Can You Pay Uber With Cash? (How to Add & Pay Cash) [2020]
Uber is just about everywhere and while using a credit card for Uber is the most convenient and most logical way to utilize the Uber App, some people still want to know: can you pay Uber with cash? The answer to this question is yes but it depends on where you are located. This article will explain how to add and use cash as a payment method and whether or not it’s probably a good idea.
Uber is a cashless experience in most cities. When a trip ends, the fare is automatically charged to the rider’s preferred payment method. Unless you are on a trip in a city where riders can use their app to select cash as a payment option, there is no need to ask a rider for a cash payment of trip fares.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
How to add the cash option for Uber
Choosing cash for your payment method is very easy and only takes a couple of seconds to do.
First you need to log-in to your app.
Then click on “Wallet” and scroll down to “Ride Profiles” where you will select your profile. In most cases, this will be “Personal” if you have not renamed it. Once there you can select your Default Payment as Cash.
During the ride you might get the following message: “Your driver’s phone will show you the amount to pay at the end of the trip.”
Once you complete your ride, you’ll simply hand the driver the cash required to cover your fare and you should still receive an email receipt after the Uber driver has taken your cash payment.
Note: I tried to use cash as a payment and after setting it as my default payment the app never prompted me to had over my cash. Thus, I think that the cash payment feature could be faulty for some users.
Where can you use cash for Uber?
I imagine that the locations that take cash for Uber are going to be constantly changing so you’ll always have to check up on the latest information and updates to be sure if Uber in your location takes cash.
Uber initially rolled out cash options in countries where credit cards were not as popular or widespread like India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, and the Philippines.
I’ve been able to use cash here in Texas and I know some other locations like Philadelphia have it as well. But I’m not sure about how other US states like California, Florida, New York, and others handle the issue.
Whether you should use cash when paying for an Uber ride is a completely different matter to ponder.
Uber is designed to be cashless
Keep in mind that Uber is designed to be a cashless payment system for transportation. Thus, when you choose to use cash you might catch your Uber driver off guard. They might not even know that cash is acceptable and that could cause some issues when trying to pay for your ride.
Drivers may not have change
Another major issue is that many drivers may not have change on them to break up your cash. So generally speaking you may have to resort to offering your cash payment with the tip included since you may not be able to get change back. And if you’re not prepared with smaller bills, you could be leaving some pretty hefty tips.
Uber does try encourage their drivers to carry cash but from what I can tell this is not a requirement so there’s no guarantee they will have cash or change on them.
Credits for change
It seems like some Uber drivers have a feature where they can credit you for the change that you are due so if that feature is widespread then you may not have to worry about collecting your change after every ride. So if your ride is $14 and you hand them a $20, you should be able to get a credit for $6 in your Uber account.
Rounding issues
However, there are also reports out there of Uber rounding up to the nearest dollar even when the price of the ride is barely above a dollar amount. For example, a $9.08 ride could be rounded up to $10. I’m not sure how prevalent that is but it’s something to be on the lookout for as that could eat into your expenses over time.
Thus, I personally would not resort to using cash unless I really needed to use that.
What about cash tips for Uber drivers?
You can also leave tips with cash for your Uber driver. However, Uber now allows you to include tips when paying with your credit card, so there’s really no reason why you would need to use cash for the fare or for a tip.
I will say that some people like to tip in cash so that their driver can instantly see that they’ve tipped and will be more prone to give them a nice review. If you wait too long to tip in the app, there’s a chance your driver might think you’re not going to tip them and they might give you a lower rating. So if you’re concerned with your Uber reputation paying in cash for your tip can make sense.
Since you don’t need change and just about anybody would be happy to receive cash, I don’t see this a being a big deal, regardless of how you decide to leave your tips, cash or no cash.
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Does Uber Eats take cash?
I don’t believe that Uber Eats takes cash (though they might in some locations). If I can use cash here in Texas for Uber but can’t use it for Uber Eats, it makes me feel like Uber Eats does not take cash. However, they do take alternative payment forms like PayPal and Venmo. You can always leave your tips in cash, though.
Does Lyft take cash?
I’m not aware of Lyft taking cash as a form of payment but if you’ve had any experience with that feel free to let me know.
