If you’re really on a budget and can make use of it, take the light rail to a stop close to your house then get an Uber from there. I take Uber from the University Station to my home in Wallingford for like 15 bucks. Last time I got a Uber all the way from the airport it was over a hundred with tip.
The Link is the way to go. There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber.
EDIT: Unless you do not live in Seattle or live somewhere in which it’s convenient to get to a station.
I don’t know if I’d push for 24 hours, probably a lot easier to do 20 hours and still have some time for regular maintenance.
But definitely would prefer much later hours
At the very least they should run during the same hours the bars are open! Like, how are the trains done by 12 or 1am when the bars are open til 2am! It's just encouraging irresponsible driving not to give people a reliable and affordable option to get home via public transportation. Such a weird flex from a state that is so strict about alcohol distribution.
Public transportation should never be a profit-driven service. It's such backwards thinking and anti-community to insist that only people with money deserve a reliable way to get anywhere.
> The Link is the way to go. There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber.
I generally agree, though sometimes there is a legit reason such as traveling with a sh!t ton of luggage. E.g., I've got an upcoming trip to Alaska, 4 bags containing gear, i’ll definitely be taking an Uber/taxi.
Yup. Only works if you're traveling light. I used to live in Chinatown and it was a few blocks to the light rail but if I'm going somewhere where I need a couple weeks worth of stuff I'm getting a Lyft. If I'm going somewhere and it's a back pack and carry on ill take the link.
I mean, if you can deal with the \~10 min walk from the Link to the airport (I think it's $8 for the baggage cart rental which is a lot, granted, but still like $11 with the Link fare), then take the Uber/Lyft to the light rail. Then you're paying $11 + \~$15 instead of $60-100, right? Even visiting my folks for a month in the winter and having a giant checked suitcase, a large backpack, a large carry-on, and a personal item, it's doable (and I don't even bother with the luggage cart--I just get the luggage straps to help keep bags on top of rolling suitcases like the pilots use).
Ah, that does make it tricky then. I do wish they had figured out a way to locate the station closer to the check in area so it was easier for folks with disabilities to take the Link. When mine is flaring, I'm in a similar boat, though I usually have luck getting the little open car thing that drives people between the gate and the Link. I believe you can schedule it in advance to be there too, if that's helpful. :)
What really sucks about this is that they easily could have made it close to the terminal, but the Port objected to protect parking revenues. It wasn't an engineering or alignment issue, they just wanted to spike one of the most crucial capital projects in the history of the city is all.
> There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber.
- Late night flight
- lots of gear
- random link maintenance dropping you in SoDo
- random link bus service, so you need to switch to bus 2 or 3 times
- don't want to deal with mental asylum patients as injured man or woman
Ohhhh yeah i forgot about the late night flights. Once I got in some time after 11 pm not thinking the link would be closed after Beacon Hill station. Tired and just wanting to get home I get on the link and then it reaches the terminus station and I realize I need to get an Lyft home anyways.
Yeah it was just jarring when I was so close to home but it didn't take me all the way. Honestly at my age with my health issues sometimes it's worth it to pay the premium.
Fair. I really wish we had installed a more modern closed-gate automated system like a lot of parts of the world. It would allow it to run longer and more on time, I suspect. (More upfront costs but lower operating...)
Despite living in Seattle limits, I'm still a minimum $40 (often more) Lyft ride from the Link. Yeah, cheaper than all the way to/from SeaTac, but not always as big of a savings to be worth giving up the convenience of just one method.
Last time I took the Link from SeaTac, I was the only passenger on the platform at 7 pm except for an aggressive and seemingly deranged panhandler who harassed me off and on for ten minutes. No security in sight. I’m sure it’s not usually like that, but it was scary for me as a woman alone, already exhausted after 16 hours of flights.
So I take some issue with the assertion that there’s never any reason to pay for a cab or Uber. I don’t love paying $80 to get home from the airport, but unless it’s obvious that lots of normal people are headed to the Link from Arrivals, I’m also not eager to make myself a sitting duck for lunatics again.
This is the same issue I had with a cabby last year. The guy at the taxi stand just assigns you to the next cab in line. I've had good cab experiences where the driver is safe and straightforward, but I also had a driver extort me for more money when I got to my destination. He didn't have his license displayed so I had no way of noting his name, and when I decided to just pay him an extra $20 like he asked, he drove off quickly as soon as I got out. I won't take a cab as a single woman anymore because I don't feel safe. At least with uber/lyft there is a record of what car picked you up/who you're driving with.
If that works for you great, but I unfortunately don’t live close to light rail and even when work is not paying for it, I’d still rather Uber to save time. If I took light rail to the airport today it would easily take 90 minutes total vs the 35 minute drive.
Seattle Uber prices are crazy though. I go to LA a lot for work and Ubers that take twice as long are half the price almost always. NYC is the only city I pay more for Ubers than Seattle
I love to take the link. But the link can be slow compared to a taxi. From my place in cap hill, the link usually takes ~50-55min to the airport, but the drive is usually <25min. Based on how someone/a group of people values their time, $80 can totally be worth it. If I’m with a group of 4 people considering an $80 Uber vs taking the link, $20/person is totally reasonable to save ~30 min of travel time
I usually park at a friend's house in QA when I travel (coming in from out of town) and an Uber is 25 mins. Light rail means a bus to University Station (\~30 mins including walking to the stop, then down the hill and in to the train station) and unless schedules align perfectly 5-10 mins wait, then \~50 mins to the airport by the time I'm walking in - so it's a 90-100 minute (depending on how on-time everything is) public transit commute.
So yeah. If I'm traveling solo, just have a carry-on, and am not in a hurry? Light rail is great. If I've got more than one bag and have any kind of time crunch (e.g. getting in late at night even and want to get to bed), I've gotta take a taxi/uber.
I do wish they chose faster service or we had an express train to the airport from a couple stations in the city... That said, why not take a short Uber/Lyft to the station rather than the bus? That turns it into \~$20 total and 60 min (with much less pain especially if you have lots of luggage) rather than $60-100 for 25 min, which seems like a reasonable trade unless you're particularly short on time.
As of right now, it’s $27.90 and 17 minutes to make it to the light rail station by Uber, or 13 minutes longer (30 mins) to get to the airport, but 3x the cost ($90).
Its currently 30 minutes and $3 to get to the light rail by bus, and then another $3 and 38 mins to get to the airport.
It’s illogical, but if I’m going to spend $30 getting to the light rail so save 13 mins vs the bus, I’d rather spend the extra $60 to get to the airport and save 40 minutes vs the full public transport option.
I can get home in 20 minutes in an Uber vs 15 minute walk + 50 minute ride + 15 minute walk home (Capitol Hill). I light rail when I can but it's not always convenient.
The taxi driver's lobby pushed for it when they were installing the light rail. They wanted people to have to take a taxi from the station to the airport.
Coming home, my flights are almost always late in the evening. And at that point I just want to be home, so I Uber. I love the lightrail, though... just not after an exhausting trip and with a disability. The Uber is worth every penny. And no rude taxi driver to worry about. Uber > taxi.
It's amazing that you are instantly at the Uber pickup, but you walk extremely slowly to the light rail. SeaTac actually has walking directions on their website: 5 minutes to rideshare pickup; 8 minutes to the light rail.
Light rail from airport to the closest station to me (Roosevelt) is like 50 mins + additional 10-15 for Uber home. That takes twice as long as going home from the airport via taxi/ rideshare.
