Waymo Unveils Premier Membership Offering 10% Ride Rewards and Free Cancellations

Waymo is rolling out a new loyalty subscription called Waymo Premier, offering regular robotaxi users a range of exclusive benefits for a monthly fee of $29.99.

Subscribers to Waymo Premier will receive priority access to rides by bypassing the virtual queue. Members will also earn 10% cash back on every trip they take, with the company noting that rewards could be even higher during periods of increased demand.

In addition, the membership includes five complimentary ride cancellations each month. Waymo also says Premier users will be able to request robotaxis in cities where a waiting list still limits access to the service.

The company noted that Waymo Premier will not be available in Austin or Atlanta. In those markets, Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service currently operates exclusively through the Uber app, preventing the company from extending the membership programme to riders there.

The launch comes as Waymo continues to expand its presence across the United States and prepares for its first international deployment later this year. At the same time, the company has begun introducing its latest autonomous vehicle, a van manufactured by Zeekr and branded by Waymo as the “Ojai,” across Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco.

Beyond improving the customer experience, the Premier programme could represent the beginning of an additional revenue stream for Waymo as the company scales its robotaxi business.

A potential model for this strategy can be seen in Uber’s membership offering, Uber One, which has become a significant source of recurring revenue for the ride-hailing company. In May, Uber revealed that more than 50 million users were paying either $9.99 per month or $96 annually for access to the programme.

In return, Uber One members receive various benefits, including 10% discounts on Uber Eats orders and hotel bookings, waived delivery charges, and access to a range of promotions and partner offers.

Membership and loyalty programmes have become an even more important business segment within the airline industry. The four largest U.S. airlines would each have reported losses in 2024 without the substantial revenue generated by their loyalty programmes.

Airlines have also demonstrated that these programmes can provide value beyond direct income. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several carriers used their loyalty programmes as collateral to secure emergency financing from the U.S. federal government.

Waymo said the decision to price Premier at $29.99 per month, along with the benefits included in the package, was shaped by direct customer input on what they wanted from a membership programme.

Although the subscription costs roughly three times as much as Uber One, rider data indicate that customers are often willing to pay a premium for access to Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service compared with traditional ride-hailing alternatives.

As demand for robotaxi services continues to grow, the company appears to be betting that a dedicated membership offering can strengthen rider loyalty and create a new recurring revenue stream alongside its expanding transportation network.