Final word
Uber allows for cash payments in some locations so you’ll have to check to see if that is going to an option where you need your transportation. While it’s nice that they’ve added the flexible option, it’s probably going to be easier to just use your credit card since that’s much more in-line with the spirit of the app than using cash is.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Uber has exploded in popularity over the past few years and now there are several options to get around the country and the globe with Uber. You can choose to go the cheaper routes with services like Uber Pool and Uber X or you can make your experience more premium by going with services like Uber Select or Uber Black.
But what exactly is Uber Select and how is it different from Uber X or Uber Black?
In this comprehensive article, I am going to tell you everything you need to know about Uber Select, including how much more expensive the rates are, the Uber Select cars list, and all of the vehicle requirements. I’ll also compare it to Uber Black, another premium service offered by Uber.
What is Uber Select?
Uber Select is a slightly upgraded version of Uber X which allows you to get transported in more luxurious vehicles with more qualified drivers but for a higher price.
Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!
How to use Uber Select
It is very easy to switch from UberX and use Uber Select to find rides near you. Simply log into your Uber app and proceed like you are going to book an ordinary UberX ride but when you get to the map screen and it comes time to select your ride you simply scroll down to “Premium” and select the Uber Select option.
Note that not all the routes or locations will have Uber Select.
How much more expensive is Uber Select vs UberX?
I did a test booking from my apartment to the airport in Houston which is about 45 minutes to an hour away. Here is what the rates looked like:
UberX: $43.61
UberXL: $101.57
Uber Select: $116.44
Uber Black: $165.10
So as you can tell the Uber Select ride was almost three times more expensive than UberX. I believe that the price difference can fluctuate depending on the route and the timing of the booking but you typically will be paying significantly more for Uber Select, likely at least 2X the price of UberX.
Uber Select is also more expensive than the new Uber Comfort fare.
Don’t forget that they’ll also be expecting a tip which will add more to the cost (related: To tip or not to tip?).
Is Uber Select worth it?
Whether or not Uber Select will be worth it will just depend on your personal preferences and needs.
Personally, I would rather go with UberX.
While Uber Select does have a nice line up of good vehicles, I rarely have an UberX experience that is seriously lacking in the comfort department. I would hate to pay 2X or 3X the price only to be placed in a vehicle that is marginally better than an Uber X vehicle.
If you end up having a bad or subpar experience with a vehicle riding Uber Select, you can contact the customer service at Uber and they will probably be willing to credit you something back for your ride. This is especially true if you can call them out on lacking qualifications (e.g., having torn seats, etc.).
What vehicles qualify for Uber Select (2020 car list)?
Only certain types of cars can qualify for Uber Select. I’ll cover all of the qualifications below.
2008 or newer
First, many different types of cars are limited by the year. Some models go all the way back to 2008 but some can require you to have newer models such as those ranging from 2013.
Select models
Also, only select models are available for certain types of makes.
For example, for Ford only the Expedition and Explorer are available for Uber Select. Meanwhile, any type of model of Mercedes-Benz is available. So be sure to check both the make and the model as well as the year to make sure that your car would be eligible for Uber Select.
Additional requirements:
Leather or vinyl interior with no tears
Seat at least four passengers in addition to the driver
No full-sized vans
No taxi cabs, government cars, or other marked vehicles
No salvaged or rebuilt vehicles
Be an active UberX or UberXL partner with at least 50 trips
Maintain at least a 4.75 rating
So drivers need to have a minimum activity of 50 trips and at least a 4.75 rating. That in theory should help filter out some of the bad drivers but I don’t think it is really that difficult to maintain a 4.75 rating after 50 trips (maybe it is, I don’t know).
Still, given those requirements you can probably expect your Select driver to be better on average than a random UberX driver. I do like that they require vehicles to not have tears, but I wonder how that qualification is enforced over time. It also does feel good that the vehicles are not rebuilt or salvaged.