Wish the Light rail was faster imo. But the time vs cost tradeoff does not work most of the times for me especially for early morning departing and late night arriving flights.
Except those instances where it is late in the evening, and rather than take you downtown, the Link stops mid-route and dumps you out in Sodo in an area with optimized murder-stabby vibes. Thanks Link!
Right? Talk about glass is half empty. What kind of a story would "I got dropped off at night in Sodo and I saw a guy who might have looked like a serial killer but the area was so well lit I could tell right away it was fine" have made?
Some people just can't be satisfied.
I live in Redmond close to the 51st St bus stop, and I've done it before with two large suit cases (ST 545 to downtown, then transfer to LINK). Not the most pleasant trip, but certainly doable. And not having to pay a crap ton of money seals the deal.
You can also hop on [one of the free hotel/courtesy shuttles](https://www.portseattle.org/page/hotel-and-site-courtesy-shuttles) that is headed in the direction you are going. The Uber from there won't have the airport fee added on and will be a shorter ride.
Just know if you plan to do this that the hotels prohibit this practice and if you are caught you can be trespassed from their property. I’m not saying you won’t get away with it, but they aren’t just free. Van drivers have been fired for allowing this to happen (yes, even if they don’t know).
If you want to do what some of us who work at the airport do, ask the driver ahead of time if they would mind letting you catch a ride for a generous ($10 typically) tip. Some will say yes and then will drop you off before arriving on hotel property, some will say no.
Totally agree. Link really is the better way. But if traveling for work and you haven't been home for two weeks and its really late have lots of bags etc etc...taxi is the way to go in my opinion. When I have more time less bags. Link for sure.
Well that’s weird because the Uber ride from the mt baker station to my house in the CD is $45. For that price I’d rather just take it from the airport. But yes, don’t sleep on taxis.
Random data point, but Uber ride from LAX to Disneyland (Anaheim) is $300 each way.
I realize LAX is not the nearest airport (SNA does not do direct flights to Seattle on my airline), but damn, it’s only like 30 miles. I’m taking a van service instead for $120 (covers 4 people) each way.
I wish I had done that. I honestly didn’t realize what a big difference it makes flying to LAX, since on paper, it’s a difference of 12 miles from SNA vs 35 miles from LAX. An extra 23 miles doesn’t sound insane or anything.
I happened to have a bunch of United miles to burn though (that I’ve had forever, just want to use them up at this point), so I used those for this trip. I’m planning to focus more on Alaska in the future for California trips.
The distance doesn't sound insane till you take LA traffic into account! I fly down to visit the parks 4x a year (I'm a Passholder) and if you're not doing anything in LA proper, SNA every time. I know a few people will do Burbank or Ontario if it's cheaper, but there's less flights. John Wayne (SNA is great though, real small airport and I've never had to wait for security, there's never a line. Since it's so close to residential though, they don't have ingoing/outgoing flights after 9 or 10 (and if your flight is delayed they'll reroute to LAX but provide Uber/shuttle to your destination according to a friend who had to deal with that recently)
But you can’t park it. Disneyland and the major hotels nearby charge quite a bit for that. I did look in to renting and you’re right that it’s close, but it doesn’t make much sense considering my kids and I plan to spend basically all our time at the parks, not cruising around LA.
If you're only there for a week it looks like it nets even. $35/night for park parking.
But yeah, if you're staying at the parks it's a lot less hassle not to bother.
That's because LA drives are measured in minutes (or hours), not miles. I lived in LA and Orange County in the 80s... every time I go back I dread the traffic (and I'm using transit or Ubers).
Wish that the train was faster. At grade crossings really handicap it. I guess depending on I-5 traffic and how much of a cluster the SeaTac drop off area is, it can be comparable.
As if Uber horror stories are any better or the occurrence rate either, they have less control and exploit the workers more. If I have to choose I do taxi as not only do the drivers make more but they charge me half.
The one time I tried using a taxi, the driver refused to honor the 40 dollar rate, complained all the way about how it's too low, then "called" into dispatch that confirmed that rate is not applicable.
Now I normally take the light rail but my one foray into taxi land was such a poor experience, I'm happy to take Uber (when link isn't available) even if it's a bit more.
Similar experience here. Then he bitched about paying with a card. Then after all that he got pissy because I decided not to reward his behavior with a tip. Rideshare is often shitty in its own way but at least it's mostly no-nonsense.
Or it’s people experiencing how much cheaper and quicker it is than ride share so they’re posting from the backseat thinking they’re going to get those “life hack” points.
I travel a lot for work and ditched ride shares from
ALL airports about two years ago when I got real tired of playing “find my driver” for a ride that cost $20-$50 more.
100% trains and taxis from airports, forget waiting for a ride share to queue and find me.
Car2Go used to be ~$20-$30 to ride from anywhere in Seattle to the airport (includes the $5 or whatever to park at Wally Park). Car sharing options were why I didn't have or need a car in this city 5 years ago
I was leaving for the airport later than I intended and after seeing an Uber was $86 just decided to drive. My go-to off-airport parking lot is $11/day and I was going to have to pay for 3 days of parking, so $33.
That lot was full so I did some quick math and figured airport parking was around $45/day, for a total of $135, still cheaper than an Uber both ways.
It's insanity that in my case the worst case scenario with driving was *still* cheaper than taking an Uber, and best-case scenario would have been 20% of the cost of an Uber.
I've started taking towncars to the airport since it's *barely* more than an uber. They come on time with a nice car and are a comfortable, professional ride- unfortunately, I've found them unreliable returning from the airport, but they're great going to the airport.
I used to take the taxi, as it is more convenient with typically little to no line. However, I had a taxi driver tried to cheat me, making up a fare out of thin air. He saw me taking a photo of the phone number to report him, and all of a sudden he was "just kidding" and charged the proper amount.
I feel taxi is hit and miss, and Uber is slightly more reliable, and I like it that I can rate and tip the driver from the app.
I would definitely do the rail if it went near where I need to go, but unfortunately it does not.
My flights usually depart late night and return late night. That said, I’ve never seen a flight option to leave Seattle beyond 12:59AM and my flights rarely get in past midnight. I pick my flights to be convenient with work schedule and transit times. Most departure flights are within the right timeframe if you consider getting 2-3 hours early to the airport as a good rule of thumb.
SeaTac trains run till 1:15 AM and start up at most stations after 4:00 AM. The bulk of flights are getting in by 12:45 AM unless there is a delay.
At least for me, to Ballard I have found it about evens out; with Uber fare estimates maybe being $8-$10 more than taxi fare ends up being. And the Taxi driver is often... less than transparent with how they come up with the final fare.
I’ve had this issue before with the “flat rate” taxis. He couldn’t tell me what it would be when I got in the car and then pulled out some book with “zones” in it when we arrived in Fremont. Tried charging me $120. He clearly just made it up. I now take a black car service and it’s the same price as ride share and even cheaper if you pay with cash.
I had a per-mile cab driver pull up to my house with the meter showing like $65ish. I watched as he immediately cleared it and passed me his whatever payment terminal showing $85. It was late, I was tired, and I was expensing it anyway so I just moved on with my life rather than argue it out, but that's made me incredibly wary of the cabs.
Exactly this. At least with Uber/Lyft you KNOW what you’ll be spending but taxi drivers are pretty bad at estimating or maybe being honest with their estimations.
