Taking an Uber or Lyft ride is one of the most convenient ways to and from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). If you are new to rideshare services at SFO, this guide may address most of your questions.

Drop-Offs

If you’re taking an Uber or Lyft ride to SFO, simply tell your driver the airline you are taking, then you will be dropped off at curbside on the departures level (upper level) in the area serving your airline. Passengers can also request drop-offs at Arrivals-level or on Level 5 of the domestic garage to avoid traffic on the Departures level during peak times. Please inform your driver if you are taking an international flight so that your driver can take you directly to the international terminal.

UberX or Standard Lyft is the best option for most travelers. With these services, you are not sharing the ride with anyone but still paying a low fare. The driver will take you directly to SFO. This is especially important if you’re on a time constraint. The last thing anyone wants is an unexpected delay on the way to a flight. If you are traveling with a group, you may consider an UberXL, which seats up to four riders. Although it costs more than UberX, it is still a rather low cost option for a group with several pieces of luggage. Alternatively, an UberSUV or Lyft Plus with slightly higher cost can seat up to six passengers and comes with a high-end black vehicle driven by a commercially licensed driver.

UberPOOL or Lyft Line is not recommended for trips to the airport. This is because these services work line a van pool and usually take much longer than UberX or Standard Lyft and may experience unexpected delays. The systems match you up with other passengers going in similar directions. Unfortunately, there are may be two or three pickups and drop-offs along the way. This can cause significant delays in your trip to the airport. Unless you have a lot of extra time to spare, avoid taking UberPOOL or Lyft Line to SFO.

Pick-ups

International (Terminal 4)

All rides are picked up at curbside on the center island of the Departures-level roadway.

Domestic (Terminals 1-3)

As of June 5, 2019, rideshare pickups have been moved to Level 5 of the domestic garage. For the latest updates, visit SFO’s Ground Transportation page.

Pickup locations are located on Level 5 of the Domestic Garage. From the terminals, walk across the connecting sky-bridges to Level 5 of the Domestic Garage. Please request a ride after you have arrived the garage.

Lyft Lux and Uber Black/Black SUV/WAV are picked up at curbside.

SFO Rideshare Pickup Location. Photo by SFO ©.

Pro Tips

If the airport is crowded, consider contacting your driver to provide additional information about yourself to help the driver identify you in the crowd. Calling your driver is better than texting because the driver cannot respond to text messages while driving. In the meanwhile, refer to Uber or Lyft app to note the driver’s name and license plate number, and be on the look out for your driver as he or she approaches.

San Francisco International Airport occasionally makes changes to pickup locations for app based ride services. For updated information, please visit SFO’s Ground Transportation.

Ride Options

Please consider your luggage size when requesting a ride. The following options are available at SFO.

Uber

UberX: Low-cost; ideal for 1 to 2 passengers with luggage

UberXL: High capacity vehicle for a larger group with multiple bags

UberSELECT: Mid-tier luxury sedan for 1-2 passenger with luggage; a step above UberX

UberBLACK: High end luxury sedan driven by a professional driver

UberSUV: High-capacity version of UberBlack for up to 6 passengers.

UberASSIST: UberX or UberXL with drivers trained to assist passengers with accessibility needs

UberPOOL: Lowest cost option; split cost with other riders; Not recommended if under time constrain

Lyft 

Standard Lyft: Low-cost; ideal for 1 to 2 passengers with luggage

Lyft Plus: High-capacity vehicle for up to 6 passengers.

Premier: High end luxury sedan or SUV

Lyft Line: Lowest cost option; split cost with other riders; Not recommended if under time constrain

Fare Estimates for Popular Destinations

SFO → Downtown San Francisco: UberX: $25-32, Lyft: $24-33

SFO → Union Square SF: UberX: $27-34, Lyft: $23-32

SFO → Palo Alto: UberX: $34-44, Lyft: $31-42

SFO → Downtown San Jose: UberX: $52-68, Lyft: $53-65

SFO → Downtown Oakland: UberX: $42-54, Lyft: $38-50

SFO → UC Berkeley: UberX: $46-59, Lyft: $42-54

Fares to and from SFO vary depending on vehicle options and travel time. Please use Uber Fare Estimator or Lyft app to get a more accurate fare estimate. For all SFO rides, Uber and Lyft also collect a $3.80 drop-off or pickup surcharge. This surcharge will be paid directly to San Francisco International Airport.

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