Traveler shares ingenious tip to save money on Uber rides from airport

Chantel, a travel enthusiast known as @breathlessescapetravels, revealed a handy tip for avoiding excessive Uber fees when leaving the airport. Her strategy is straightforward: instead of waiting in a congested airport where everyone is hurrying to get home, figure out how to get out of there quickly. In the video, which has received over 169,000 views, Chantel reveals how she does it. "If you frequently take Uber home from the airport, here's a method to save money. When I checked the Uber app and realized that it would cost $70 to get me home, I was like, no way," she adds. She even provides a snapshot from the Uber app where the cheapest choice available was $70.91, most likely because so many people were looking for rides. 

Here's how Chantel breaks it down in her video: "Just grab your bags, head outside, and hop on one of those free hotel shuttles. Sure, they'll take you to the hotel first. But look at this: the Uber price drops from $70 down to $27," she explains. "Just to be clear, I was traveling from DCA to Maryland," she adds at the end of her video.

The cool thing about her trick is that it doesn't matter which hotel shuttle you take. And even if you decide to tip the driver, it's still way cheaper than taking an Uber straight from the airport. Before you use this money-saving method, be sure your airport provides complimentary hotel shuttle services. This changes each airport, so please confirm before depending on it. There are many methods to apply the same concept. Depending on the size of the airport, taking a tram to a less congested terminal or part may also help. Some airports such as Newark have public transportation options like NJ Transit. Taking a train straight outside the airport can also save you money.

Many people who saw Chantel's advice thanked her, like one TikToker who wrote, "Thank you because I've been paying $70 like a fool." Another commented, "Wow, this is really clever."

However, some are concerned that if too many people start using these hacks, businesses might catch on. "I'm worried that hotels will start asking for proof of reservations," one person wrote.

A frequent traveler, @dollfacemcgee revealed her dissatisfaction with Uber's dynamic pricing in a popular video. She advised viewers that Uber frequently lists a single price but charges substantially more after the journey. For example, a journey that she thought to cost $14.95 ended up costing her $43. This mismatch prompted her to question Uber's pricing policies, particularly after seeing several charges and refunds on her bank statement. When she called Uber, they explained the notion of dynamic pricing, which modifies costs based on demand to entice new drivers. She criticized this strategy, claiming that it deceives passengers expecting a lesser fare. She continued by expressing how unhappy she was with Uber's policy change and stating that she would prefer to use Lyft for future journeys. 

Follow @breathlessescapetravels for more such travel tips and tricks.