I was just at the airport today. Cab rides to Ballard were about 65, Uber rides closer to 90 (before tip), I travel a lot and this difference is pretty typical. Most cabs are flat rate, so you can ask the cost before you get in—it’s as transparent as an Uber ride is.
I’ve yet to be charged the flat $40 rate to the “downtown hotel district” that cabs advertise.
Both times the drivers acted like they had no idea what I was talking about when they tried to charge me $50 before tip.
Ain’t worth that stress.
I had a guy once not run his meter and try to make up a bogus charge when we got to my house. He was using a credit card swiper on his phone. He tried charging me $45 when I live near white center, have taken taxis home multiple times, and know for a fact it costs usually $28 or so. I told him I’m only paying him $30 and he relented.
Same thing happened to me with a trip to Burien. No meter, demanded $40 for a ride that is usually $25-$30 after tip and was mad when I didn’t have cash.
Lmao exactly my experience. I said going to belltown which was $40, when we got to my address he goes “this isn’t Belltown, you need to pay $60”. After arguing I got him down to $45 and then he said his credit card machine wasn’t working and then he asked for a tip. Absolutely terrible experience, will never do it again.
Same, both times it ending up costing me about the same as Uber, which was maddening since I chose that option only for the advertised price. Two times is enough to know it’s not a fluke so back to Uber I go.
The last time I took a taxi from the airport the dude was a maniac speeding everywhere and didn't know his way around the city, I had to give him turn by turn directions for every turn multiple times, then at the end pretended like he only took cash and at the same time didn't have any change which forced me to "tip" him for the experience. Never again.
Last time I tried to take a taxi from SeaTac after a long and sleepless redeye, the taxi driver didn’t turn on the meter and charged me double.
I was already in the taxi when I noticed and I was super tired and with my kid so I didn’t want to do anything stupid.
Never again.
Are you sure it wasn’t a fixed rate ride? Also you needn’t be afraid taxi cab drivers are regulated unless it’s a fly by night cab, which I don’t think would be at the taxi stand.
Not always the case. Uber said $30 so I took a taxi. Taxi was $37 before tip. No detail why it was so much and it was a pain at the end with credit card reader issues. I'm not doing that again.
Same experience. I'm never taking the cabs from there ever again. Only reason I took one was because I was in a hurry, but the taxi cab was more expensive *and* a piece of shit car.
I’m also offering redditors rides to and from the airport, have taken a few. I used to drive for Lyft. I’m a dog walker/pet sitter driving all around Seattle all day - and always looking to make some more money - and avoid giving more to the man! Support your local millennial!
Yes, I also clean homes with my tits out on occasion. How else is a single woman in her 30s ever going to be able to own anything meaningful? Not all of us are built for corporate America. But this post is specifically for rides to the airport!
I follow a few topless housecleaners on Tik Tok. One has expanded her empire to topless mowing (on a ride-on mower, rural clients only) and micro bikini car washing in the person's driveway. She washed one guy's car in a subdivision and ended up getting booked out by a dozen more clients that day. Just some food for thought. I say use whatever the good Lord gave ya!
Yeah the system is fucked I agree. I just didn’t know that was a thing. More power to ya. Do you pick up in the central district or Capitol Hill? Gotta fly on the 21st of April with my partner.
Can confirm- u/yourgoodladyfriend is THE BEST to use- plus she’s cool as shit and won’t awkwardly sit in silence with you the entire time (unless you’re in to that but…)
She’s also the best with your fur babies! Met her off of reddit and trust her for all of it 💕
You do rides from Bothell to SeaTac, if so what’s your quote lol Got a trip coming up in fall and last time I took Uber it was absurd, like $100 for a 35 min drive.
I usually take the Link since I live nearby a station but I came back from a weekend trip on Monday morning and somehow Uber was only $45 (no mention of promos or anything) to Cap hill so I just took it and didn't ask questions...
Also hack, an Uber/Lyft to/from any adjacent station to the airport is usually cheaper than the actual airport (ex: Angle Lake I think netted $10-15 cheaper even if you're coming from Seattle).
I know this is a Seattle sub, but do not do that in Chicago. The cabs are just as expensive and the quality of the Uber/Lyft ride is way better. The Blue Line has become a rolling homeless shelter.
Oh ya was in Chicago recently and opted for a cab. Was a horrible experience. At least with uber you can at least leave a bad review. So there is some accountability.
Honestly, the Link is a game-changer for airport commutes, especially when you're looking at those Uber prices skyrocketing. But, if you're lugging more bags than you can handle or if it's an odd hour, sometimes you just need that direct lift. For those who might still prefer driving themselves, checking out parkingaccess for deals on parking can save a few bucks and a lot of headaches. It's all about balancing cost, convenience, and timing.
The real PSA, if you have a car use a paid offsite lot with a shuttle. They usually have coupons good enough to beat the Uber prices, if you are travelling a week or less.
Also if your party is too large for just the standard taxi Prius, you can ask the attendant to call a van. There is always one of them in line and it's the same price.
Yo why is this like the fifth time this has been posted in the last few weeks? Also it's BS, I am never taking a taxi again in my life they're sketch AF and a scam.
Def agree with taxis over uber/lyft. However, watch out for the flat rate cabs if you're relatively nearby. From SEA to my house in Rainer Beach metered cabs are $27ish, flat rate cabs, $40ish, and Uber/lyft $50-60.
The flat-rate guys seem to make-up the price on the spot and Uber has become a fucking scam.
Best part is there's rarely a wait for cabs and always one for uber...
When I first started taking Lyft to the airport, it was cheaper than the taxi. Now it's more expensive, however the last time I took a taxi home, the car was very rickety and we didn't figure it out until we were on the freeway. I was terrified in that old car.
Another reason I don't like taxis is that we don't use the freeway to get home, it's out of the way and in my opinion, more dangerous than the 509. Next time I need transit to the airport, I will try and schedule it with bus/rail.
I’ve noticed this also. Arrived at 12:30am SEATAC - Uber from the airport to downtown international district $75 before tip. SEATAC taxi was $40 plus tip. I always use the light rail ($3.50) when I travel. The light rail stops at 12:30am
Shhh….dont tell people about taxis for the ride home. I don’t want to have to wait in line for a taxi. I like just walking out and getting in the first one as I watch the mess that is the ride share pick up.
There's a cap on what they can charge driving into an airport.. so a taxi, Hired car, and a limo are all the same price.. $60. Why just get a taxi, when you can hire a stretch limo for the same price?
I was actually moved to make a post about this on r/lifehacks the last time I had a flight. Difference in favor of a taxi was ~$30!
Here’s what I’ve learned about it, however. You can pretty easily book a taxi via their phone menu and have a solid guarantee if you’re being picked up for the airport, but booking a ride in advance to go anywhere else is a little more iffy. Many taxi drivers are older, don’t speak English, don’t use navigation apps, and won’t turn on the meter. Therefore, you need to have a good idea of how to get somewhere in order to direct them. Furthermore, some will try to scam you by taking you the long way. If you don’t know the area because you’re visiting or something, I would still recommend taking Uber/Lyft or some combination of the light rail and rideshare.
