Uber today announced a slew of new features to make airport travel a breeze for riders as well as drivers ahead of the busy summer travel season. This includes the option to ‘Reserve’ rides up to 90 days in advance. The ridesharing company has been working to create a seamless airport transit experience, and already has dedicated pick-up and parking slots at all major airports in the country.
Here are the new features for riders to navigate their rides better at the airport:
Directions To Pickup
Allowing flyers to better utilise their time at airports, the Uber app now features a step-by-step wayfinding guide, assisting riders on their way from the gate all the way to the Uber pickup zones. The guide includes actual pictures from the airport, guiding passengers to seamlessly make their way to their Uber. The feature is being rolled out across 13 of the busiest airports in the country, catering to a vast majority of flyers.
Additionally, riders at select airports will also see the approximate walking time from their gate to the pickup zone, helping them plan their journey accurately.
Delhi Airport
Hyderabad Airport
Travel Integration to Pre-book Rides
With an aim to help people plan their travel to airports at the tap of a button, Uber has introduced a new feature where riders can opt to sync their travel plans with Uber via email integration. The new feature helps riders pre-book their rides, while being assisted with pre-filled dates and times on their Uber app, corresponding to their flight, saving them the hassle of booking a trip at the last moment.
The new feature is an opt-in, and will require riders to sync their email IDs with their Uber app to be able to access it.
Uber Reserve
Uber Reserve trips will be available to be booked up to 90 days in advance. This extension will allow for better planning when it comes to reserving a ride, including to the airport. This also gives driver partners the added advantage of being able to lock in their potential earnings, and plan their time better.
Uber Reserve rides, while being available for airport drop-offs, can also be booked for regular, planned travel, and are available through a range of options, including Uber Premier, Uber XL, Uber Intercity, and Uber Rentals.
Boosting Driver Support for Airport Trips
For greater transparency and information for driver partners around airport trips, Uber has introduced an update for them too. The Uber driver app will now show the approximate waiting time at the airport before drivers can expect to get a ride, the number of cars in queue, and the number of expected flight arrivals over the next hour. These updates have been introduced with an aim to help drivers plan their airport trips better, and to offer them intel on the expected time for their next ride at the airport.
Uber recently announced a thorough revamp of its app, making it more intuitive, customized to the individual preferences of each rider, offering easy access to all services, consistent experiences, and smooth flows through the booking process. The launch of these new features for airport travel is part of the redesign to make airport experience seamless as travel bounces back globally.