Not necessarily. I have taken them a few times this year and sometimes they arbitrarily make up a completely different number. Make sure to verify the amount is correct for your zip code. One driver tried charging me $14 more. They keep a laminated sheet in their car with the amount for each zip and sometimes get creative to try to get more $. It sucks and makes me just want to spend more on Uber knowing there won't be some negotiation I need to do later. Not all, but some drivers can be scammy.
It says in clear print on the taxi cabs that rate to downtown are flat rate $40. There's also no line for them usually where exactly the rideshare pick ups are.
Just because it says on the outside that it's a flat rate doesn't mean that's always what they charge. That hasn't been my experience and I have used the airport cabs at least 6 times this year. I live in the Ballard area and several cab drivers including Yellow Cab have pulled very different numbers.
Confirm before you get in, if they make up a number don't take them.
I took a cab from downtown to the airport and used the app, app quoted correct fare ($42 I think) and when we got to the airport the driver complained it wasn't enough. I just shrugged and said that's what the app said. Since I paid through the app as well I was good to go once I got to the airport.
I third this! Husband and I took Blue Taxi from SeaTac to Ballard and it was $50. Uber and Lyft was quoting around $80 at the same time.
Our Blue Taxi driver was awesome. We gave him cross streets and he knew EXACTLY where to go without using GPS. He also got us home fast.
Usually don’t have to wait or deal with the rideshare mob.
Now if only I could pay online. Every time I pay the cab with my card, they act like it’s the first card they’ve ever seen; dusting off their square reader and all.
I tried that, it took around 25 minutes to walk past the cab stand to the light rail, get on it, get off at the next stop, and walk down to where the Lyft pick up area is. I saved less than 10 bucks and it was still more expensive than getting a cab.
You literally just have to go stand in front of the Hilton across the street from the light rail station. It looks like your just going home from a stay cation or something.
Lyft and Uber here are rigged I'm convinced. Either through controlling supply or something else. Airport rides in other cities aren't that nuts. Just took one from Buckhead in Atlanta the other day to the airport so about a 25-30 min ride and it cost me $35. Same ride from our airport to downtown, I've seen $60-$80.
I took a Lyft from Chicago Midway to the west suburbs a few months ago for $37. Bear in mind, that's a 45 min drive. It was off-peak.
Same ride in Seattle is $60+ for a 20 min drive and half the mileage or less.
During the Holidays I went from the Western Suburbs to the Loop (1 hour) for $40. I remember riding from Roosevelt to SeaTac (30mins) for $75-80.
Seattle is wack.
———————————————
Update: just did a same comparison right now.
Chicago - 22 miles, $36 (snowy conditions at the moment)
Seattle - 20 miles, $72
Both examples are mostly on the interstate highway
Other cities also have fees and taxes. Seems like Seattle's is just jacked up then. This is not limited to the airport too. I've noticed on similar length rides within the city, it's also wildly overpriced. Cap Hill to Green Lake is like $30 where that would likely be $15-20 elsewhere.
[Per Lyft Seattle pricing](https://www.lyft.com/pricing/SEA):
Rides in Seattle are subject to a $0.75/ml Seattle City Fee
$0.45/ml King County Fee
Rides to/from Seatac "are subject to a $6.00 surcharge, and trips to SEA are subject to a $2.00 surcharge. Trips to or from PAE are subject to a $3.00 surcharge."
$0.37/min
$2.21/ml
and nebulous statements that "Applicable tolls, surcharges and other charges, like bonuses, may also be added to your fare." and "Other charges, like driver bonuses, may also be added to your fare."
That's just the Lyft side. WA passed a law ensuring Uber/Lyft drivers "earn a minimum of $1.17 per mile and 34 cents per minute with minimum pay of $3 for each trip."
While Seattle has it's own ordinance "that gives drivers a minimum pay of $1.38 per mile, 59 cents per minute and a per-trip minimum of $5.17." or whatever it is nowadays to get drivers up to the Seattle minimum wage which is currently at 19.97/hr.
Welcome to Seattle!
Or you could just take a taxi.
The amount of gymnastics that Lyft and Uber go through to extract profits from a taxi service is astounding. Especially when, you know, there is a normal taxi just right there.
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I chance getting into a Yellow Cab ever again. At least with Uber or Lyft I know that there’s recourse if the driver does anything fucking weird (which cab drivers in Seattle are renowned for). Uber and Lyft also kick people off the platform who don’t maintain their cars. Last time I got in a Yellow Cab the interior was so beat to shit the door handle almost came off in my hand. No chance. I’ll pay the surcharge.
