It’s no secret to declare that traveling during the holidays can be a headache, to say the least.
The traffic is horrendous- it took me upwards of two hours to get to JFK last year from my Upper East Side apartment, and it wasn’t even rush hour! There are also packed airports, long lines to check in and get through security, and crowds everywhere. Travelers are rushing around and generally stressed out.
Enter Uber with a slew of new features debuting just in time and designed to reduce the hassle and high costs for travelers during the holiday season and beyond.
They debut today and kick off with UberXXL, which gives you access to cars with larger trunk space, which is ideal when you need extra space for all your luggage. It’s available for rides to / from more than 60 airports globally, including JFK, LGA, EWR, LAX, SFO, DCA, ORD, DFW, MIA, and ATL. As an incentive, from November 20 through December 1, the brand is giving eligible Uber One members $20 in Uber Cash back on their next UberXXL ride to/from an airport.
Then there’s UberX Share at Airports, launching in AUS, DEN, EWR, IAD, MIA, MSY, PHX, SFO, and internationally in AMS and MAD, with more to come. This one is for the budget-conscious set: in a first, riders can share their trip with one other person and get a 25% break on their ride, compared to what the usual UberX fare would be— and even if they’re not matched with a co-rider. Available at ten airports globally to start with more to come.
I’m personally most looking forward to Uber Reserve. This feature includes flight capture, where you enter your flight details and get a recommendation for when you should leave. You also get flight tracking, which flags if your flight is delayed and you should leave later for the airport than your scheduled time. Uber Reserve also includes multi-stop. As the name hints, this tool gives you the option to make multiple stops— say you need to pick someone up on your way to the airport, drop something off, and run an errand en route.
Uber Shuttle at LGA is the last of Uber’s news items that are timed for the holidays. It already offers the service from Grand Central Terminal to LGA. The route has been so popular that the company is adding a new route from downtown Manhattan to LGA. The release says, “Riders can book up to 4 seats from 7 days to 5 minutes before a scheduled departure for just $18. We’re now offering 3 routes to / from LGA with service every 30 minutes from 5am until 10:45pm, 7 days a week.”
Uber Shuttle’s three routes include, Downtown Manhattan (World Trade Center) to/from LGA Airport; Midtown Manhattan to/from LGA with stops at Port Authority and Grand Central Terminal; Midtown Manhattan (Penn Station) to/from LGA Airport.
In an email to Forbes, John Mark Nickels, Uber’s Senior Director of Product Management said, “The holidays always see a record number of travelers coming and going through airports, and this year is no different. We know our customers count on Uber for effortless and reliable travel, which is why we’ve been working hard to reimagine the airport travel experience. From offering more space for more luggage with UberXXL to new affordable rides with UberX Share at Airports and more, our innovative solutions will help make your travels a bit smoother this season.”
I say, sign me up!
This post was originally published on here
