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Here is everything you need to know before you take an Uber from the airport. Depending on which airport you are arriving at, Uber or Lyft may not be available, so it is always smart to check beforehand.
We will walk you through all the ways you can check to find your rideshare options, find the designated airport pickup spot, request the ride, and successfully complete your trip. Happy riding!
1) Rideshare Choices: Check which rideshare options are available
Use RideGuru's Calculator or check this article: "What Rideshares are Available at Airports." This will tell you whether or not you have the option of taking an Uber or Lyft.
2) Designated Pickup Areas: Look for the Pickup Spot
Many larger airports now have designated pickup areas for rideshares. They are labeled as "TNC/Rideshares" and usually are near the baggage claims, on the arrival floor, and near "Ground Transportation" signs.
If you do not see such signs, follow the signs to Ground Transportation or look in your Uber App upon arrival at the airport. They often display instructions on where to go.
3) Requesting a Ride: Wait until pickup spot to call a driver
You should wait until you have arrived at the pickup areas (or curbside) before requesting a ride. The waiting time at airports are usually under 5 minutes, as drivers are often nearby or waiting in a designated queue.
Most airports usually have drivers readily available at all hours of the day, even late into the night or early in the morning. Wait to request your ride to make sure you do not get charged a wait fee, or have to walk to a different location to meet your driver.
4) Vehicle Information: Look your driver up in the app
Once you have requested the ride and you have been matched up with a driver, look for the following information to help you identify your driver.
This information will help you identify the car as it approaches. Keep an eye out, as there will be many similar cars picking up passengers in the same area.
5) Drivers: Contact your driver
Try messaging or calling the driver with information such as:
RIDEGURU
Comments
I think the lack of info about how to use Uber at airports has held a lot of older potential customers from trying rideshare. Is Uber at the airport I'm going to? Which Uber service should I use? Can I schedule my ride? Where do I go to get the ride? All those basic questions are barely acknowledged by Uber or airports.
It's also not always easy to request the correct Uber ride type when you have a big group, luggage, or oddly-shaped items. And what do you do when the car that shows up isnt big enough? I wrote up an article that goes over how to select the right type of ride for airport trips: Using Uber at the airport. To briefly summarize it, if you have more than 2 people or more than 2 large pieces of luggage, get an XL. And be careful about the 'SUV' service. It's actually a much, much more expensive ride than UberX and XL, but is confusingly named.
I will admit, I can never keep UberSUV and UberXL separate. I get the UberBlack and UberX. That's easy. but SUV and XL? Come on. Call UberSUV a UberBlackXL or UberBlackSUV. UberXL is...UberXXL? No, wait.
What is the advice when you are in a foreign country and don't arrive with a working SIM card for mobile data? What are the tricks to using free wifi as you exit the airport terminal?
The reason Man and Van services are considered a necessity is that whether you are moving to a new country or a new locality, there are certain common factors that make moving hard.
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