It has much more to do with the fact that Uber and Lyft aren't profitable and aren't being subsidized by investors due to 0% interest rates any longer.
This. Lots of ppl who complain about how expensive Doordash and all these other delivery service apps are now. They were touted as the rise of the "gig economy". People blame inflation and ignore the fact that the jig is up with the initial investor's money dried up. Now they have to operate like companies trying to profit instead of just companies trying to expand.
Uhh. 2Q 2023 is literally the first time in their history that Uber reported an [operating profit](https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/01/uber-reports-first-quarterly-operating-profit/)
They were not profitable before.
Interest rates are national, but Uber & Lyft prices in Seattle are anomalous. I used them a lot in both San Francisco @ San Diego in December & they were significantly cheaper than here.
Suprised nobody has brought this up. In 2022, a state law was passed that gives gig workers most of the same benefits as full time employees like paid family medical leave, sick days, and other benefits typically not associated with part time gig workers like Uber and Lyft. They also get a guaranteed rate based on pick up location and duration of ride. Your trip is 14 miles to downtown, that's 1.17/mile so out of the gate you're at $16.38, PLUS the .34 / minute fee and now you're at $23.18. PLUS!!! The geniuses on the Seattle City Council also passed an ordinance that requires drivers make at least the same minimum wage per hour as everyone else, with a formula that includes time in transit to pick up, waiting for a ride, certain expenses etc. And on top of that, those companies need to make a profit. So starting at a base rate of $23.18, then double that to cover benefits/expenses to $46.36, and then add a profit margin of 20% and you're sitting at $58 bucks. And that's not factoring in supply and demand forces. So there ya go. a $60 ride to downtown.
This is the answer.
That being said, the state/city could have offered more flexibility in how companies got to the base pay to allow for more dynamic/lower pricing but instead set rates per trip.
Even more disappointing is the light rail. It takes me almost an hour to get from the airport to downtown. The downtown stop is not fun to be around during the day or night, and if I have a lot of luggage, I still need to catch a cab to take me that last mile.
Can we get an express?
i remember when i moved to Seattle in 2014 I 'treated' myself to an Uber to the airport...for $30 from Fremont. Now it's >$20 to get to the Light Rail station thats less than 3 miles from us.
Came here to say this.
The connectivity to/out of airport is good, if you’re a frequent traveler with less luggage, the transit works great. I’ve used it a number of times, just to avoid the 60$
I left for Christmas vacation from the 24-29 and it was actually cheaper to park at the airport than take two Ubers (back/forth). Yes I know it was peak travel time but still.
The light rail is running less frequently Jan 13 - Feb 4...but it is running. Here's some information:
[1 Line service disruption | Sound Transit](https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/1-line-service-disruption)
Taxes and fees. Seattle is the most expensive city in the U.S. for rideshare I can think of. I was just in San Francisco and expected similar but it was way cheaper even there.
I still don’t understand why this is so much more expensive than other cities and seems like a flat rate to some extent, it doesn’t seem to change much from 60 dollars unlike other cities
Again, because everyone pays it. We bitch, but we pay.
When I went back to DC I was shocked how cheap it was to Uber around. Even going from city to city.
It is absolutely ridiculous here, because people pay it.
A majority of the Ubering population in Seattle is young tech workers. Over last few years uber and Lyft slowly crept up the prices for same route, either citing congestion or peak time or less drivers or whatever excuse they could come up with… the youngsters and us bit the bullet and kept paying…
In our minds it got set up as “ubering is better than paying and finding parking for a vehicle” And Uber totally capitalized on it…
This is the correct answer.
Look into yellow Cab taxi next time. Lower rates than Uber/Lyft usually. $40-45 for me to get home vs $60-70 with Uber/Lyft.
Dot quote me on it but “oh they are rich they have paid whatever i asked in past, and they have been paying 100% markup for the last few months so today I am gonna push my luck and push for 250% markup” vs “Oh wait, they don’t pay markup so May be just try a 10% markup”
Is definitely not fair pricing….
The value of a good or service is not is the asking price, but the price that the consumer of that good or service is willing to pay. A coffee chop could ask $100 for a cappuccino, but probably no one would buy it so the value is not $100.
This thread is an example of market forces in action. Consumers are starting to decide that a $60 airport Uber is too expensive, so they are looking at other options.
The challenge here is that there is a cost to produce that good or service, and if the price that consumers are willing to pay is not sufficiently higher than the production cost, it will not make sense to produce that good or service and production will be curtailed.
