Vrbo Is Coming to the Uber App: What Hosts Need to Know
Uber now sells hotel stays inside its ride-hailing app, and Vrbo vacation rentals are next in line. For hosts, that raises a simple question: will your listing show up in front of Uber's riders, and what will it cost you?
Here's what's confirmed, what's still open, and what you can do while you wait. If you list on Vrbo, read it alongside our breakdown of Vrbo's new 12% host commission, since any booking that reaches you through Uber would still be a Vrbo booking.
Key Takeaways For Hosts:
- Announced, not live: As of November 9, 2026, we found no announcement that Vrbo rentals have launched in the Uber app.
- US first: The partnership starts in the United States, with other regions planned later.
- No sign-up announced: Neither company has published a host opt-in, so there's nothing to register for today.
What Uber and Expedia Group Announced
On April 29, 2026, at its GO-GET product event, Uber announced that it was adding hotel bookings to its app through a partnership with Expedia Group, Vrbo's parent company. In its press release on the new travel features, Uber said vacation rentals from Vrbo would be added "later this year."
The hotel side launched first for users in the US, under a new Hotels option in the app. Uber says the selection will ultimately grow to more than 700,000 properties from Expedia Group's inventory.
The deal also runs the other way. According to the same release, Uber rides were to be built into the Expedia app from June, following an initial pilot, with travelers prompted to book discounted rides before their hotel check-in.
Uber One, Uber's paid membership, comes with hotel perks: 10% back in Uber One credits on hotel bookings and at least 20% off a rolling list of more than 10,000 hotels. Uber hasn't said whether any of these perks will apply to Vrbo stays.
Where Things Stand in November 2026
Six months on, Vrbo's part of the deal is still described as coming "later this year." We found no announcement from Uber, Expedia Group, or Vrbo that vacation rentals are now bookable in the Uber app, in the US or anywhere else.
On its first-quarter 2026 earnings call, Expedia Group described Uber as an exclusive hotel partnership that would launch first in the US and then expand to other regions. No dates were given for Vrbo or for markets outside the US.
Neither company gave an update on Vrbo in the Uber app with its third-quarter results on November 4, 2026. Until a launch is announced, treat it as announced but not live.
| Part of the deal | Status as of November 9, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hotels in the Uber app | Launched in the US (announced April 29, 2026) |
| Vrbo vacation rentals in the Uber app | Announced for "later this year"; no launch announced |
| Uber rides in the Expedia app | Announced for June 2026, after a pilot |
| Markets outside the US | Planned, no dates published |
What It Could Mean for Vacation Rental Hosts
The appeal is reach. Uber's app sits on the phones of people who are already traveling or planning a trip, and many of them may never open Vrbo directly. If your property appears there, it reaches guests you wouldn't otherwise meet.
What we don't know yet is how listings get there. Vrbo already shares eligible listings with other Expedia Group sites through its Expanded Distribution network. Vrbo's help page says listings need Instant Booking turned on to qualify, and that there's no additional cost for bookings that come through this network.
Trade coverage expects Uber to be supplied the same way, which would mean hosts already on Vrbo appear without doing anything. Vrbo hasn't confirmed this, though, or said which listings will qualify.
On fees, Uber hasn't announced anything specific. If Uber bookings work like other Expanded Distribution bookings, you'd pay your normal Vrbo commission, which is now a flat 12% for most hosts since October 29, 2026. That is an assumption until Vrbo publishes the terms.
Smoobu Pro Tip: Open your Vrbo dashboard and check two things now: whether Instant Booking is on for each listing, and whether your rates already account for the 12% commission. Both decisions matter for any new distribution channel, so it's better to make them on purpose than by default.
What to Do Now
There's no form to fill in and no deadline to meet. The useful steps are the ones that help you on Vrbo today, whatever happens with Uber:
- Keep your Vrbo listing complete and accurate, from photos and amenities to house rules and the cancellation policy
- Decide whether Instant Booking suits each property, since Vrbo ties wider distribution to it
- Review your Vrbo prices against the 12% commission so new bookings don't erode your margin
- Watch Uber's and Expedia Group's announcements for launch dates and terms
It's also a good time to review your channel mix as a whole. When a guest can find your property through more apps, an up-to-date calendar matters more than ever, because one missed update can mean a double booking.
For the channels it connects to, including Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and over 100 booking portals, the Smoobu Channel Manager keeps availability and prices in sync from one calendar. That way, adding or testing a channel doesn't mean updating each one by hand.
Why Direct Bookings Still Matter
Uber and Vrbo are both intermediaries. The guest relationship, the booking terms, and the commission stay with the platform, and the platform decides where your listing appears.
Your own website is the one channel where you set the rules. With the Smoobu website builder, you can build a booking site for your properties, and the Smoobu Booking Engine takes reservations into the same calendar as your platform bookings. Publishing the site needs a paid plan.
A website doesn't bring visitors on its own, so think of it as the place for returning guests and referrals. Mention it in your welcome message and your guest guide, so guests who loved their stay know where to book next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not as far as we know. As of November 9, 2026, Uber offers hotels from Expedia Group in the US, and Vrbo rentals are still expected later in 2026, with no launch date announced.
No host sign-up has been announced. The rentals will come from Vrbo, but Vrbo hasn't said which listings will qualify, so keep your Vrbo listing up to date and check whether Instant Booking suits your property.
Expedia Group said the partnership will launch in the US first, then expand to other regions. No dates have been published for other markets, hotels, or Vrbo rentals.
Summary: A New Route to Guests, with Details Still to Come
Vrbo in the Uber app could put vacation rentals in front of a large new audience, starting in the US. Until Uber and Vrbo confirm the launch, eligibility, and fees, the best preparation is a strong Vrbo listing, deliberate pricing, and a channel mix you control.
Want one calendar for all your channels and your own booking website? Start your 14-day free trial of Smoobu today.
