Uber Pricing: Comparing the Costs of Different Uber Options

by joeheg

When we were in St. Paul, Minnesota and needed a ride to the airport, I compared prices on Uber and Lyft. We don’t have a preference for one platform over the other as we find that drivers from both platforms are of the same quality. In fact, many drivers work for both platforms, so there’s little difference between the two. For my first ride, I will use Uber since I need to use the credit from my AMEX Platinum card. After that, I prefer to use Lyft because of the bonus points I get when using my Chase Sapphire Reserve card and additional Bilt points with Lyft.

For an early morning ride, the prices on Uber were lower than those on Lyft (which is an unusual occurrence). But even more surprising was the price difference between options with Uber.

a screenshot of a phone

Uber X

We don’t ever pick a ride-share option, so the least expensive option for us is usually Uber X. Here we’ll get a ride to where we’re going. We’ve had rides in everything from a Toyota Corolla, Jeep Wrangler or Chevy Tahoe. It all depends on who accepts your ride when it hits the system.

Select UberX for your everyday needs, whether that’s to run an errand or to go to the airport, home, or anywhere in between.

There are also other, more expensive, options:

Uber Comfort

If we want a bit more room,  we could select Uber Comfort.  Occasionally we’ll pick this option if it’s a shorter wait for a ride even if it costs a few more dollars. It’s also helpful if we’re going on a longer ride.

Uber Comfort gives you newer vehicles with proper legroom and highly rated, experienced drivers.

While there are other options, like Uber Black which occasionally can be the same price as other options, I saw a new option on our most recent trip. I’m not sure how new this choice is but I found it interesting.

Uber Green

This is Uber’s environmentally friendly option which links you to hybrid or electric vehicles.

Uber Green is a low-emission ride option that connects you with hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Pricing Differences

The most surprising thing when picking a car for a ride to the airport was that Uber Green was the cheapest option at $35.54. Even UberX was more expensive at $44.54 and I could receive the same vehicle with that option.

Of course, I chose Uber Green and we received a ride to the airport in a Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

Final Thought

There have been times when we’ve booked a ride with Uber Black when it’s been only a few more dollars than Uber X. It’s not because we’re trying to be extra but I’ll spend a little more if it means a better experience. Now, I’m also going to be willing to book a ride in a hybrid or EV with Uber Green if it’s less expensive than Uber X. Besides being good for the environment, we’re more likely to get a newer vehicle with Uber Green than we would with Uber X.

Cover Image by Josh from Pixabay

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1 comment

DC not in DC November 16, 2023 - 2:37 pm

Hybrid, plug-in Hybrid, and electric are also cheaper on car rentals. This Saturday with Budget my “Eco” option saved me 30% and I will also save on gas.

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