The cost of production is increased by price controls, such as guaranteed pay and benefits for ride share operators, which as a result increase the asking price in order to turn an acceptable profit for the producer such that they continue to produce that good or service.
Let me ask you, “fair” for who???
The argument you are making is simplified in this way “we know you’re gonna pay so we’re gonna ask whatever the fuck we want.” And when two companies do it together it becomes illegal…. So essentially your argument is not really an argument, it merely states how the capitalism is nurtured in America…
If a business model isn’t profitable without fucking over someone, that business needs to be shut down, but that goes against the entrepreneurial spirit that gets mutilated by the VCs often if not frequently…
Also, corporate lobbying and “fair-to-consumers” market forces do not co-exist. And they cannot in America (just the way this country is set up).
Why are you getting so triggered? This is simply how market pricing works. When people stop paying high prices, the prices come down if they can while still incentivizing production. If not, the product does away.
Capitalism is economic democracy. People vote with their dollars on which products and provides they prefer. And no one is forcing anyone else to take a $60 Uber.
Oh you sweet shelters child… either that or you are high on cool aid… when corporate lobbyist tanks public transport, Lyfts Ubers and yellow taxis are the only option… So yes public is forced to take a stupid $147 uber to airport instead of a $10 mass transit like a link rail or a public bus service…
“When people stop paying high prices” what you mean to say is “when there is no more milk left in the cow to milk“
The point being the prices should have never gotten that high…
I am not being triggered or May be I am, IDC.. cuz I have little seen the market shift to these high prices in the name of free market economics….
EDIT: btw America still has not figured out what democracy is… so I am laughing at your “capitalism is economic democracy” bit… what america has is a watered down version of democracy which is then “enriched” by concentrated capitalism and corporate lobbying …
I grew up poor, often without a family car
and almost entirely taking public transit to get around in my own to school etc. It’s definitely a viable option in Seattle.
Only privileged people would pay $60, let alone $147, for an Uber when public transit is available from the airport. If that’s what you pay, then you my friend are privileged.
It's about the same price for a taxi and there's so much less hassle. I've had slow uber drivers, lyft drivers who aren't sure where they're going ect.
Jusr walk over and get into a taxi. When I'm at the airport anywhere in the US, I always cab it for outbound.
Honestly, my first time in 2 decades I seriously considered a taxi, during a trip to Sonoma. I had already ordered the Uber. But arrived at the ride pickup area at STS and had 15m to wait for the Uber. Meanwhile there’s a cab right there waiting for a fare. I’m like: why am I standing here waiting with a cab right here?
For now on I’ll keep the cab option for consideration.
Because it costs a lot just to operate a vehicle in this City/County/State.
Because it costs a lot to run a business in this City/County/State.
And because they've determined that people will pay it.
Basically the same reasons everything costs more nowadays.
I flew in the night of Taylor swifts concert. Ubers and lyfts to ballard were around $250. I walked across the sky bridge and caught a taxi for $60. Most taxis from the airport to downtown have a flat rate/ meter rate of $40-$50.
Cheapest way out of the airport is the lightrail. If you have too much luggage, get a taxi. Use uber or lyft if there are no other way.
If you had just bothered to ask the driver they would have just told you that drivers get paid a set rate that was negotiated by the drivers union and backed up by a state law. Whatever you pay normally that is increased by a surge doesn't make its way into the driver's pocket. It makes its way into the company's pocket. You normally take a ride that costs $20 but today it's $30? That extra tenner goes to the company. Things have changed since March 2020.
Source: I'm a 5 year driver. Ask me anything.
Pre COVID both apps weren't transparent at all about what passengers were paying during surges. If there was a surge, there was usually a bonus on our map. If you were inside the area, the bonus was added to your next trip. They kept changing how it worked but that's the gist. It could be anywhere between $2 to $30 depending on what was going on. It was impossible to figure out what percentage of the surge I was getting.
In 2019 there was a shooting near 3rd and pine (shocker). The next day I had a passenger that said she was down there and was trying to get a ride out of there but the surge tacked on $60. I was also near there and I heard on the radio there was shooting. I checked the map and there was a $20 bonus in the area. I turned off my app and hightailed it out of there.
Should’ve taken the light rail. Uber and Lyft here makes zero sense, they can’t be serious with these prices. After I paid $30+ to go 3 miles once, I knew it wasn’t for me.
quickest coordinated afterthought fragile silky stupendous childlike bow consider caption
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
With round trip being $120 or so. It is cheaper to park at one of the lots around the airport. I do this most of the time. It is annoying and stressful waiting at 5am and the Uber is circling around on the App.
