Customers of ride-hailing platform Lyft can start earning between 6 per cent and 8 per cent ¡®Lyft Cash¡¯ on business rides from 4 August, which can be used on future personal or work journeys.

To take advantage of the Lyft Business Rewards Program, users must be invited to join their company¡¯s Business Profiles travel programme and link to it in their app.

Customers will then automatically start earning 6 per cent back on everyday work rides and 8 per cent on premium rides, airport trips and scheduled rides from 4 August. The Lyft Cash will appear in users¡¯ accounts and must be used within 60 days of earning.

The development was announced by Lyft today at the Global Business Travel Association's annual convention in Denver, with Buck Poropatich, VP of Lyft Business, calling it "rich rewards with no strings attached".

Poropatich said the company's corporate programme was "healthy" and that "there is strong conviction that this is the moment to invest". He added: "If you¡¯re a true regular business traveller, we¡¯ve taken the choice off the table ¨C take these rewards and there's no conditions attached."

Customers can also link their accounts to the Hilton Honors and Alaska Mileage Plan loyalty programmes to earn additional points or miles.

Lyft business users can currently earn 3 per cent ¡®Lyft Cash¡¯ on work rides - after exceeding $200 in spending on rides ¨C with no expiration on the credit earned.

¡°We know business travel isn't always fun or easy. Early morning flights, long days, time away from family ¨C it comes with the territory. But at least now, those necessary trips are working a little harder,¡± said the company in a statement.

US-based Lyft announced its ¡°most significant expansion outside North America¡± in April with the planned acquisition of Germany¡¯s FreeNow ¨C which operates across Europe ¨C in a deal expected to close later this year and worth €175 million.

The combined businesses will serve more than 50 million passengers across Europe and North America.