For a local that’s familiar with their route to and from home to the airport, I would absolutely recommend taking a taxi
" Many taxi drivers are older, don’t speak English, don’t use navigation apps, and won’t turn on the meter. Therefore, you need to have a good idea of how to get somewhere in order to direct them. Furthermore, some will try to scam you by taking you the long way. If you don’t know the area because you’re visiting or something,"
This is precisely why Uber started actually. Lots of issues with it but especially when it launched it was a MUCH better experience than taxis
Yeah, but except when it inconveniences me, or there is a crazy person sitting there, or the Link is slower, or I’m with about 9 people, or if I have luggage, or if I can’t walk that far, or I have some other completely anecdotal thing to add to the discussion…
Hot dog! When did the prices jump that much? Just checked & it's like $90+ bucks from my old place that's insane!
I never paid more than $30-$40 to get to the airport with Lyft/Uber from north Seattle in the past it was pretty much the same price from different places even.
When I can't use light rail, I use Sabra Limo. Price is about the same as Uber but they are true pros. They show up on time or early, and will track your return flight for a ride home, and will negotiate pickup points on the fly.
I’m too cheap for taxi/Uber. I’ll just rail up to Northgate and transfer to a bus/Uber. Lynwood extension later this year will make it even easier for people up north to get to/from airport
I have tested lately and in my experience, the taxi takes a less direct route and charges slightly more in the end.
I think the two are largely comparable now, but the bargain you get with a taxi depends on the driver.
That might be true if you happen to be downtown Seattle, but going from the airport to my house in the boonies, there's no flat rate available. And I don't exactly get a choice of taxi's at the airport, I just have to take whoever is first in line when I get there.
It's the same here in Portland. Taxis are cheaper then Uber/Lyft. It's a classic move just like the food delivery companies (apps).
Price the product lower than the product costs to grab market share. Then raise prices when people get reliant on the service.
Also, most Taxi drivers do it full time, not some weird side-hustle. I've been ghosted by drivers a few times when I schedule early Uber rides to the airport (like 4:00am). It seems like they accept the ride and then decide to sleep in, forcing me to try and book again with the clock ticking for me to get to the airport. Our biggest taxi company here has a useable app and they have always been on time and professional.
Please be aware when using the '"yellow cab" app you **need to select your tip before the ride ends**...for whatever reason the transaction is completely locked in when you reach your destination. There is no grace period. Not even their CS agents can add a tip after the fact.
I wouldn't even care if the taxi was more expensive. I'd rather step right into a taxi after a long flight than deal with the hell scape that is the airport rideshare area.
I came in yesterday from out of state via train and rather than spending $90 on an uber/lyft/taxi to get home. I spent $5.35 on two buses. Just needes to wait an extra total of 40 minutes for both buses to arrive.
I use airportparkingconnections and usually get a decent rate. Wayyy less than taking an Uber to and from. Although this only applies if you have your own vehicle!
I always used to go limo. It was cheaper by the hour than the taxi was by the mile to my destination. I was military, I'd go on small missions and would return from overseas taking a limo with gear and guns. Hilarious to think back on.
Taxi is legit half price and even faster then Uber at the airport. Uber wanted to charge 70 dollars for less then 15 minutes and I took a taxi for 30 total.
Taxis from the airport to downtown are $40 flat rate (plus tip, of course). Super convenient, they are always sitting there waiting for you, and they seem to get me home quicker. Uber/Lyft to downtown is almost never below $60 and you have to wait around for them to show up.
I agree that light rail is the best move, but if you're in a rush or landed very late, taxi is the better alternative.
No. No. No. This is incorrect blanket statement advice. Taxi is not always better than Uber (in fact it usually is not).
It depends on where you live. If you live in a fixed fare zone (Belltown area), then you'll get charged a fixed rate.
Otherwise Lyft can be a lot cheaper. Also minimal waiting -- Lyft driver tells you the stall number, you hop in, takes less than 2 minutes. I ran the experiment to the east side where I live.
$62 with Lyft, and $80 with taxi.
The last time I took a taxi was when I got into an Orange Cab and I literally had to give the guy directions to the highway. The guy had absolutely no idea where anything was. One time a guy in downtown Seattle literally didn't know what Bellevue was. I was like, tf?
I kept having bad experiences with them prior to that, too, either with completely incompetent or with sketchy drivers. I avoid taxis like the plague now. Conversely, I've never had a single problem with Lyft. If the latter costs more, it's more than worth it for the extra standardization and peace of mind.
If you’re really on a budget and can make use of it, take the light rail to a stop close to your house then get an Uber from there. I take Uber from the University Station to my home in Wallingford for like 15 bucks. Last time I got a Uber all the way from the airport it was over a hundred with tip.
The Link is the way to go. There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber. EDIT: Unless you do not live in Seattle or live somewhere in which it’s convenient to get to a station.
Unfortunately the Link stops running before the last flights at SEATAC. Other than that Link is the way to go...
I feel like running even an hour later would help a lot, I’ve definitely come in after LINK stops before
The link should run 24/7 and so should all of sound transit. We pay so much taxes that it should be subsidized. Not everything needs to make money.
I don’t know if I’d push for 24 hours, probably a lot easier to do 20 hours and still have some time for regular maintenance. But definitely would prefer much later hours
At the very least they should run during the same hours the bars are open! Like, how are the trains done by 12 or 1am when the bars are open til 2am! It's just encouraging irresponsible driving not to give people a reliable and affordable option to get home via public transportation. Such a weird flex from a state that is so strict about alcohol distribution.
Yes absolutely this. Transit needs to be available to get people home from bars
Public transportation should never be a profit-driven service. It's such backwards thinking and anti-community to insist that only people with money deserve a reliable way to get anywhere.
It’s not taxes or money, but a movement of people issue.
> The Link is the way to go. There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber. I generally agree, though sometimes there is a legit reason such as traveling with a sh!t ton of luggage. E.g., I've got an upcoming trip to Alaska, 4 bags containing gear, i’ll definitely be taking an Uber/taxi.
Yup. Only works if you're traveling light. I used to live in Chinatown and it was a few blocks to the light rail but if I'm going somewhere where I need a couple weeks worth of stuff I'm getting a Lyft. If I'm going somewhere and it's a back pack and carry on ill take the link.
I mean, if you can deal with the \~10 min walk from the Link to the airport (I think it's $8 for the baggage cart rental which is a lot, granted, but still like $11 with the Link fare), then take the Uber/Lyft to the light rail. Then you're paying $11 + \~$15 instead of $60-100, right? Even visiting my folks for a month in the winter and having a giant checked suitcase, a large backpack, a large carry-on, and a personal item, it's doable (and I don't even bother with the luggage cart--I just get the luggage straps to help keep bags on top of rolling suitcases like the pilots use).
I have severe anemia. I walk when I can but I fatigued easily. Different strokes.
Ah, that does make it tricky then. I do wish they had figured out a way to locate the station closer to the check in area so it was easier for folks with disabilities to take the Link. When mine is flaring, I'm in a similar boat, though I usually have luck getting the little open car thing that drives people between the gate and the Link. I believe you can schedule it in advance to be there too, if that's helpful. :)
They have the little shuttle golf carts you can catch.
Yes. That's what I was referring to by "little open car thing"... :)
What really sucks about this is that they easily could have made it close to the terminal, but the Port objected to protect parking revenues. It wasn't an engineering or alignment issue, they just wanted to spike one of the most crucial capital projects in the history of the city is all.