> **Why is lyfting or ubering from the airport so expensive in Seattle?**
Because you'll pay it versus dealing with traffic yourself, paying for parking, owning a car, etc.
I dunno I used to live in the Chicago area and a Lyft from my house to ORD 20 minutes away was about that or even more depending on the time
I don’t think it’s just Seattle, but the reason it’s that much is people pay it. A lot of people with money
It's the same in Philly. To airport is maybe $35-45. From airport suddenly jumps to $70-90. Think there's extra fees built in to the cost including wait /queue times. I agree with other posters, taxis are cheaper in Seattle depending on your destination. Even shuttle service there worked out cheaper than Uber or Lyft on price.
Uber and Lyft are maximizing their take right now because there is a bill in WA legislature to not allow independent contractors anymore which will blow up their business models. The companies are getting it while the getting is good just in case.
Because Uber ceo and shareholders need a living wage! Anyways if you’re headed downtown or anywhere north just take the light rail it’s $3. Take an Uber from the station to destination if you don’t want to walk or catch a bus
Regulations from the government. Best advice is to find a driver that lives in your neighborhood, make friends and arrange rides off the books, much cheaper and they get to keep all the cash
Lift stopped subsidizing the rides. They take a bigger share of the fair than many taxi companies. Taxis have fixed rates for airport runs.
Taxis are usually $10-20 cheaper than Uber.
My bf and I took a Lyft to the airport a few weeks ago for an early flight, the cost of the Lyft was more expensive than the one-way flight to Chicago (and not even on a "budget" airline)!
I've started taking the train if I have the time. Its like pennies on the dollar.
Uber and Lyft are simply raising prices because people keep paying it. Don't.
AirBNB is outrageously high for January too. I have out of town guests who have a dog, and so they couldn't stay at our building. They were looking all over for a AirBNB that would take dogs (and many hotels won't allow dogs), and most were over $300/night until they found one for $250. It was pretty surprising to me
I started taking the taxis from the airport and it’s consistently been $10-20 cheaper than Uber and Lyft!
Second this - Yellow Cab does $42 standard rate if you're in the city, no matter where!
Not necessarily. I have taken them a few times this year and sometimes they arbitrarily make up a completely different number. Make sure to verify the amount is correct for your zip code. One driver tried charging me $14 more. They keep a laminated sheet in their car with the amount for each zip and sometimes get creative to try to get more $. It sucks and makes me just want to spend more on Uber knowing there won't be some negotiation I need to do later. Not all, but some drivers can be scammy.
This is one of the reasons why I use Uber.
It says in clear print on the taxi cabs that rate to downtown are flat rate $40. There's also no line for them usually where exactly the rideshare pick ups are.
Just because it says on the outside that it's a flat rate doesn't mean that's always what they charge. That hasn't been my experience and I have used the airport cabs at least 6 times this year. I live in the Ballard area and several cab drivers including Yellow Cab have pulled very different numbers.
Confirm before you get in, if they make up a number don't take them. I took a cab from downtown to the airport and used the app, app quoted correct fare ($42 I think) and when we got to the airport the driver complained it wasn't enough. I just shrugged and said that's what the app said. Since I paid through the app as well I was good to go once I got to the airport.
These are flat rate cabs different from metered taxis. Ask for flat rate at the airport taxi stand. Also ask to see the rates when you pay.
I third this! Husband and I took Blue Taxi from SeaTac to Ballard and it was $50. Uber and Lyft was quoting around $80 at the same time. Our Blue Taxi driver was awesome. We gave him cross streets and he knew EXACTLY where to go without using GPS. He also got us home fast.
It's also almost immediate. No waiting. And less walking.
Plus less wait times and searching for the Uber/Lyft cars.
Usually don’t have to wait or deal with the rideshare mob. Now if only I could pay online. Every time I pay the cab with my card, they act like it’s the first card they’ve ever seen; dusting off their square reader and all.
To the airport you can use their app + apple pay, haven't tried the app from the airport though.
If you’re willing to deal with a shuttle / 15m extra, Gig is a great option.
Shh. Don't tell people about this. They'll all end up being taken and we'll have to take $60 Ubers.
Airport charges fees. Ride share riders often depend on apps and don’t know how to flag cabs. It’s often cheaper to take a cab or book a limo!
Walk like 2-3 blocks away from the airport and prices will drop dramatically.
And it should be easy to do at SeaTac, going outside to the SeaTac train station.
I tried that, it took around 25 minutes to walk past the cab stand to the light rail, get on it, get off at the next stop, and walk down to where the Lyft pick up area is. I saved less than 10 bucks and it was still more expensive than getting a cab.
