Here’s how to save money and time when taking an Uber from the airport.
Recently I priced an Uber ride from Los Angeles airport (LAX) to a business about four miles away; UberX came in at $35 and UberBlack, $41.
At LAX, Uber, Lyft, and taxi riders are required to walk or take a shuttle to a lot near the airport (LAX-IT) to hail a ride.
It’s usually very crowded in the lot. The last time I was there I had to wait over 30 minutes for a Lyft.
As my plane had landed late, I really didn’t want to be further delayed by waiting in a line. So I moved the pick-up spot to the Hyatt Regency, an airport hotel that is practically next door to LAX-IT.
The UberX price quote dropped to $8, in large part because no airport surcharge was levied.
The Hyatt Regency offers a free airport shuttle. So instead of walking or taking the shuttle to LAX-IT, I hopped on the Hyatt Regency shuttle. Once at the hotel, I hailed my Uber ride (which picked me up in less than five minutes from when I booked it).
I haven’t yet tried this at other airports, but I can’t see a reason why it wouldn’t work there, too!
Twist’s Take: Next time you need to pick up a rideshare at an airport, compare the anticipated wait time and cost to hailing your ride from a nearby hotel with a free airport shuttle.