The traffic situation at the Los Angeles International Airport has long been an issue, but it’s
only become worse due to the increased popularity of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.
However, LAX has implemented a new process that seems to be working.
And this same process will likely be used at other busy airports and venues in the near
future.
Hey, how’s it going everyone?
It’s Ernest from Trip Astute.
In this video, I’m going to cover the new process for getting an Uber, Lyft, or taxi
ride at LAX, as well as some tips in case you happen to be visiting the city.
Let’s be honest -- traveling through LAX is an absolute nightmare when it comes to
traffic.
It’s taken about an hour in the past to get a ride from the airport since drivers
get stuck in the loop that serves all nine terminals.
In fact, even when I’ve picked up Fiona from the airport, it’s taken me close to
an hour to get through the loop, which is insane.
So, it wasn’t a total surprise to hear that the Los Angeles International Airport implemented
a new approach for Uber, Lyft, and taxi pick-ups.
In fact, the new process was actually piloted at the Portland International Airport earlier
this year.
So, if you’ve traveled through Portland and requested an Uber at the airport, you
might have already experienced this new process.
The initial implementation at LAX was bumpy though.
There were a lot of complaints from travelers who had to wait for extended periods of time.
However, it looks like the ride-sharing companies and airport officials have managed to figure
it out.
And I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if this process becomes the standard model at
other airports and venues with similar congestion problems.
Maybe even at an airport near you!
Which is why I thought I would do an entire video on it.
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For those of you who are familiar with calling an Uber or Lyft ride at the airport, you’re
probably used to timing the call so that you’re minimizing the amount of time that you’re
waiting for a driver.
In fact, Fiona and I argue about this all the time because she prefers to request the
ride as we’re walking off the plane, while I prefer to do it when we’re closer to the
airport exit.
I think I’m paranoid of getting a low rating as a passenger in the event that my driver
gets there before me.
But with this new process, it doesn’t really matter since you’re not actually reserving
a driver when you do it.
So, let me run through the process of booking an Uber at LAX.
This process should work for Lyft as well, but for the sake of simplicity, I’ll show
you how I did it on my Uber app.
To start off, you can’t request a ride-sharing pick-up in the departures or arrivals loop
like you could before.
Pick-ups now occur in a special lot next to terminal 1.
To get there, you’ll want to follow the signs to LAXit, which is what the new pick-up
area is called.
You’ll jump on the shuttle, which will then take you to the LAXit lot.
Keep in mind that it’s not just Uber and Lyft that are using the lot, but also taxi
companies.
So, if you prefer to use a taxi, then you’ll still want to go to the LAXit lot.
Though to be honest, I think you’re better off taking an Uber or Lyft ride.
You’ll not only pay less, but you won’t have to exchange money with the driver since
the transaction takes place in the app.
The rest of the process is mostly the same as a normal ride.
The big difference is that instead of matching your ride with a driver, you’re provided
a code instead.
Depending on the service that you use, you’ll go to the appropriate line.
You basically follow the signs to the service provider that you use.
You’ll then be paired with the next available driver, who will then ask you for your PIN
before you enter the vehicle.
The driver can still deny you a ride based on your destination or rating, so keep that
in mind.
Though if you are denied, then you can try another driver to see if they’ll take you.
And that’s it.
It’s not that big of a difference, but I can see how travelers might be confused especially
since everything is so fast-paced once you get to the lot.
The key takeaways for me were that you’re essentially getting the next available driver
instead of a specific driver that is matched to your request.
This means that you’re not at the mercy of your driver canceling the ride at the last
minute, which happens often when there is a lot of traffic.
On the flip side, it means that a driver could deny your ride, which might be an issue if
you’re traveling somewhere extremely far from the airport.
Also, you don’t have to request your ride as soon as you land.
In fact, you can do it anytime before you meet a driver, even while you’re waiting
in line.
I have a feeling that they are going to use this exact same system for other airports
and venues.
For example, I tried getting a ride home from the Hollywood Bowl a few months ago, and had
about five different drivers cancel on me since the area is so congested.
I think making it “first come first served” in these types of situations is a win for
riders.
So, hopefully, a similar set-up is in the works for venues where there are huge surges
of riders … at least I hope they are planning to do it!
I’ve vowed never to take an Uber to the Hollywood Bowl or Dodger Stadium ever again,
so I’m hoping they extend the service to other locations.
Finally, I want to share a few tips to keep in mind when getting a ride at LAX.
1.
LAXit only applies to pick-ups: If you’re planning to get a ride to the airport, then
you can still be dropped off at the terminal of your choice.
The LAXit program only affects pick-ups departing the airport.
2.
Compare prices: You’ll want to check the prices between Uber and Lyft when requesting
rides.
I do this all the time whenever I ride anywhere since the difference can be substantial, especially
during peak times.
Depending on the supply of drivers and demand of riders, the service can enter “surge”
or “prime time” pricing, which means that you could be charged extra for your trip.
It pays to check both services to compare prices.
On that note, 3.
Familiarize yourself with the general rate: It helps to know the general price for a ride
from the airport to your destination.
I recommend checking the rates for both Uber and Lyft in advance using their websites.
The Uber fare estimator gives you the estimated rate and also lets you enter the day and time
that you are traveling.
It relies on historical data to give you the estimated rate.
Lyft, on the other hand, doesn’t let you specify the time or date of travel, but instead
gives you an estimated range.
You can find both of these pages by searching for Uber or Lyft fare estimator.
Though I’ll also include a link in the video description.
Also, I tried a few websites that are designed to give you estimated prices for both with
one search, but couldn’t seem to find one without issues.
So I recommend checking the fares directly on the ride-sharing service sites.
4.
Use other transportation options: If you’re seeing high prices or a high volume of travelers,
like during a holiday, you might consider taking other transportation options to get
you away from the airport before relying on ride-sharing services.
LAX, for example, has a bus service that can transport you to one of four locations in
the greater LA area.
At the time of this video, the fare ranges from $8 to $10, which is an excellent deal.
Once you arrive at the Flyaway bus station, you can get an Uber or Lyft ride which should
be cheaper if it’s closer to your destination.
Also, in the past, there was a trick that a lot of Los Angeles travelers would use to
bypass the airport traffic.
This involved taking hotel, car rental, and parking lot shuttles to get away from the
airport terminals.
In fact, a lot of people would use the Parking Spot Sepulveda lot shuttle to get to In-n-Out
Burger, then get a shuttle ride back to the airport.
I don’t think that this trick still works.
The parking lot shuttles now require that you show your parking reservation ticket when
entering the shuttle.
Using the hotel and rental car shuttles probably works, but it’s hard to say.
Though if you’re adventurous, it might be worth trying the hotel shuttles to get away
from the airport and arrange your Uber or Lyft ride from there.
Finally, 5.
Use a rewards card: Most of you probably know this already, but some credit cards classify
ride-sharing services as travel.
This includes Chase cards like the Sapphire Preferred and Reserve.
The American Express Platinum offers a monthly Uber credit.
And the US Bank Cash Plus also classifies Lyft and Uber as ground transportation, which
is one of the select 5% bonus categories.
If you’re someone who uses ride-sharing services often, then it might be worth getting
a card that can reward you for it.
Have you used the new ride-sharing process at LAX?
If so, what has been your experience?
If you’re new to ride-sharing apps and are looking for some additional Uber tips when
traveling, check out our video on the topic.
It should help you with learning how to use the service.
And if you need a discount code for your first Uber or Lyft ride, you can use our referral
codes and links in the video description or on our website.
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