You would think scheduling an airport ride in advance via Uber is the responsible, stress-free way to travel, especially with your family in tow. Lock in a car type, set the time, and breathe easy, right? Wrong. After yet another last-minute cancellation at the exact moment the driver was supposed to arrive, I finally gave up. I no longer schedule rides ahead of time. Not only do they cost more, they are just not reliable.
And apparently, I am not the only one frustrated by this.
A recent thread on Threads (embedded below) was full of travelers sharing almost identical experiences with scheduled rides, especially Uber airport pickups. Reading through it made my blood boil and made me realize it is not the Uber drivers’ fault. It is Uber’s. Drivers cancel, passengers get charged, and the promised “peace of mind” never shows up.
View on Threads
One person shared that a driver canceled and they were charged $9. Then the next driver asked them to cancel, which triggered yet another fee. Others said drivers often call to ask where the trip is going and cancel if it crosses state lines, like from New Jersey to New York. Even “reserved” rides do not seem immune. One commenter summed it up perfectly: “I will never rely on Uber for an airport ride again.” I hear that.
Another traveler described their standby airport pickup turning into a joke. The driver was supposedly ready yet stayed 40 minutes away, and even after waiting still was not close. They canceled, called another ride, and got picked up within five minutes. That was the moment they decided to stop scheduling ahead.
Some travelers shared even worse stories. One family in Sydney had five Uber cancellations in a row for a scheduled airport ride. They said it felt like the scheduling system exists just to keep passengers waiting until a driver might accept. That is infuriating and stressful when you are racing to catch a flight.
Even drivers weighed in. Scheduled rides can be tricky for them too. They must arrive early and wait, often looping around busy pickup zones. If they go offline or accept another ride, the system automatically cancels the scheduled trip. The “guarantee” passengers think they are paying for does not really exist.
Add in extra scheduling fees, often $10 to $20, and it starts to feel like a bad deal. You pay more, wait longer, and still risk being stranded.
Some travelers now stick to traditional car services for important trips. Yes, they cost more, but as one commenter said: “The cost of missing an important connection is incalculable.”
After reading hundreds of similar stories and living through a few myself, I have changed my travel habits. If I really need a ride, I will book a more reliable car service like Blacklane (a former sponsor). If that is too expensive, I check Uber and Lyft the day before my trip, around the same time I plan on departing, to see what traffic is like and what the cost will be. Then I request rides when I am ready. I will also use a taxi if I feel the rideshare companies are overcharging or if the wait is too long.
Judging by the thousands of likes, replies, and shared frustrations in that thread, I am clearly not alone. How about you? What’s been your experience scheduling an Uber or Lyft?
I canceled a ride immediately after booking when I saw that traffic would not permit the driver to get to me in a timely fashion. The driver refused to accept the cancellation, and Uber charged me that exorbitant cancellation fee. Nowadays, there are much better local apps in popular foreign destinations, such as Grab in Thailand (your best bet for airport transfer), and Didi in Mexico.
Thanks for sharing. Uber should’ve refunded you and great tip on local apps. I forgot to add those in
I guess I have been a lucky one, but I only schedule from my house to the airport and they have always been there bright and early and on time. I do not schedule pick ups from the Atlanta airport, because they put the right share lot a good 10 mile walk from the terminal and it’s easier to hop in a taxi.
I schedule Uber in advance to the airport. it’s mostly early in the morning and I have never had them cancel or even be late. i always order at least 30mins extra, so if the Uber didn’t woek out I would just order one then or drive myself. on the arrival back at lax I just go to tge Uber stand and order one on the app then. they always arrive within a few mins. taxis are right there as a backup. I do use black car service if it is my wife and i.
I thought you used Blackstone car service?
I used to use Blacklane when I had more $ and credits
Several years ago I learned this lesson. I watched the driver go up and down the main street that my street ran off of many times, apparently killing time. They never turned onto my street so I was forced to cancel. The next driver told me that they would rather take the cancellation fee & avoid the drive to the airport. I challenged the cancellation fee with Uber and it was refunded after they watched her drive around & around in circles for 20 minutes.
I quit scheduling and I book a ride about 30 minutes before I need to go. This works much better. I do the same at the airport… booking the ride when I approach the Uber area.
Yellow Cab has never canceled on me. I like getting to know specific cab drivers, and that I can count on them to show up, even at zero dark thirty.
I never scheduled a ride because I ASSUMED it would happen. I assumed there would be a handful of unreliable drivers, just like everything else in this world. When this type of event (the interactions with careless, non caring employees) happens across every company you interact with, it’s not hard to figure out it would happen with Uber and Lift drivers, and the likelihood is probably even greater. No thank you.
I just use Lyft.