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A Redditor found a rather happy accident while requesting a rideshare to an airport.
Uber charges $30 more just for choosing Delta over Virgin Atlantic – same terminal, same time
byu/Consistent_Office874 indelta
In a post titled “Uber charges $30 more just for choosing Delta over Virgin Atlantic – same terminal, same time,” @Consistent_Office874 wrote:
I was booking an Uber from my home to JFK Terminal 4 and noticed something really weird. When I selected Delta as my airline, the fare was about $30 higher than when I selected Virgin Atlantic, even though both airlines operate out of the exact same terminal (T4), and I checked this multiple times, at the same time, using the same pickup and dropoff locations.
I even took screenshots to compare the two fares side by side. Nothing else changed – just the airline name.
Why should the choice of airline affect the price when the destination is literally the same terminal?
Posting here in case others want to test it or shed light on what’s going on.
Someone downthread commented the same thing I thought: Delta (and American Express) are Uber partners. So, obviously, all of us Delta lemmings will take Uber to the airport and pay whatever price, right? (Spoiler alert: no.)
I tried the same thing from my home to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Terminal 3, where Delta is located. I compared it to Aeromexico (which has a T3 check-in) and didn’t see any substantial price differences.
Maybe the Redditor encountered a glitch? Or is Delta-Uber shenanigans?
In any case, it’s something interesting to try next time you fly.
Take a Walk!
I tapped around my Uber app and found that drop-off prices at LAX Terminal 1 (Southwest, Allegiant, Sun Country, etc.) were a few dollars cheaper than Terminal 3. That makes sense because Terminal 1 is, you know, a slightly shorter drive than Terminal 3.
If you fly Delta, you could have Uber or Lyft let you off at T1, clear security there, and then use the airside (post-security) connectors to walk over to T3. It saves you a little money and gets some exercise. It’s about a 10-minute walk. (All of LAX is connected airside now — imagine that — so, you could hoof it to any of the other terminals, too. But you’d have to be really frugal and/or a sucker for getting your steps.)
This method is practical only if you carry on your luggage. (Or take an elevator down to the arrivals level, walk that to Delta, and then head upstairs with your luggage and check-in there. The departures level at LAX is a living hell to walk.)
That’s not exactly a new, amazing hack. But I figured I’d throw it out there
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got it. I’m entering spirit next time!