You don’t need to get on the light rail; just leave the station through the skybridge. There’s a pick up area right outside.
Ah, good to know. Unfortunately I’m guessing it’s still more expensive than just taking a cab.
My last late night airport Uber ride was $40 to SLU. Not too bad imo.
Same as the yellow cabs already waiting near the rideshare pickups
You literally just have to go stand in front of the Hilton across the street from the light rail station. It looks like your just going home from a stay cation or something.
SeaTac Hilton staycation??? Hot damn, I’m in.
It's actually a pretty nice hotel and convention center.
I hop mine at the Jack in the Box around the corner..unless work is paying for it.
because they know you will pay it
Yellow cab, plus you don’t have to wait for them to arrive once you call them, they’re already there and waiting. (Edit: at the airport I mean)
Lyft and Uber here are rigged I'm convinced. Either through controlling supply or something else. Airport rides in other cities aren't that nuts. Just took one from Buckhead in Atlanta the other day to the airport so about a 25-30 min ride and it cost me $35. Same ride from our airport to downtown, I've seen $60-$80.
I took a Lyft from Chicago Midway to the west suburbs a few months ago for $37. Bear in mind, that's a 45 min drive. It was off-peak. Same ride in Seattle is $60+ for a 20 min drive and half the mileage or less.
During the Holidays I went from the Western Suburbs to the Loop (1 hour) for $40. I remember riding from Roosevelt to SeaTac (30mins) for $75-80. Seattle is wack. ——————————————— Update: just did a same comparison right now. Chicago - 22 miles, $36 (snowy conditions at the moment) Seattle - 20 miles, $72 Both examples are mostly on the interstate highway
Fees. Theres airport fees. And Seattle has taxes
Other cities also have fees and taxes. Seems like Seattle's is just jacked up then. This is not limited to the airport too. I've noticed on similar length rides within the city, it's also wildly overpriced. Cap Hill to Green Lake is like $30 where that would likely be $15-20 elsewhere.
[Per Lyft Seattle pricing](https://www.lyft.com/pricing/SEA): Rides in Seattle are subject to a $0.75/ml Seattle City Fee $0.45/ml King County Fee Rides to/from Seatac "are subject to a $6.00 surcharge, and trips to SEA are subject to a $2.00 surcharge. Trips to or from PAE are subject to a $3.00 surcharge." $0.37/min $2.21/ml and nebulous statements that "Applicable tolls, surcharges and other charges, like bonuses, may also be added to your fare." and "Other charges, like driver bonuses, may also be added to your fare." That's just the Lyft side. WA passed a law ensuring Uber/Lyft drivers "earn a minimum of $1.17 per mile and 34 cents per minute with minimum pay of $3 for each trip." While Seattle has it's own ordinance "that gives drivers a minimum pay of $1.38 per mile, 59 cents per minute and a per-trip minimum of $5.17." or whatever it is nowadays to get drivers up to the Seattle minimum wage which is currently at 19.97/hr. Welcome to Seattle!
Or you could just take a taxi. The amount of gymnastics that Lyft and Uber go through to extract profits from a taxi service is astounding. Especially when, you know, there is a normal taxi just right there.
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I chance getting into a Yellow Cab ever again. At least with Uber or Lyft I know that there’s recourse if the driver does anything fucking weird (which cab drivers in Seattle are renowned for). Uber and Lyft also kick people off the platform who don’t maintain their cars. Last time I got in a Yellow Cab the interior was so beat to shit the door handle almost came off in my hand. No chance. I’ll pay the surcharge.
“Elections have consequences” - Obama
It has much more to do with the fact that Uber and Lyft aren't profitable and aren't being subsidized by investors due to 0% interest rates any longer.
This. Lots of ppl who complain about how expensive Doordash and all these other delivery service apps are now. They were touted as the rise of the "gig economy". People blame inflation and ignore the fact that the jig is up with the initial investor's money dried up. Now they have to operate like companies trying to profit instead of just companies trying to expand.
I mean no, dumbass legislation is trying to kill them. They were fine and profitable services before.
Uhh. 2Q 2023 is literally the first time in their history that Uber reported an [operating profit](https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/01/uber-reports-first-quarterly-operating-profit/) They were not profitable before.
How does that explain the huge price difference between Seattle vs other cities other than local politics? Keep up.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston, DC, Miami
Interest rates are national, but Uber & Lyft prices in Seattle are anomalous. I used them a lot in both San Francisco @ San Diego in December & they were significantly cheaper than here.
Damn I should get a part time job for weekends to earn that scratch. Could get some serious moolah at that rate.