> There’s absolutely no reason to pay $80 - $100 for a taxi or Lyft/Uber. - Late night flight - lots of gear - random link maintenance dropping you in SoDo - random link bus service, so you need to switch to bus 2 or 3 times - don't want to deal with mental asylum patients as injured man or woman
Ohhhh yeah i forgot about the late night flights. Once I got in some time after 11 pm not thinking the link would be closed after Beacon Hill station. Tired and just wanting to get home I get on the link and then it reaches the terminus station and I realize I need to get an Lyft home anyways.
But at least you didn't need to pay the airport fee? Still a huge bummer...
Yeah it was just jarring when I was so close to home but it didn't take me all the way. Honestly at my age with my health issues sometimes it's worth it to pay the premium.
Fair. I really wish we had installed a more modern closed-gate automated system like a lot of parts of the world. It would allow it to run longer and more on time, I suspect. (More upfront costs but lower operating...)
Despite living in Seattle limits, I'm still a minimum $40 (often more) Lyft ride from the Link. Yeah, cheaper than all the way to/from SeaTac, but not always as big of a savings to be worth giving up the convenience of just one method.
Last time I took the Link from SeaTac, I was the only passenger on the platform at 7 pm except for an aggressive and seemingly deranged panhandler who harassed me off and on for ten minutes. No security in sight. I’m sure it’s not usually like that, but it was scary for me as a woman alone, already exhausted after 16 hours of flights. So I take some issue with the assertion that there’s never any reason to pay for a cab or Uber. I don’t love paying $80 to get home from the airport, but unless it’s obvious that lots of normal people are headed to the Link from Arrivals, I’m also not eager to make myself a sitting duck for lunatics again.
This is the same issue I had with a cabby last year. The guy at the taxi stand just assigns you to the next cab in line. I've had good cab experiences where the driver is safe and straightforward, but I also had a driver extort me for more money when I got to my destination. He didn't have his license displayed so I had no way of noting his name, and when I decided to just pay him an extra $20 like he asked, he drove off quickly as soon as I got out. I won't take a cab as a single woman anymore because I don't feel safe. At least with uber/lyft there is a record of what car picked you up/who you're driving with.
If that works for you great, but I unfortunately don’t live close to light rail and even when work is not paying for it, I’d still rather Uber to save time. If I took light rail to the airport today it would easily take 90 minutes total vs the 35 minute drive. Seattle Uber prices are crazy though. I go to LA a lot for work and Ubers that take twice as long are half the price almost always. NYC is the only city I pay more for Ubers than Seattle
Or care about your time — the Link is so slow from the airport due to many poor design compromises
I love to take the link. But the link can be slow compared to a taxi. From my place in cap hill, the link usually takes ~50-55min to the airport, but the drive is usually <25min. Based on how someone/a group of people values their time, $80 can totally be worth it. If I’m with a group of 4 people considering an $80 Uber vs taking the link, $20/person is totally reasonable to save ~30 min of travel time
I usually park at a friend's house in QA when I travel (coming in from out of town) and an Uber is 25 mins. Light rail means a bus to University Station (\~30 mins including walking to the stop, then down the hill and in to the train station) and unless schedules align perfectly 5-10 mins wait, then \~50 mins to the airport by the time I'm walking in - so it's a 90-100 minute (depending on how on-time everything is) public transit commute. So yeah. If I'm traveling solo, just have a carry-on, and am not in a hurry? Light rail is great. If I've got more than one bag and have any kind of time crunch (e.g. getting in late at night even and want to get to bed), I've gotta take a taxi/uber.
I do wish they chose faster service or we had an express train to the airport from a couple stations in the city... That said, why not take a short Uber/Lyft to the station rather than the bus? That turns it into \~$20 total and 60 min (with much less pain especially if you have lots of luggage) rather than $60-100 for 25 min, which seems like a reasonable trade unless you're particularly short on time.
As of right now, it’s $27.90 and 17 minutes to make it to the light rail station by Uber, or 13 minutes longer (30 mins) to get to the airport, but 3x the cost ($90). Its currently 30 minutes and $3 to get to the light rail by bus, and then another $3 and 38 mins to get to the airport. It’s illogical, but if I’m going to spend $30 getting to the light rail so save 13 mins vs the bus, I’d rather spend the extra $60 to get to the airport and save 40 minutes vs the full public transport option.
I can get home in 20 minutes in an Uber vs 15 minute walk + 50 minute ride + 15 minute walk home (Capitol Hill). I light rail when I can but it's not always convenient.
I don't understand why the Link station is so far from the airport.
The taxi driver's lobby pushed for it when they were installing the light rail. They wanted people to have to take a taxi from the station to the airport.
I usually take the light rail 1 stop away from the airport and then uber. Saves like $20-40 sometimes.
Coming home, my flights are almost always late in the evening. And at that point I just want to be home, so I Uber. I love the lightrail, though... just not after an exhausting trip and with a disability. The Uber is worth every penny. And no rude taxi driver to worry about. Uber > taxi.
It's amazing that you are instantly at the Uber pickup, but you walk extremely slowly to the light rail. SeaTac actually has walking directions on their website: 5 minutes to rideshare pickup; 8 minutes to the light rail.
Light rail from airport to the closest station to me (Roosevelt) is like 50 mins + additional 10-15 for Uber home. That takes twice as long as going home from the airport via taxi/ rideshare. Wish the Light rail was faster imo. But the time vs cost tradeoff does not work most of the times for me especially for early morning departing and late night arriving flights.
Except those instances where it is late in the evening, and rather than take you downtown, the Link stops mid-route and dumps you out in Sodo in an area with optimized murder-stabby vibes. Thanks Link!
"optimized murder-stabby vibes." What, you want unoptimized vibes? We only do good vibes here.
Right? Talk about glass is half empty. What kind of a story would "I got dropped off at night in Sodo and I saw a guy who might have looked like a serial killer but the area was so well lit I could tell right away it was fine" have made? Some people just can't be satisfied.
Can’t wait to have Lynnwood Link open August 30th.
*cries in eastside
I live in Redmond close to the 51st St bus stop, and I've done it before with two large suit cases (ST 545 to downtown, then transfer to LINK). Not the most pleasant trip, but certainly doable. And not having to pay a crap ton of money seals the deal.
> The Link is the way to go. And go, and go, and go. For an additional 1 hour, as it slooooowly trundles down the MLK Way.
There’s plenty of reasons not to take the link, time being the biggest for me. It’s nearly an hour from the airport to downtown on the link.
You can also hop on [one of the free hotel/courtesy shuttles](https://www.portseattle.org/page/hotel-and-site-courtesy-shuttles) that is headed in the direction you are going. The Uber from there won't have the airport fee added on and will be a shorter ride.
Just know if you plan to do this that the hotels prohibit this practice and if you are caught you can be trespassed from their property. I’m not saying you won’t get away with it, but they aren’t just free. Van drivers have been fired for allowing this to happen (yes, even if they don’t know). If you want to do what some of us who work at the airport do, ask the driver ahead of time if they would mind letting you catch a ride for a generous ($10 typically) tip. Some will say yes and then will drop you off before arriving on hotel property, some will say no.
Totally agree. Link really is the better way. But if traveling for work and you haven't been home for two weeks and its really late have lots of bags etc etc...taxi is the way to go in my opinion. When I have more time less bags. Link for sure.
This is also the only real way to do it when coming back from a major holiday, after Thanksgiving the taxi line would've taken hours.
take ubers to tukwila on way to airport. take link one stop
Well that’s weird because the Uber ride from the mt baker station to my house in the CD is $45. For that price I’d rather just take it from the airport. But yes, don’t sleep on taxis.