List of Uber Select vehicles:
Acura – RL(X), TL(X), MDX, RDX (2013 or newer)
Audi – A4, A6, A7, A8, S4, S6, S7, S8, Q5, Q7 (2008 or newer)
BMW – 3-series, 4-series, 5-series, 6-series, 7-series, X1, X3, X5, X6 (2008 or newer)
Buick – Enclave, LaCrosse (2013 or newer)
Cadillac – ATS, CTS, SRX, XTS (2010 or newer)
Cadillac – Escalade (2009 or newer)
Cadillac – DTS, STS (2013 or newer)
Chevrolet – Suburban, Tahoe (2009 or newer)
Chrysler – 300 (2012 or newer)
Ford – Expedition (2009 or newer)
Ford – Explorer (2011 or newer)
GMC – Acadia Denali (2013 or newer)
GMC – Yukon (2009 or newer)
Hummer – H2, H3 (2008 or newer)
Hyundai – Equus, Genesis (2010 or newer)
Infiniti – All models (2010 or newer)
Jaguar – XF, XJ (2008 or newer)
Jeep – Grand Cherokee (2013 or newer)
Kia – K900 (2013 or newer)
Land Rover – Evoque, Discovery, LR2, LR4, Range Rover (2010 or newer)
Lexus – IS, ES, GS, LS, RX, GX, LX (2010 or newer)
Lincoln – MKS, MKX, MKC, MKT, MKZ, Navigator, Town Car (2009 or newer)
Mercedes-Benz – All models (2008 or newer)
Nissan – Armada (2010 or newer)
Porsche – Panamera, Macan, Cayenne (2008 or newer)
Tesla – S/X (2008 or newer)
Volkswagen – CC, Touareg (2013 or newer)
Volvo – XC90 (2014 or newer)
These lists should be good for whatever location you’re traveling whether it be Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, etc. Read more here.
How expensive are Uber Select vehicles?
If you are like me you might be wondering how expensive the Uber Select vehicles are on average. Maybe you want to know how expensive the car is you are going to be riding in or maybe you want to drive an Uber Select vehicle and need to know the price.
I’ve looked up some prices for these vehicles that can give you an idea of how expensive they are. I am pretty sure that the prices below are for base models though so if you are considering being a Select driver then you might want to get a car more equipped so that your passengers have more features. So just keep that in mind.
Acura
2019 Acura RDX/MSRP: From $37,400
2019 Acura MDX, MSRP: From $44,300
Audi
2019 Audi A4/MSRP: From $37,400
2019 Audi A6, MSRP: From $58,900
2019 Audi S4/MSRP: From $50,200
2019 Audi A7/MSRP: From $68,000
BMW
2019 BMW 3 Series/MSRP: From $40,250
2019 BMW 5 Series/MSRP: From $53,400
2019 BMW 7 Series/MSRP: From $83,650
2019 BMW X3/MSRP: From $41,000
2019 BMW X5/MSRP: From $60,700
Buick
2019 Buick Enclave/MSRP: From $40,000
2019 Buick LaCrosse/MSRP: From $29,570
Cadillac
2019 Cadillac ATS/MSRP: From $38,995
2019 Cadillac CTS/MSRP: From $46,995
2019 Cadillac XTS/MSRP: From $46,795
2019 Cadillac Escalade/MSRP: From $75,195
Chevrolet
2019 Chevrolet Tahoe/MSRP: From $48,000
2019 Chevrolet Suburban/MSRP: From $50,800
Chrysler
2019 Chrysler 300/MSRP: From $29,220
Ford
2019 Ford Expedition/MSRP: From $52,130
2019 Ford Explorer/MSRP: From $32,365
GMC
2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali/MSRP: From $54,700
2019 GMC Yukon/MSRP: From $49,600
Infiniti
2019 INFINITI QX50/MSRP: From $36,550
Jaguar
2019 Jaguar XF/MSRP: From $49,965
2019 Jaguar XJ/MSRP: From $75,700
Jeep
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee/MSRP: From $31,945
Land Rover
2019 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque/MSRP: From $41,800
Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!
Uber Select vs Uber Black
The vehicle list is much shorter for Uber Black.
Also, as you may have guessed, the vehicles must actually be black with black leather interior that is in great condition. Therefore, the experience should be more consistent with Uber Black versus Uber Select and will align more with traditional limo service.
Here is a list of all of the vehicles available for Uber Black:
Audi – A6, A8, A8L
BMW – 5-series, 7-series
Cadillac – CT6, XTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV
Chevrolet – Tahoe, Suburban
Ford – Expedition Platinum, Expedition Platinum MAX (model year 2018 and above only)
*Note – All vehicles must have a black exterior and black leather interior in excellent condition.
As you can tell there is some overlap with the Uber Select list. However, many of these models are more luxurious and more expensive. For example, the 2019 Ford Expedition Max Platinum has an MSRP from $76,060, which is much higher than the standard Expedition.
