Airports

by Harry Campbell on August 4, 2017 8 Comments

How to Make the Most of Your Time at the Airport

In addition to being long drives that usually take you out of the city, airport rides can be plain boring. All that waiting in line, waiting for your passenger to find you – it’s enough to make some drivers swear off airport rides. Not so with Dean! Today, guest post contributor Dean Lee shares his strategies on making the most out of airport rides. Got a great guest post idea? Click here to contact me.

You know the experience. Pick up a ride request early in the morning or early evening and head to the airport. After you drop off your ride, you decide to jump in line at the designated holding area to wait for arrivals.

Or perhaps you just start your day or evening at the airport waiting for a request. Yep, it’s great. Simple, right? Get in line and wait for that ping. And wait… and wait… and wait.

Airports can be a great source of rides that generally pay out better than other rides. That said, does it make sense to wait one, two or three hours for the next ride request? What are you missing out on driving elsewhere during this time? Is this the most effective use of your time? In some cities, Uber is bypassing the line in favor of pre-match and re-match.

However, when you are riding the airport wave, it pays to be smart about using airports by doing some simple homework. Know your market, understand traveler habits, and ride the waves of opportunity.

Before we get to the how, let’s look at the basics.

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by Curtis Preston on June 26, 2017 60 Comments

Uber Testing Airport Pre-Match and Re-Match

Harry here. Have you noticed airport queues getting longer? If so, it may be because pre-match and re-match have come to your city. Today, RSG contributor Curtis Preston explains what this program is, how it works, and how it will affect drivers if and when it arrives in your city.

In some cities, airport First In First Out (FIFO) queues are taking much longer than they used to. If you’ve been wondering why, it’s because Uber and Lyft are both testing some new programs that have to do with airport pickups. Uber calls it pre-match and re-match and, depending on how you look at things, these features make airport pickups better or worse. However, whether you like the features or not, you are definitely going to want to alter your airport strategy once they come to your city.

As we know, Uber recently launched ‘180 days of change’, and while the first chapter focused on earnings, Uber says there are many more improvements to come. This could be one of them, since we noticed that Uber was testing a cancellation timer, which it eventually rolled out to all drivers. If you see any new features being tested, please let us know so we can look into it!

If you need a refresher on how airport queues work, please read this airport guide for drivers.

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by Bill Tesauro on August 12, 2016 27 Comments

An Airport Guide For Uber and Lyft Drivers

Harry here. After the party hours, airport runs can be some of the most lucrative for drivers. Today, RSG contributor Bill Tesauro breaks down how and where to find these rides AND shares a handy spreadsheet that lists the rules and regulations for all the top airports in the country.

Ask an Uber driver where the easiest money is, and a lot of them will say “at the airports.” Airport runs are predictable. Business travelers depart early in the week on Monday afternoons or Tuesday morning and arrive home Thursday afternoons or Friday mornings like clockwork. And the best part for some is that you don’t have to deal with drunks.

From the rider perspective, getting an Uber or Lyft from the airport is more convenient than ever! The plane lands, you flip off airplane mode, grab overhead bin bags, exit to the luggage carousel, and order an Uber while waiting.

For drivers looking beyond our hands on the wheel at 10 & 2, it’s a bit more complicated though. Stories abound of being stopped, detained, and fined, then cars impounded due to local airport servicing being off limits unbeknownst to drivers of course. LAX / ATL / DTW / EWR / ORD have all experienced their fair share of growing pains related to legislative battles with Uber & Lyft and now we have a confusing web of policies that vary by city and airport.

So let’s delve into a few airport rules and regulations that’ll keep you on the right side of the law.

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by Christian Perea on January 20, 2016 7 Comments

Uber Finally Arrives at LAX (But After Lyft Gets There First)

Harry here. Starting Thursday, Uber will finally be allowed to pick up at LAX! Today, however, RSG contributor Christian Perea tells us what drivers in LA can expect and shares some information for drivers in other cities too. It’s only a matter of time before airport pick-ups are live in every airport across the country, but it’s not as simple as going to the airport and getting a ride. We’ll break down exactly what you need to know and share some strategies for maximizing your income in this post!

If you’re a passenger in need of a ride at LAX, head to the upper departures level and request a ride from your Uber app. You’ll be prompted for the terminal and door number and your driver will meet you there. If you’d like $15 off your first ride, please click here to sign up.

Uber Finally Arrives at LAX (But After Lyft Gets There First)

Uber pickups are finally live at LAX, although Lyft beat them to the punch over the holidays, so it seems the battle for LAX is finally over. You don’t have to hug your passengers anymore when you pretend you are picking up your “family” from the terminal! [Read more…]

by Harry Campbell on September 24, 2014 78 Comments

How To Get An Uber Airport Ride At LAX

Update (12/22/15): Lyft has now been approved for pick-ups at LAX! Click here to sign up and get $50 in free credit!!!

Update (7/20/15): Uber and Lyft have now been approved for drop-offs AND pick-ups but the authorities have indicated that pick-ups may not be available until September! So in the mean time, we still recommend that you take a hotel or rental car shuttle off airport grounds and request a ride there. Some shuttles say no Lyft/Uber pax but try the Free Airport C Lot Shuttle which drops you off at the C Lot Depot (next to the cell phone waiting area).

If you’re a new Uber passenger, you can get $20 off your first ride. And don’t forget about Lyft, Lyft tends to surge way less than Uber during peak times and they will also give you $20 off your first ride!

Over the last few months, we’ve seen a lot of progress when it comes to government acceptance of TNC’s like Lyft and Uber. But one area in which there hasn’t been much progress is at the airport. At stake is the costly $4-$5 tariff that airport authorities receive each time a taxi comes in and out. I have no idea who gets this money or why they get it but if I had to take a guess it’s probably someone who doesn’t deserve it.

As it stands now, you are allowed to drop off passengers at the airports with Uber or Lyft, but the government regulators have said no to pick-ups unless you have a TCP license. Despite government disapproval, Lyft’s public stance has always been that airport pick-ups are ok by them. So if you pick up a Lyft passenger from the airport you run the risk of being impounded by the cops (however minute this risk may be) but Lyft’s got your back! [Read more…]