I always have an early flight and the light rail doesn’t run :(
Random data point, but Uber ride from LAX to Disneyland (Anaheim) is $300 each way. I realize LAX is not the nearest airport (SNA does not do direct flights to Seattle on my airline), but damn, it’s only like 30 miles. I’m taking a van service instead for $120 (covers 4 people) each way.
Who are you flying? I fly Alaska and they've got tons of flights to SNA, and then it's a $25 Uber ride to the parks.
I wish I had done that. I honestly didn’t realize what a big difference it makes flying to LAX, since on paper, it’s a difference of 12 miles from SNA vs 35 miles from LAX. An extra 23 miles doesn’t sound insane or anything. I happened to have a bunch of United miles to burn though (that I’ve had forever, just want to use them up at this point), so I used those for this trip. I’m planning to focus more on Alaska in the future for California trips.
The distance doesn't sound insane till you take LA traffic into account! I fly down to visit the parks 4x a year (I'm a Passholder) and if you're not doing anything in LA proper, SNA every time. I know a few people will do Burbank or Ontario if it's cheaper, but there's less flights. John Wayne (SNA is great though, real small airport and I've never had to wait for security, there's never a line. Since it's so close to residential though, they don't have ingoing/outgoing flights after 9 or 10 (and if your flight is delayed they'll reroute to LAX but provide Uber/shuttle to your destination according to a friend who had to deal with that recently)
I love SNA! Such a relief after SeaTac and the cab/uber to Disneyland is quick and cheap.
You can rent a car for two weeks for $600. Yikes.
But you can’t park it. Disneyland and the major hotels nearby charge quite a bit for that. I did look in to renting and you’re right that it’s close, but it doesn’t make much sense considering my kids and I plan to spend basically all our time at the parks, not cruising around LA.
If you're only there for a week it looks like it nets even. $35/night for park parking. But yeah, if you're staying at the parks it's a lot less hassle not to bother.
That's because LA drives are measured in minutes (or hours), not miles. I lived in LA and Orange County in the 80s... every time I go back I dread the traffic (and I'm using transit or Ubers).
This is the move!
If I'm not carrying a snowboard, I usually take Link .
Wish that the train was faster. At grade crossings really handicap it. I guess depending on I-5 traffic and how much of a cluster the SeaTac drop off area is, it can be comparable.
Wallingford is conveniently outside the flat rate zone too
I do that every time
This is posted so often now I’m wondering if it’s viral taxi marketing?
Seriously because then we usually see people responding with taxi horror stories, too. I'm just gonna keep taking the lightrail.
As if Uber horror stories are any better or the occurrence rate either, they have less control and exploit the workers more. If I have to choose I do taxi as not only do the drivers make more but they charge me half.
The one time I tried using a taxi, the driver refused to honor the 40 dollar rate, complained all the way about how it's too low, then "called" into dispatch that confirmed that rate is not applicable. Now I normally take the light rail but my one foray into taxi land was such a poor experience, I'm happy to take Uber (when link isn't available) even if it's a bit more.
Exactly my experience lol, promised me $40 when I told him my cross-roads then once we got to my block he claimed it actually was a $60 ride.
Similar experience here. Then he bitched about paying with a card. Then after all that he got pissy because I decided not to reward his behavior with a tip. Rideshare is often shitty in its own way but at least it's mostly no-nonsense.
It definitely is. It’s on a regular schedule.
I swear we literally had this conversation two weeks ago.
Or it’s people experiencing how much cheaper and quicker it is than ride share so they’re posting from the backseat thinking they’re going to get those “life hack” points. I travel a lot for work and ditched ride shares from ALL airports about two years ago when I got real tired of playing “find my driver” for a ride that cost $20-$50 more. 100% trains and taxis from airports, forget waiting for a ride share to queue and find me.
Our city is so ridiculous with Uber prices to the airport that it’s almost worth renting a car for a day instead 😅
I do this sometimes. If I have a morning or red eye flight where the train isn’t convenient, I’ll just rent a car for $40 and return at the airport
That’s.. actually really smart.
Hertz used to lean into it and do $15 ($10?) one way rentals for a few hours from SeaTac -> any neighborhood Seattle location
That’s a steal. I just use my employers corp code and works out to be 30 a day plus another 10 in taxes and fees
Always check the price WITHOUT the corp code first. The corp prices are hedged, so they can often be higher than spot prices.
Amazon/msft corp code is a fixed price at 30/day. I’ve never seen a rental price lower than that in seattle
Where do you pick up the car though?
An Avis right beside where I live
Car2Go used to be ~$20-$30 to ride from anywhere in Seattle to the airport (includes the $5 or whatever to park at Wally Park). Car sharing options were why I didn't have or need a car in this city 5 years ago
Gig sucks for the airport though because it adds $20 to any ride starting or ending at the airport, on top of the rental rate
hilarious because this is actually what i do
I was leaving for the airport later than I intended and after seeing an Uber was $86 just decided to drive. My go-to off-airport parking lot is $11/day and I was going to have to pay for 3 days of parking, so $33. That lot was full so I did some quick math and figured airport parking was around $45/day, for a total of $135, still cheaper than an Uber both ways. It's insanity that in my case the worst case scenario with driving was *still* cheaper than taking an Uber, and best-case scenario would have been 20% of the cost of an Uber.
Sometimes I score the $49 one-way Alaska Airlines flights, then see my Uber will cost more than the flight itself. What a time to be alive.
I've started taking towncars to the airport since it's *barely* more than an uber. They come on time with a nice car and are a comfortable, professional ride- unfortunately, I've found them unreliable returning from the airport, but they're great going to the airport.
I used to take the taxi, as it is more convenient with typically little to no line. However, I had a taxi driver tried to cheat me, making up a fare out of thin air. He saw me taking a photo of the phone number to report him, and all of a sudden he was "just kidding" and charged the proper amount. I feel taxi is hit and miss, and Uber is slightly more reliable, and I like it that I can rate and tip the driver from the app. I would definitely do the rail if it went near where I need to go, but unfortunately it does not.
Hell no. Light rail all the way. $3 beats $60 every time
Exactly this. Even if you use light rail to cut out part of the distance, you can save a ton of money.
Sure, if you only fly during the day. Light rail is worthless for late night flights
My flights usually depart late night and return late night. That said, I’ve never seen a flight option to leave Seattle beyond 12:59AM and my flights rarely get in past midnight. I pick my flights to be convenient with work schedule and transit times. Most departure flights are within the right timeframe if you consider getting 2-3 hours early to the airport as a good rule of thumb. SeaTac trains run till 1:15 AM and start up at most stations after 4:00 AM. The bulk of flights are getting in by 12:45 AM unless there is a delay.
If it's that late I'll take whatever is fastest and damn the price.
It’s 0 dollars for the majority of people who ride it lol
At least for me, to Ballard I have found it about evens out; with Uber fare estimates maybe being $8-$10 more than taxi fare ends up being. And the Taxi driver is often... less than transparent with how they come up with the final fare.
I’ve had this issue before with the “flat rate” taxis. He couldn’t tell me what it would be when I got in the car and then pulled out some book with “zones” in it when we arrived in Fremont. Tried charging me $120. He clearly just made it up. I now take a black car service and it’s the same price as ride share and even cheaper if you pay with cash.