And it’s not just about the more luxurious vehicles, Uber Black drivers also have to meet the following requirements:
Keep a star rating of 4.85 or higher
5-year-old vehicle or newer
Commercial insurance
Limo license
Black exterior and black leather interior
Seats for at least 4 riders in addition to the driver
So an Uber Black driver is going to be much more qualified since they have to have a higher rating not to mention the limo license. The higher rating qualification is nice but there are several advantages of having someone with a limo license driving you around.
First, these drivers usually have to perform a test at the DMV. Although it is not necessarily a driving test the fact that they have to go through a written test shows you that they have commitment to their career as a driver and are probably less likely to take the job less seriously since they have more invested.
Also, typically divers have trouble getting those limo licenses if they have a bad driving record, so you can feel like you’re in good hands. And if they are driving to and from the airport they might have to be subject to additional screening such as criminal background checks and fingerprinting. So your odds of dealing with a shady driver go down substantially when using Uber Black.
And finally, if you ever have to deal with the dreaded experience of losing something in an Uber ride, you might have more faith in the Uber Black drivers to return your items. (Read how Uber Lost and Found works here.)
Therefore if you want that true luxury transfer service for yourself or for someone else then Black is likely going to be a better choice than Select.
Another option to think about is going with the new Uber Comfort.
Uber Comfort offers a more comfortable experience by providing you with vehicles that have extra legroom and by allowing you to select preferences like the preferred temperature in your vehicle and whether or not you would like to engage in any conversation during your ride.
The drivers must have a minimum star rating of 4.85 based on at least 250 trips, and the vehicles will usually be newer and therefore should be nicer.
Here is a complete list of the Uber Comfort vehicles:
Acura – ILX, MDX, RDX, RLX, TLX, ZDX – all vehicle year 2014 or newer
Audi – A6, A7, A8, A8L, Q5, Q7, S6, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ7 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Bentley – Flying Spur – vehicle model year 2014 or newer
BMW – 5-series, 5-series Gran Turismo, 7-series, ActiveHybrid 5, ActiveHybrid 7, Alpina B7, M5, X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer. X7 – vehicle model year 2015 or newer
Buick – Enclave, LaCrosse, Regal – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Cadillac – CT6, CTS, DTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, SRX, STS, XTS, XT5, XT6 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer. XT4 – vehicle model year 2019 or newer
Chevrolet – Tahoe, Suburban – both vehicle model year 2014 or newer. Equinox, Impala, Trailblazer, Traverse – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Chrysler – 300, Aspen, Town and Country – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer. Pacifica – vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Dodge – Durango – vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Ford – Expedition – vehicle model year 2014 or newer. Edge, Excursion, Explorer, Flex, F-150 – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer. Escape – vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Genesis – G70, G80, G90 – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
GMC – Yukon, Yukon Denali, Yukon XL, Yukon XL Denali, Suburban – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer. Acadia, Acadia Denali, Envoy, Terrain – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Honda – Pilot, Accord, Accord Hybrid, Accord Clarity – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer. CR-V, Odyssey – both vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Hyundai – Equus, Genesis, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sport, Veracruz, Tucson – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Infiniti – JX, Q60, Q70, QX50, QX56, QX60, QX70, QX80 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Jaguar – XF, XJ, XJR – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Jeep – Cherokee, Commander, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Kia – Sorento, Borrego – both vehicle model year 2016 or newer. Soul, Telluride – both vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Land Rover – Discovery, LR3, LR4, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Vogue – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Lexus – ES, GS, GX, LS, LX, NX, RX, – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Lincoln – Aviator, Continental, MKC, MKS, MKT, MKX, MKZ, Nautilus, Navigator, Town Car – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Mazda – CX-9, CX-5, MAZDA5 – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Mercedes-Benz – E-Class, G-Class, GL-Class, GLA-Class, GLC-Class, GLE-Class, GLK-Class, GLS-Class, ML-Class, R-Class, M-Class, S-Class, Metris – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Mitsubishi – Montero, Outlander, Outlander Sport – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer
Nissan – Armada, Murano, Pathfinder – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer. Rogue, Quest – both vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Porche – Cayenne – vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Subaru – Ascent, Legacy, Outback – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer. Forrester – vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Tesla – Model S, Model X, Model 3 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Toyota – 4Runner, Camry, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Sequoia – all vehicle model year 2016 or newer. RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna – all vehicle model year 2017 or newer
Volkswagen – Atlas, Tiguan, Touareg – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
Volvo – S90, XC40, XC60, XC90 – all vehicle model year 2014 or newer
I honestly initially thought that Uber Comfort would be more expensive but when I tested out a quote I found that Uber Comfort was significantly cheaper than Uber Select! For a 30 minute ride from the downtown Houston area to George Bush Intercontinental Airport I got the following quotes:
Uber Comfort: $32.60
Uber Select: $61.26
That is a pretty big difference and it is why Uber Select is considered a premium ride service.
