Uber Reserve has been around since 2020, allowing riders to schedule rides up to 90 days in advance. We first used the service in 2023 and had an acceptable ride, but it wasn’t going to transform the way we travel to the airport. On a recent trip, I decided to try it again for an early morning airport ride. While the core functionality remains the same, I did notice some differences compared to our previous experience.
The Challenges of Traveling to the Airport
Getting to the airport can be one of the most stressful parts of any trip. Timing is crucial—leave too early, and you’re stuck waiting at the terminal; leave too late, and you risk missing your flight. Traffic, road closures, and last-minute delays can add to the uncertainty.
Public transportation is an option in some cities, but it may not always be reliable, especially for early morning or late-night flights. Even taxis and ride-sharing apps can be unpredictable, as availability varies depending on demand. Private car services offer another alternative, but they can be expensive and sometimes come with their own reliability issues.
With all these factors in mind, scheduling a ride in advance with Uber Reserve seemed like a convenient solution. Here’s my experience from my most recent ride.
How Uber Reserve Works
Uber Reserve allows users to schedule a ride up to 90 days in advance, with the option to request rides at least 15-30 minutes in advance depending on the city. To book an Uber Reserve ride:
- Select the Reserve icon on the app’s home screen.
- Enter your pickup and dropoff location, then select your pickup time.
- Select Confirm.
- Choose your vehicle option on the product selector screen, then select Reserve.
- Once you confirm those details, select the Reserve icon on the home screen and see the Upcoming trips section to view or update your reservation.
Booking My Ride
For my 7:00 AM pickup, I opened the Uber app the night before and entered the trip details. I noticed a new option called “Auto Rematch,” which, according to Uber, matches you with a new driver if your assigned driver will be late due to slow progress. This is one of the positive changes from my first experience using Uber Reserve.
After selecting my ride, I received a confirmation email. The cancellation rules remain unchanged.
Additionally, a reservation can be canceled at no charge if the driver is expected to be more than 10 minutes late once they start heading toward the pickup location.
The Ride Experience
I was curious to see if Uber Reserve would work as smoothly as before. I’m happy to say that I had a pleasant experience. I went down to the lobby of my hotel 10 minutes before 7:00 to check out of my room and grab a cup of coffee. I opened the Uber app and saw that my driver was already headed to the hotel to pick me up.
In fact, my ride arrived early. This isn’t a problem—you have the option to leave early or wait until your scheduled time. However, you do need to be on time, as there is a limited grace period before incurring a fee.
Drivers will arrive a few minutes early for your pickup and will wait:
- Up to 5 minutes after the scheduled pickup for UberX, UberXL, and Comfort trips.
- Up to 15 minutes for Black, Black SUV, and Premier trips.
We left a few minutes early and were on our way to the airport, arriving almost exactly at the scheduled time.
Extra Fees and Pricing Concerns
With Uber Reserve, the price is locked in when you make your reservation. This can be either a good or a bad thing. In this case, the price I booked the night before was less than what Lyft was charging for the same ride if I booked that morning. Uber also adds a “Reserve Premium” when using Uber Reserve. For this ride, this was an additional $3.17.
Is Uber Reserve Still Worth It?
Uber Reserve delivered on its promise—my driver arrived near the scheduled time, and I didn’t have to worry about finding a ride. Uber has improved the product somewhat by adding the Auto Rematch option. The fee for reserving a ride was also lower than the last time I used the service.
However, with the added cost of a reservation fee and locked-in pricing, I’m not convinced that Uber Reserve is always the best choice. But for a reasonable upcharge, I’m more willing to pay a few extra bucks for one less thing to worry about on my trips.
Have you used Uber Reserve recently? Have you noticed any changes in how it works? Let us know in the comments!
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