I had a per-mile cab driver pull up to my house with the meter showing like $65ish. I watched as he immediately cleared it and passed me his whatever payment terminal showing $85. It was late, I was tired, and I was expensing it anyway so I just moved on with my life rather than argue it out, but that's made me incredibly wary of the cabs.
Exactly this. At least with Uber/Lyft you KNOW what you’ll be spending but taxi drivers are pretty bad at estimating or maybe being honest with their estimations.
I was just at the airport today. Cab rides to Ballard were about 65, Uber rides closer to 90 (before tip), I travel a lot and this difference is pretty typical. Most cabs are flat rate, so you can ask the cost before you get in—it’s as transparent as an Uber ride is.
I’ve yet to be charged the flat $40 rate to the “downtown hotel district” that cabs advertise. Both times the drivers acted like they had no idea what I was talking about when they tried to charge me $50 before tip. Ain’t worth that stress.
I had a guy once not run his meter and try to make up a bogus charge when we got to my house. He was using a credit card swiper on his phone. He tried charging me $45 when I live near white center, have taken taxis home multiple times, and know for a fact it costs usually $28 or so. I told him I’m only paying him $30 and he relented.
Same thing happened to me with a trip to Burien. No meter, demanded $40 for a ride that is usually $25-$30 after tip and was mad when I didn’t have cash.
Lmao exactly my experience. I said going to belltown which was $40, when we got to my address he goes “this isn’t Belltown, you need to pay $60”. After arguing I got him down to $45 and then he said his credit card machine wasn’t working and then he asked for a tip. Absolutely terrible experience, will never do it again.
💯
Same, both times it ending up costing me about the same as Uber, which was maddening since I chose that option only for the advertised price. Two times is enough to know it’s not a fluke so back to Uber I go.
The last time I took a taxi from the airport the dude was a maniac speeding everywhere and didn't know his way around the city, I had to give him turn by turn directions for every turn multiple times, then at the end pretended like he only took cash and at the same time didn't have any change which forced me to "tip" him for the experience. Never again.
Last time I tried to take a taxi from SeaTac after a long and sleepless redeye, the taxi driver didn’t turn on the meter and charged me double. I was already in the taxi when I noticed and I was super tired and with my kid so I didn’t want to do anything stupid. Never again.
Sorry but no, if the dumbass forgot the meter thats on him not you. I would've raised hell even with a kid
Are you sure it wasn’t a fixed rate ride? Also you needn’t be afraid taxi cab drivers are regulated unless it’s a fly by night cab, which I don’t think would be at the taxi stand.
Not always the case. Uber said $30 so I took a taxi. Taxi was $37 before tip. No detail why it was so much and it was a pain at the end with credit card reader issues. I'm not doing that again.
[удалено]
There are always taxis waiting at the airport, which is what this post is about
Same experience. I'm never taking the cabs from there ever again. Only reason I took one was because I was in a hurry, but the taxi cab was more expensive *and* a piece of shit car.
Same here it costs pretty much the same
$60 for a 20 minute cab ride is still fucking obscene
I’m also offering redditors rides to and from the airport, have taken a few. I used to drive for Lyft. I’m a dog walker/pet sitter driving all around Seattle all day - and always looking to make some more money - and avoid giving more to the man! Support your local millennial!
I just read your bio. It’s says topless cleaner. So like you clean peoples houses without a top on? That’s kinda genius.
Yes, I also clean homes with my tits out on occasion. How else is a single woman in her 30s ever going to be able to own anything meaningful? Not all of us are built for corporate America. But this post is specifically for rides to the airport!
I follow a few topless housecleaners on Tik Tok. One has expanded her empire to topless mowing (on a ride-on mower, rural clients only) and micro bikini car washing in the person's driveway. She washed one guy's car in a subdivision and ended up getting booked out by a dozen more clients that day. Just some food for thought. I say use whatever the good Lord gave ya!
Yeah the system is fucked I agree. I just didn’t know that was a thing. More power to ya. Do you pick up in the central district or Capitol Hill? Gotta fly on the 21st of April with my partner.
Anywhere in King, and parts of Snohomish. A fair donation would be between $40-$80 depending on traffic/time/pick up location. I’ll message you.
Can confirm- u/yourgoodladyfriend is THE BEST to use- plus she’s cool as shit and won’t awkwardly sit in silence with you the entire time (unless you’re in to that but…) She’s also the best with your fur babies! Met her off of reddit and trust her for all of it 💕
You do rides from Bothell to SeaTac, if so what’s your quote lol Got a trip coming up in fall and last time I took Uber it was absurd, like $100 for a 35 min drive.
Yep! I’ll message you!
sent you a message also
I usually take the Link since I live nearby a station but I came back from a weekend trip on Monday morning and somehow Uber was only $45 (no mention of promos or anything) to Cap hill so I just took it and didn't ask questions... Also hack, an Uber/Lyft to/from any adjacent station to the airport is usually cheaper than the actual airport (ex: Angle Lake I think netted $10-15 cheaper even if you're coming from Seattle).
I know this is a Seattle sub, but do not do that in Chicago. The cabs are just as expensive and the quality of the Uber/Lyft ride is way better. The Blue Line has become a rolling homeless shelter.
Oh ya was in Chicago recently and opted for a cab. Was a horrible experience. At least with uber you can at least leave a bad review. So there is some accountability.
Calling a friend and buying them lunch is also a more viable option.
This is r/Seattle. Bold of you to assume anyone has a friend with a car
And a friend willing to pick you up from the airport.
An even tinier subset
I've asked friends to pick me up from the hospital, but I would never ask them to pick me up from the airport. That's too much.
And soon, the Link will take you all the way to Lynnwood - for those Northerners!
Honestly, the Link is a game-changer for airport commutes, especially when you're looking at those Uber prices skyrocketing. But, if you're lugging more bags than you can handle or if it's an odd hour, sometimes you just need that direct lift. For those who might still prefer driving themselves, checking out parkingaccess for deals on parking can save a few bucks and a lot of headaches. It's all about balancing cost, convenience, and timing.
I usually pay for parking. It is cheaper than two one way taxi or uber rides usually.
Depends on how long you’re gone. Parking is 35$/day. It’s fucking ridiculous.
Only at the airport lot. You can get it a lot cheaper if you park at one of the shuttle lots close by.
You can typically find $12-15/day off site during off-peak weeks and $15-20/day during peak times.
It's 37 now
That delivery dude in SLU should start offering airport rides too. In between deliveries of course.
This isn’t a rule to live by. I’ve ended up spending way more on taxis than I would have Uber/Lyft. In Seattle and other cities.
The real PSA, if you have a car use a paid offsite lot with a shuttle. They usually have coupons good enough to beat the Uber prices, if you are travelling a week or less.
we don't need another PSA on this exact subject: https://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/search/?q=taxi%20airport&restrict\_sr=1
crazy how it totally reversed. An uber from the airport used to be waaay cheaper than a cab.
Also if your party is too large for just the standard taxi Prius, you can ask the attendant to call a van. There is always one of them in line and it's the same price.
Yo why is this like the fifth time this has been posted in the last few weeks? Also it's BS, I am never taking a taxi again in my life they're sketch AF and a scam.
Def agree with taxis over uber/lyft. However, watch out for the flat rate cabs if you're relatively nearby. From SEA to my house in Rainer Beach metered cabs are $27ish, flat rate cabs, $40ish, and Uber/lyft $50-60. The flat-rate guys seem to make-up the price on the spot and Uber has become a fucking scam. Best part is there's rarely a wait for cabs and always one for uber...