Uber Select FAQ
What vehicles qualify for Uber Select?
Acura – RL(X), TL(X), MDX, RDX (2013 or newer) Audi – A4, A6, A7, A8, S4, S6, S7, S8, Q5, Q7 (2008 or newer) BMW – 3-series, 4-series, 5-series, 6-series, 7-series, X1, X3, X5, X6 (2008 or newer) Buick – Enclave, LaCrosse (2013 or newer) Cadillac – ATS, CTS, SRX, XTS (2010 or newer) Cadillac – Escalade (2009 or newer) Cadillac – DTS, STS (2013 or newer) Chevrolet – Suburban, Tahoe (2009 or newer) Chrysler – 300 (2012 or newer) Ford – Expedition (2009 or newer) Ford – Explorer (2011 or newer) GMC – Acadia Denali (2013 or newer) GMC – Yukon (2009 or newer) Hummer – H2, H3 (2008 or newer) Hyundai – Equus, Genesis (2010 or newer) Infiniti – All models (2010 or newer) Jaguar – XF, XJ (2008 or newer) Jeep – Grand Cherokee (2013 or newer) Kia – K900 (2013 or newer) Land Rover – Evoque, Discovery, LR2, LR4, Range Rover (2010 or newer) Lexus – IS, ES, GS, LS, RX, GX, LX (2010 or newer) Lincoln – MKS, MKX, MKC, MKT, MKZ, Navigator, Town Car (2009 or newer) Mercedes-Benz – All models (2008 or newer) Nissan – Armada (2010 or newer) Porsche – Panamera, Macan, Cayenne (2008 or newer) Tesla – S/X (2008 or newer) Volkswagen – CC, Touareg (2013 or newer) Volvo – XC90 (2014 or newer)
How expensive are Uber Select vehicles?
Prices range from $30,000 to $90,000.
What’s the difference between Uber Select and Uber Black?
The vehicle list is much shorter for Uber Black and some of the vehicles are more luxurious.
Uber Black drivers also have to meet the following requirements:
– Keep a star rating of 4.85 or higher – 5-year-old vehicle or newer – Commercial insurance – Limo license – Black exterior and black leather interior – Seats for at least 4 riders in addition to the driver
Final word
Uber Select is a way for you to have a more premium experience with Uber. However, this comes at a cost which can mean paying 2 to 3 times more than UberX. Also, while there are some specific qualifications for the drivers they are not as stringent as they are for Uber Black, so you might not be guaranteed a quality experience.
For that reason, I would typically just stick with Uber X unless you need or desire a true luxury experience in which case I’d say to go with Uber Black.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
Uber in Puerto Rico Guide (Price Estimates) [2020]
It sometimes feels like Uber is pretty much in every major city in the world but there are still some locations that you might wonder about (like Puerto Rico). In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about using Uber in Puerto Rico and also show you the prices you can expect to pay.
Yes, you can use Uber in Puerto Rico and the in app experience should be the same that it is anywhere. However there are some restrictions that you should be aware of and I will discuss those below.
Also, you might think that Uber may not serve all locations in Puerto Rico based on the map below. The dark shaded area is where you presumably would find Uber rides. But note that you might be able to find rides outside of those locations.
Uber locations in Puerto Rico. Image via Uber.
I searched for rides from Ponce to San Juan and found plenty within minutes. They were expensive but they were available.
Keep reading further to find out more details about pricing and what to expect!
What types of Uber are there in Puerto Rico?
Generally, there are a lot of different types of Uber fares you can book which may include fares like:
The differences between these fares often comes down to the price of the ride, size of the vehicle, and the luxury level offered for the experience. Some fares like Uber Black will even have professional drivers.
However, you may not find all of these different types of fares when you search for an Uber ride in Puerto Rico. For example, if you were hoping to use Uber Black or UberPool you most likely will not find that for any ride.
When I searched for an Uber ride in San Juan, Puerto Rico I found the following fares:
Uber X
Uber Comfort
Uber XL
In the future, you might be able to book more types of fares but for now they seem limited for many destinations.
Old Town San Juan.