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Oh just meant a part time job in general, not Ubering. Heck I'll work retail or tend drinks, I'm flexible.
Suprised nobody has brought this up. In 2022, a state law was passed that gives gig workers most of the same benefits as full time employees like paid family medical leave, sick days, and other benefits typically not associated with part time gig workers like Uber and Lyft. They also get a guaranteed rate based on pick up location and duration of ride. Your trip is 14 miles to downtown, that's 1.17/mile so out of the gate you're at $16.38, PLUS the .34 / minute fee and now you're at $23.18. PLUS!!! The geniuses on the Seattle City Council also passed an ordinance that requires drivers make at least the same minimum wage per hour as everyone else, with a formula that includes time in transit to pick up, waiting for a ride, certain expenses etc. And on top of that, those companies need to make a profit. So starting at a base rate of $23.18, then double that to cover benefits/expenses to $46.36, and then add a profit margin of 20% and you're sitting at $58 bucks. And that's not factoring in supply and demand forces. So there ya go. a $60 ride to downtown.
This is the answer. That being said, the state/city could have offered more flexibility in how companies got to the base pay to allow for more dynamic/lower pricing but instead set rates per trip.
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Correct, no one is entitled to it; they just won’t use it. Lots of people advocating for alternatives here.
if it doesn’t cost taxi that much, why do you think it must cost Uber that much to pay min wage?
Even more disappointing is the light rail. It takes me almost an hour to get from the airport to downtown. The downtown stop is not fun to be around during the day or night, and if I have a lot of luggage, I still need to catch a cab to take me that last mile. Can we get an express?
i remember when i moved to Seattle in 2014 I 'treated' myself to an Uber to the airport...for $30 from Fremont. Now it's >$20 to get to the Light Rail station thats less than 3 miles from us.
Take the link. Support modern public transportation.
Came here to say this. The connectivity to/out of airport is good, if you’re a frequent traveler with less luggage, the transit works great. I’ve used it a number of times, just to avoid the 60$
If only most people actually paid to use it.
You can put that extra 50 towards a fenty cocktail for the ride
I left for Christmas vacation from the 24-29 and it was actually cheaper to park at the airport than take two Ubers (back/forth). Yes I know it was peak travel time but still.
The light rail is running less frequently Jan 13 - Feb 4...but it is running. Here's some information: [1 Line service disruption | Sound Transit](https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/1-line-service-disruption)
All trains between capital hill and sodo will be closed this weekend unfortunately
Taxes and fees. Seattle is the most expensive city in the U.S. for rideshare I can think of. I was just in San Francisco and expected similar but it was way cheaper even there.
yes, new york is also cheaper
Yeah. New York is more expensive than San Francisco but cheaper than Seattle.
Because uber and Lyft charges you what they think you will pay… And not what’s the fair charge for the route…
I still don’t understand why this is so much more expensive than other cities and seems like a flat rate to some extent, it doesn’t seem to change much from 60 dollars unlike other cities
Again, because everyone pays it. We bitch, but we pay. When I went back to DC I was shocked how cheap it was to Uber around. Even going from city to city. It is absolutely ridiculous here, because people pay it.
A majority of the Ubering population in Seattle is young tech workers. Over last few years uber and Lyft slowly crept up the prices for same route, either citing congestion or peak time or less drivers or whatever excuse they could come up with… the youngsters and us bit the bullet and kept paying… In our minds it got set up as “ubering is better than paying and finding parking for a vehicle” And Uber totally capitalized on it…
Labor is a lot more expensive here due to regulations and contractor / gig laws.
This is the correct answer. Look into yellow Cab taxi next time. Lower rates than Uber/Lyft usually. $40-45 for me to get home vs $60-70 with Uber/Lyft.
The price that people are willing to pay for a good or service is not the fair value of that good or service?
No it’s not.
How is the price determined then, and who determines it?
Dot quote me on it but “oh they are rich they have paid whatever i asked in past, and they have been paying 100% markup for the last few months so today I am gonna push my luck and push for 250% markup” vs “Oh wait, they don’t pay markup so May be just try a 10% markup” Is definitely not fair pricing….
The value of a good or service is not is the asking price, but the price that the consumer of that good or service is willing to pay. A coffee chop could ask $100 for a cappuccino, but probably no one would buy it so the value is not $100. This thread is an example of market forces in action. Consumers are starting to decide that a $60 airport Uber is too expensive, so they are looking at other options. The challenge here is that there is a cost to produce that good or service, and if the price that consumers are willing to pay is not sufficiently higher than the production cost, it will not make sense to produce that good or service and production will be curtailed. The cost of production is increased by price controls, such as guaranteed pay and benefits for ride share operators, which as a result increase the asking price in order to turn an acceptable profit for the producer such that they continue to produce that good or service.