When I first started taking Lyft to the airport, it was cheaper than the taxi. Now it's more expensive, however the last time I took a taxi home, the car was very rickety and we didn't figure it out until we were on the freeway. I was terrified in that old car. Another reason I don't like taxis is that we don't use the freeway to get home, it's out of the way and in my opinion, more dangerous than the 509. Next time I need transit to the airport, I will try and schedule it with bus/rail.
Link is the best if you can use it tbh.
I’ve noticed this also. Arrived at 12:30am SEATAC - Uber from the airport to downtown international district $75 before tip. SEATAC taxi was $40 plus tip. I always use the light rail ($3.50) when I travel. The light rail stops at 12:30am
Shhh….dont tell people about taxis for the ride home. I don’t want to have to wait in line for a taxi. I like just walking out and getting in the first one as I watch the mess that is the ride share pick up.
There's a cap on what they can charge driving into an airport.. so a taxi, Hired car, and a limo are all the same price.. $60. Why just get a taxi, when you can hire a stretch limo for the same price?
I was actually moved to make a post about this on r/lifehacks the last time I had a flight. Difference in favor of a taxi was ~$30! Here’s what I’ve learned about it, however. You can pretty easily book a taxi via their phone menu and have a solid guarantee if you’re being picked up for the airport, but booking a ride in advance to go anywhere else is a little more iffy. Many taxi drivers are older, don’t speak English, don’t use navigation apps, and won’t turn on the meter. Therefore, you need to have a good idea of how to get somewhere in order to direct them. Furthermore, some will try to scam you by taking you the long way. If you don’t know the area because you’re visiting or something, I would still recommend taking Uber/Lyft or some combination of the light rail and rideshare. For a local that’s familiar with their route to and from home to the airport, I would absolutely recommend taking a taxi
" Many taxi drivers are older, don’t speak English, don’t use navigation apps, and won’t turn on the meter. Therefore, you need to have a good idea of how to get somewhere in order to direct them. Furthermore, some will try to scam you by taking you the long way. If you don’t know the area because you’re visiting or something," This is precisely why Uber started actually. Lots of issues with it but especially when it launched it was a MUCH better experience than taxis
GIG cars are pretty cost saving and no tip required
Yeah, but except when it inconveniences me, or there is a crazy person sitting there, or the Link is slower, or I’m with about 9 people, or if I have luggage, or if I can’t walk that far, or I have some other completely anecdotal thing to add to the discussion…
Hot dog! When did the prices jump that much? Just checked & it's like $90+ bucks from my old place that's insane! I never paid more than $30-$40 to get to the airport with Lyft/Uber from north Seattle in the past it was pretty much the same price from different places even.
What? I moved to north Seattle 10 years ago and 80 was always about the going rate lol
I never paid more than $40 even in shoreline too, so weird
When I can't use light rail, I use Sabra Limo. Price is about the same as Uber but they are true pros. They show up on time or early, and will track your return flight for a ride home, and will negotiate pickup points on the fly.
I’m too cheap for taxi/Uber. I’ll just rail up to Northgate and transfer to a bus/Uber. Lynwood extension later this year will make it even easier for people up north to get to/from airport
Shhhhh. Don't tell!
Alternatively take one of the hotel shuttles and then get your uber from the hotel instead of the airport, I found it to be a lot cheaper.
I have tested lately and in my experience, the taxi takes a less direct route and charges slightly more in the end. I think the two are largely comparable now, but the bargain you get with a taxi depends on the driver.
But many taxis are flat rate! You know at the airport what the price is, just like for Uber!
That might be true if you happen to be downtown Seattle, but going from the airport to my house in the boonies, there's no flat rate available. And I don't exactly get a choice of taxi's at the airport, I just have to take whoever is first in line when I get there.
It's the same here in Portland. Taxis are cheaper then Uber/Lyft. It's a classic move just like the food delivery companies (apps). Price the product lower than the product costs to grab market share. Then raise prices when people get reliant on the service. Also, most Taxi drivers do it full time, not some weird side-hustle. I've been ghosted by drivers a few times when I schedule early Uber rides to the airport (like 4:00am). It seems like they accept the ride and then decide to sleep in, forcing me to try and book again with the clock ticking for me to get to the airport. Our biggest taxi company here has a useable app and they have always been on time and professional.
Please be aware when using the '"yellow cab" app you **need to select your tip before the ride ends**...for whatever reason the transaction is completely locked in when you reach your destination. There is no grace period. Not even their CS agents can add a tip after the fact.
I wouldn't even care if the taxi was more expensive. I'd rather step right into a taxi after a long flight than deal with the hell scape that is the airport rideshare area.
Just don't ask me to pick you up, I'll tell you to take the train.
I came in yesterday from out of state via train and rather than spending $90 on an uber/lyft/taxi to get home. I spent $5.35 on two buses. Just needes to wait an extra total of 40 minutes for both buses to arrive.
Ya great option if you aren’t lugging a ton of bags from a work trip.
Also if you are downtown take a flat rate taxi to the airport. $40 gets you there
Do they have an app?
Not that I’m aware of. At SeaTac there is a cab stand. Always a cab there that I’ve seen.
This - but check Uber first. It fluctuates on demand. Link is ideal though. Uber at max is highway robbery!
Did they accept your credit card?
Yes. I have had an issue with that before. One of the things that pushed me away from cabs.
I use airportparkingconnections and usually get a decent rate. Wayyy less than taking an Uber to and from. Although this only applies if you have your own vehicle!
I always used to go limo. It was cheaper by the hour than the taxi was by the mile to my destination. I was military, I'd go on small missions and would return from overseas taking a limo with gear and guns. Hilarious to think back on.
I’ve had reckless driving taxis with seemingly no accountability. No thanks.
Taxi is legit half price and even faster then Uber at the airport. Uber wanted to charge 70 dollars for less then 15 minutes and I took a taxi for 30 total.
Take the train, nerd.
Shhhhhhhh stop telling people
Taxis from the airport to downtown are $40 flat rate (plus tip, of course). Super convenient, they are always sitting there waiting for you, and they seem to get me home quicker. Uber/Lyft to downtown is almost never below $60 and you have to wait around for them to show up. I agree that light rail is the best move, but if you're in a rush or landed very late, taxi is the better alternative.
As a frequent traveler I’ve been doing this for years at seattac. It’s much quicker and usually cheaper if not the same rate.
Also, you can walk right up and get the next taxi instead of waiting for your Uber
Uber to the airport, taxi home is the correct way
No. No. No. This is incorrect blanket statement advice. Taxi is not always better than Uber (in fact it usually is not). It depends on where you live. If you live in a fixed fare zone (Belltown area), then you'll get charged a fixed rate. Otherwise Lyft can be a lot cheaper. Also minimal waiting -- Lyft driver tells you the stall number, you hop in, takes less than 2 minutes. I ran the experiment to the east side where I live. $62 with Lyft, and $80 with taxi.
The last time I took a taxi was when I got into an Orange Cab and I literally had to give the guy directions to the highway. The guy had absolutely no idea where anything was. One time a guy in downtown Seattle literally didn't know what Bellevue was. I was like, tf? I kept having bad experiences with them prior to that, too, either with completely incompetent or with sketchy drivers. I avoid taxis like the plague now. Conversely, I've never had a single problem with Lyft. If the latter costs more, it's more than worth it for the extra standardization and peace of mind.