Uber as an airport shuttle?

Anyone ever use Uber to get to and from the airport? Based on my preliminary research, it seems like it will be similar in cost (maybe cheaper) than paying for parking for longer trips. Is there any drawback I am not seeing? I've always just driven to the airport (a substantial drive) and left my car. It never occurred to me until recently to hire a ride.

I did consider the potentially sketchiness of some random Uber X contractor knowing you might be away from your house for a while, but I could always meet the car at the end of my street or something.

I've done it before, scheduled a pickup. But I wouldn't do it at my current home (single family vs. apartment).

I typically get a limo. They're almost always cheaper than a taxi, and usually close enough to the uber. When I priced it out, it was $35 for the uber and $42 for the limo before tip. Parking at O'Hare is in the $7 to $20 a day range depending on the length of stay.

It depends on how far the airport is!

My closest major airport is 68 miles one way. Airport taxi services charge $120 for that one-way trip last time I checked. I can park in a nice, covered garage for $12/day at the airport, though.

I'm about 30 miles from the airport, so it seems like taking an Uber X to and from the airport would save me a total of about ten bucks compared to parking there for the duration of the trip I was planning. Plus, no issues of finding a parking spot, etc etc. I just wonder if it is really as convenient as it seems and I'd hate to plan on using it only to discover nobody is working at 5am on a Sunday when I would use it.

mtn wrote: I've done it before, scheduled a pickup. But I wouldn't do it at my current home (single family vs. apartment). I typically get a limo. They're almost always cheaper than a taxi, and usually close enough to the uber. When I priced it out, it was $35 for the uber and $42 for the limo before tip. Parking at O'Hare is in the $7 to $20 a day range depending on the length of stay.

For us, a limo is cheaper that a week of parking.

And I'm not leaving my car at some off site parking that takes another hour to deal with pre and post flight. I want to get there and I want to leave.

If you are concerned about the security of ride sharing, call a taxi- I'd bet there are a number of taxis that specialize in going to the airport.

alfadriver wrote:

mtn wrote: I've done it before, scheduled a pickup. But I wouldn't do it at my current home (single family vs. apartment). I typically get a limo. They're almost always cheaper than a taxi, and usually close enough to the uber. When I priced it out, it was $35 for the uber and $42 for the limo before tip. Parking at O'Hare is in the $7 to $20 a day range depending on the length of stay.

For us, a limo is cheaper that a week of parking. And I'm not leaving my car at some off site parking that takes another hour to deal with pre and post flight. I want to get there and I want to leave. If you are concerned about the security of ride sharing, call a taxi- I'd bet there are a number of taxis that specialize in going to the airport.

The Limo almost always works out to be cheaper after tolls and parking.

The uber, I just don't trust the drivers enough if they know I'll be gone for a week. That same concern is there for parking your car at the airport.

WilD wrote: I'm about 30 miles from the airport, so it seems like taking an Uber X to and from the airport would save me a total of about ten bucks compared to parking there for the duration of the trip I was planning. Plus, no issues of finding a parking spot, etc etc. I just wonder if it is really as convenient as it seems and I'd hate to plan on using it only to discover nobody is working at 5am on a Sunday when I would use it.

Schedule the ride in advance.

Airports have still not fully embraced Uber…even super progressive San Francisco jerks them around by restricting them to just the departure level. It’s like how Barney Fifth was only allowed one bullet LOL.

In my case, shuttle services (Primetime, Roadrunner, etc.) are a problem as I live ~1/2 mile outside of Los Angeles in Ventura and on multiple occasions, they’re sworn up and down the shuttle was for Ventura but was really for Los Angeles which means I’m the last person off; Goodbye an hour of my life.

Unless my trip is over a week, I prefer to go old-school and just park in long term at the airport. Yes, you’ve got all the efficiency losses associated with batching (big bus – big lot) but, the moment your fanny hits your car seat, you’re in total control; nice.

In Las Vegas (and several other cities to which I've traveled) they moved all of the rental-car services to an off-airport building. Last time I needed to do this, I took a city bus to the rental-car building and rode the free shuttle to the airport. I've moved since, so if I had to do it again, I'd take an Uber to the rental-car site and take the free shuttle to the terminal. Sure, it's an additional step, but it saves a lot of hassle.

mtn wrote: The uber, I just don't trust the drivers enough if they know I'll be gone for a week. That same concern is there for parking your car at the airport.

How do they know you'll be gone for a week? You don't show them your itinerary, do you? All they know is you went to the airport, they don't know who lives with you, they don't know what flight you took, for all they know you're just flying 200 miles for am afternoon meeting and will be back at 5PM.

mtn said: Schedule the ride in advance.

I don't think you can do that with Uber, at least I don't see that option. I am with you on the general mistrust. I was going to circumvent that by meeting the uber at the end of my street like weirdo.

Lots of people like to meet ubers off site, it wouldn't be that weird. As for airport, I dunno, I like to just park and leave it there. I'm already anxious enough about getting there on time, I don't really want to fight with a driver who insists that taking 95 north at 5pm is the best way to go because the GPS told him so.