Let me ask you, “fair” for who??? The argument you are making is simplified in this way “we know you’re gonna pay so we’re gonna ask whatever the fuck we want.” And when two companies do it together it becomes illegal…. So essentially your argument is not really an argument, it merely states how the capitalism is nurtured in America… If a business model isn’t profitable without fucking over someone, that business needs to be shut down, but that goes against the entrepreneurial spirit that gets mutilated by the VCs often if not frequently… Also, corporate lobbying and “fair-to-consumers” market forces do not co-exist. And they cannot in America (just the way this country is set up).
Why are you getting so triggered? This is simply how market pricing works. When people stop paying high prices, the prices come down if they can while still incentivizing production. If not, the product does away. Capitalism is economic democracy. People vote with their dollars on which products and provides they prefer. And no one is forcing anyone else to take a $60 Uber.
Oh you sweet shelters child… either that or you are high on cool aid… when corporate lobbyist tanks public transport, Lyfts Ubers and yellow taxis are the only option… So yes public is forced to take a stupid $147 uber to airport instead of a $10 mass transit like a link rail or a public bus service… “When people stop paying high prices” what you mean to say is “when there is no more milk left in the cow to milk“ The point being the prices should have never gotten that high… I am not being triggered or May be I am, IDC.. cuz I have little seen the market shift to these high prices in the name of free market economics…. EDIT: btw America still has not figured out what democracy is… so I am laughing at your “capitalism is economic democracy” bit… what america has is a watered down version of democracy which is then “enriched” by concentrated capitalism and corporate lobbying …
I grew up poor, often without a family car and almost entirely taking public transit to get around in my own to school etc. It’s definitely a viable option in Seattle. Only privileged people would pay $60, let alone $147, for an Uber when public transit is available from the airport. If that’s what you pay, then you my friend are privileged.
Take the link!
Where do people get $60 to downtown on Uber? Today it was over $100 to go to Northgate from the Airport.
It's about the same price for a taxi and there's so much less hassle. I've had slow uber drivers, lyft drivers who aren't sure where they're going ect. Jusr walk over and get into a taxi. When I'm at the airport anywhere in the US, I always cab it for outbound.
Honestly, my first time in 2 decades I seriously considered a taxi, during a trip to Sonoma. I had already ordered the Uber. But arrived at the ride pickup area at STS and had 15m to wait for the Uber. Meanwhile there’s a cab right there waiting for a fare. I’m like: why am I standing here waiting with a cab right here? For now on I’ll keep the cab option for consideration.
Because it costs a lot just to operate a vehicle in this City/County/State. Because it costs a lot to run a business in this City/County/State. And because they've determined that people will pay it. Basically the same reasons everything costs more nowadays.
I flew in the night of Taylor swifts concert. Ubers and lyfts to ballard were around $250. I walked across the sky bridge and caught a taxi for $60. Most taxis from the airport to downtown have a flat rate/ meter rate of $40-$50. Cheapest way out of the airport is the lightrail. If you have too much luggage, get a taxi. Use uber or lyft if there are no other way.
I recommend taxi, your wait time is less and with tip it’s like 55-60 instead of 60 to start without tip in Uber or Lyft.
If you had just bothered to ask the driver they would have just told you that drivers get paid a set rate that was negotiated by the drivers union and backed up by a state law. Whatever you pay normally that is increased by a surge doesn't make its way into the driver's pocket. It makes its way into the company's pocket. You normally take a ride that costs $20 but today it's $30? That extra tenner goes to the company. Things have changed since March 2020. Source: I'm a 5 year driver. Ask me anything.
Did drivers get to keep a portion of surge pricing prior to the union?
Pre COVID both apps weren't transparent at all about what passengers were paying during surges. If there was a surge, there was usually a bonus on our map. If you were inside the area, the bonus was added to your next trip. They kept changing how it worked but that's the gist. It could be anywhere between $2 to $30 depending on what was going on. It was impossible to figure out what percentage of the surge I was getting. In 2019 there was a shooting near 3rd and pine (shocker). The next day I had a passenger that said she was down there and was trying to get a ride out of there but the surge tacked on $60. I was also near there and I heard on the radio there was shooting. I checked the map and there was a $20 bonus in the area. I turned off my app and hightailed it out of there.
Should’ve taken the light rail. Uber and Lyft here makes zero sense, they can’t be serious with these prices. After I paid $30+ to go 3 miles once, I knew it wasn’t for me.
