfort, SUV and Black, already account for more than $10 billion in annualized gross bookings, the company said last year, representing a 35% increase from the prior year.
Blacklane was founded in 2011 and was valued at more than 500 million euros ($574 million) after a 2024 funding round, Bloomberg reported at the time. Its investors include Tasaru Mobility Investments, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, as well as Gargash Enterprises, Al Fahim Group and RI Digital Ventures.
Blacklane has spent 15 years refining an excellent, consistent high-end travel experience around the world. Premium and executive travel is one of our most exciting growth areas, and I’m looking forward to building together. https://t.co/Hix6oeXo5j pic.twitter.com/RxaMqL9TyX
— dara khosrowshahi (@dkhos) March 30, 2026
German news outlet Manager Magazin first reported last week that Uber and Blacklane were nearing a deal.
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