How long will it take for my Uber to arrive?
When I searched for Uber rides from the Hilton Caribe Hotel the wait time was around three minutes for most rides which is on par with most other locations that I have used Uber in. There were also a handful of Uber drivers circling around on the map similar to how I see for other locations.
Therefore, when it comes to catching an Uber within the city of San Juan you should not have to wait very long.
When I requested an Uber further outside the city such as in Las Carreras it estimated the wait time at 16 minutes. So if you are staying well outside the city you could be waiting close to 20 minutes in some cases for your Uber ride to arrive.
Also, in some cases you might be limited to Uber taxi rides. For example, I searched for a ride from El Yunque National Forest to San Juan and the only available option was an Uber Taxi. Surprisingly, the wait time was only a couple of minutes but another time I checked no cars were available.
Getting to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín Airport (SJU)
You might be curious about the prices for getting to and from the airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Here are some estimates for what you might expect to pay when heading to the airport. (I’ll talk about leaving the airport below.)
Getting to SJU from San Juan, Puerto Rico
UberX $9.05
Comfort $13.03
The Uber price could save you around 5 to 6 dollars when compared to a standard taxi ride.
Getting to SJU from Old Town San Juan (Plaza de Armas, San Juan)
UberX $12.27
Comfort $17.65
You could save near seven dollars when heading to the airport from Old Town San Juan by using Uber.
So it’s pretty clear that you can save a handful of dollars by using Uber in San Juan, Puerto Rico. If you are planning on hopping around to various locations when visiting San Juan, I would highly recommend you to consider Uber because you will be saving yourself a decent amount of money after several trips.
Leaving the airport (SJU)
If you are trying to get from the airport, you may be forced to book a city taxi. Note that Uber may show you a price to get from the airport to the city but they may not be allowed to compete with taxis for transportation from the airport.
So if I were traveling to San Juan, I would be prepared to take a taxi if needed (you can look for the “Taxi Turisticos”), and I would probably inquire with an airport information desk about potentially using Uber just in case the regulations have changed.
The prices from the airport in most cases will be fixed on a flat rate so you will know exactly how much you should pay. Here are some of the fixed rates you can expect to pay when you book a taxi from the airport:
San Juan International Airport to Isla Verde Hotels & Resorts ($10)
San Juan International Airport to Condado, Miramar, Ocean Park ($15)
San Juan International Airport to Old San Juan & Hotels, Cruise Ship Piers, Puerta de Tierra ($19)
So you are looking at prices ranging from $10-$20 in most cases. Click here for more on taxi prices and zone system that is used.
If you really wanted to use Uber from the airport you could always try the trick where you hop on a shuttle bus to a nearby hotel and then request your Uber from that location. That is one of my Uber tips and you can find more of those in this article here.
Getting to Old Town San Juan (Plaza de Armas)
When visiting Puerto Rico, Old Town San Juan is a must stop destination. It’s got a little bit of everything: architecture, history, cuisine — you will not be disappointed! Here are some of the price estimates you can expect when taking an Uber to Old Town San Juan.
From Condado Beach
UberX $6.45
Comfort $9.29
From Ocean Park
UberX $9.46
Comfort $13.61
Is Uber safe in Puerto Rico?
I never felt unsafe when traveling in Puerto Rico and getting around via taxis. Like many places, it comes down to using common sense but I don’t believe you need to be on any heightened state of alert when using Uber in Puerto Rico.
Is there Uber Eats in Puerto Rico?
If you like to use Uber Eats then you are in luck because Puerto Rico does have Uber eats! You might be surprised to find many restaurants that you are very familiar with in the mainland US. Also, just like sometimes in the mainland US, you can often find delivery fees pretty low in Puerto Rico.
Below are some of the restaurants that you might find on Uber eats in Puerto Rico:
Burger King
Chili’s
Denny’s
Fire house subs
KFC
McDonald’s
Olive Garden
Papa John’s
Pizza Hut
Wendy’s
Starbucks
Subway
Taco Bell
Final word
Overall, using Uber in Puerto Rico will be pretty similar to using it in most major US cities. It should help you get around for pretty cheap and now that it has gotten more popular you should be able to find rides relatively easy at least in the heavily populated areas. In other cases, you might struggle to find a car or have to wait close to 20 minutes but it all depends on your location.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and creator of the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned full-time travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in major publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, CNBC, US News, and Business Insider. Find his full bio here.
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