Fuel prices: over 20% more seats offered since the beginning of the war in the Middle East, according to BlaBlaCar

In the context of rising fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East, the BlaBlaCar platform has observed “a 20% increase in the number of seats offered” compared to the same period last year, according to its general manager, Nicolas Brusson, on France Inter. However, he assures that prices have not increased. “It really started a month ago, with the April holidays,” explains the general manager. “Typically, if we take the weekend of May 1st, we are at over 300,000 seats offered, which is nearly 20% above the same weekend last year.”

BlaBlaCar also notes a 40% increase in the number of new drivers, those “who are sharing a ride for the first time.” “We have seen in the past that when the price of gasoline increases and is widely discussed in the media, it allows some people to give it a try,” and “then what we observe is that those who discover it tend to continue,” explains the platform’s general manager.

“We do not see an explosion” in demand

Passenger demand, on the other hand, is “a bit more stable, we do not see an explosion today,” says Nicolas Brusson. The occupancy rate is therefore currently “slightly decreasing.” This partially explains why “prices have not increased” during this period. But it is also a matter of tradition at BlaBlaCar, according to its general manager.

In 2025, Blablacar recorded 150 million bookings, therefore 150 million passengers worldwide, including nearly 20 million in France.