How to Avoid Uber’s Surge Pricing

Uber, and other rideshare services, have filled a much needed space in the transportation market. Whether you are planning a trip, need a ride to work, or find yourself stranded after a night out, Uber is a quick and effective way to get from point a to point b. Further, with RideGuru’s Fare Estimate and Comparison Calculator as well as Uber’s own upfront pricing you can usually budget for your trip in advance by knowing exactly what you’ll be paying.

While the above benefits of Uber are all great, there is one caveat, surge pricing! Unfortunately, every now and again you may hit surge pricing on your trip and pay a lot more than expected. We are here to tell you the three ways you can lock in Uber prices in advance to avoid surge pricing!

There are three simple ways to lock in your Uber price ahead of time.

1. Schedule a Ride

If you know your trips details in advance, we recommend scheduling your Uber ride. While this doesn’t guarantee your Uber ride, it does guarantee the price you are quoted during the reservation process. You can use this method to schedule a ride from one hour in advance to 30 days, so unless you find yourself needing a ride immediately, this method should usually work. Another benefit is that Uber allows you to cancel your scheduled rides at any point with no cancellation fee, as long as you haven't been matched with a driver en route yet! Keep in mind that Uber currently only allows you to schedule rides in advance for UberX, UberXL, Black, and SUV.

2. Achieve Platinum Status on Uber Rewards

If you are an active Uber user and use the service frequently, we recommend opting into Uber Rewards. Once you reach 2,500 points (points are collected by taking Uber rides), you are placed in the Platinum Level which includes “price protection”. Price protection allows you to keep the same low price on your two most frequented routes even when surge pricing is in effect. This method is great for Uber riders who use the service to commute to and from work every day.

3. Buy an Uber Ride Pass

If you are not using Uber for set daily routes, the Uber Ride Pass would be a great option for you! The Uber Ride Pass is Uber’s subscription service that guarantees price protection on ALL UberX rides, not just your most frequent routes. The downside to the Uber Ride Pass is it does cost $24.99 per month, so you will want to do some math to see if this upfront cost will offset any potential surge prices for your trips. Another big perk of the Uber Ride Pass is it does give you up to 20% off every ride in your home city.

Hopefully, these tips help you to avoid surge pricing the next time you take an Uber but if you are still stuck, try walking a couple blocks over or waiting 5 minutes to see if you can get out of the surge zone! Good luck!

Looking to save further on your Uber ride? Check out these Uber code promotions.