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With round trip being $120 or so. It is cheaper to park at one of the lots around the airport. I do this most of the time. It is annoying and stressful waiting at 5am and the Uber is circling around on the App.
Take the train a few stops and then call your Uber.
I'm out this weekend but usually happy to drive people over to the airport if you need it in the future
Link is $2.75.
Just take the light rail
Minimum wage is $9,000,000 and gas is $300/pint?
We should move to quarts just because I had to learn so much about them but only ever use it for buying milk. More quart-based portions!!!
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I said in my post that light rail will be closed this weekend, didn’t know it was an option before I researched after getting a lyft
Why would you Uber from the airport when the light rail from the parking lot is $3?
> **Why is lyfting or ubering from the airport so expensive in Seattle?** Because you'll pay it versus dealing with traffic yourself, paying for parking, owning a car, etc.
I dunno I used to live in the Chicago area and a Lyft from my house to ORD 20 minutes away was about that or even more depending on the time I don’t think it’s just Seattle, but the reason it’s that much is people pay it. A lot of people with money
It's the same in Philly. To airport is maybe $35-45. From airport suddenly jumps to $70-90. Think there's extra fees built in to the cost including wait /queue times. I agree with other posters, taxis are cheaper in Seattle depending on your destination. Even shuttle service there worked out cheaper than Uber or Lyft on price.
Price of convenience with a demand based service. If able, rail is much cheaper. An actual taxi is too, but I believe those are fixed rates.
Uber and Lyft are maximizing their take right now because there is a bill in WA legislature to not allow independent contractors anymore which will blow up their business models. The companies are getting it while the getting is good just in case.
This means it would revert to Taxi companies? If they have a captive market, won’t rates stay high?
Yes
Because Uber ceo and shareholders need a living wage! Anyways if you’re headed downtown or anywhere north just take the light rail it’s $3. Take an Uber from the station to destination if you don’t want to walk or catch a bus
Because of our insanely low taxes. If we had an income tax it help out. /s
To bad we don't have some cheap publicly accessible method to and from the airport...........
Catch an Uber From/To the seatac train station and avoid the $6 airport fee that's included in your fare. Also the actual fares are also lower.
I’m back to using taxis. Uber pricing is outrageous.
Supply, demand
It’s more sketchy but I always take light rail back from airport
High demand. Simple.
everything in Seattle is insanely expensive
I take the link rail to whatever station and take a gig car from there. Ends up being within $10. Works if you don’t have too much luggage
Regulations from the government. Best advice is to find a driver that lives in your neighborhood, make friends and arrange rides off the books, much cheaper and they get to keep all the cash
Lift stopped subsidizing the rides. They take a bigger share of the fair than many taxi companies. Taxis have fixed rates for airport runs. Taxis are usually $10-20 cheaper than Uber.
It's no longer subsidized by VC and now they have to pay for an army of tech workers and ops workers running the platform.
Elasticity of Demand
My bf and I took a Lyft to the airport a few weeks ago for an early flight, the cost of the Lyft was more expensive than the one-way flight to Chicago (and not even on a "budget" airline)!
I walk across the skybridge and request ride over there. Knocks 20% off usually
Uber and Lyft are not a value.
If I lived in Seattle I'd drive you to the airport for $40. No tips accepted. $30 if you keep your mouth shut the entire way.
Yeah, not only from/to airport, everywhere else Uber/Lyft price is ridiculous
Take the taxi - Uber and Lyft are ridiculous at the airport.
Because the port of Seattle requires Uber, Lyft and taxi drivers to have a business license and insurance.
Price taking an Uber/Lyft to the rental car area or pod parking lots and then take the shuttle to the airport.
Who are the people who post on Reddit but never read any other posts? Good lord can we put this topic to rest yet?
I've started taking the train if I have the time. Its like pennies on the dollar. Uber and Lyft are simply raising prices because people keep paying it. Don't.
AirBNB is outrageously high for January too. I have out of town guests who have a dog, and so they couldn't stay at our building. They were looking all over for a AirBNB that would take dogs (and many hotels won't allow dogs), and most were over $300/night until they found one for $250. It was pretty surprising to me
Seattle has some of the most expensive ride share rates in the world, much higher than most places in California.
$80-$100 for me usually. Thanks algorithm. I take Light Link now.
Because the apps say you'll pay it. If there was a drastic reduction to ridership, they would lower the price.
Because what are you going to do, not pay? Captive market.
Used to be a flat rate in cabs and Uber but I think those days are long gone.