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Driving at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

Airports can be complicated places, especially for drivers. But knowing the basics, and getting information in advance about your local airport, can help make sure you’re prepared for your first pickup or dropoff.

Airport regulations

Per airport regulations, drivers must adhere to the terms below. Failure to do so may result in the receipt of a citation or even restriction of access to airport trips. Please note that Uber will not pay for any citations that drives may incur.

  • When on airport property, the Uber driver app must be open at all times (drivers must not go Offline until exiting the airport area).
  • We’ve instituted a special first vehicle in is the first one out (FIFO) system at the airport. The FIFO system only works within the designated, geofenced area and drivers waiting elsewhere will not receive trip requests through the Uber driver app.
  • Please note that this airport charges a fee for all pickups and dropoffs. This fee is charged directly to riders and will be paid to BWI. This way, you will never be charged for airport requests.
  • Tap here for the full list of rules and regulations required of drivers at BWI per the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Aviation Administration.

Pro tips

  • Driver cancellations: Trip cancellations can take away from the great Uber experience that both riders and drivers expect. Please remember that drivers who improperly use the app and intentionally disrupt the service, including excessively canceling rides or asking riders to cancel rides, may lose the ability to receive trip requests to and from the airport through the Uber Driver app.
  • Ground transportation and airport security staff: Airport rules are as important as traffic rules. Airports expect drivers to follow the instructions of the airport staff.

Pickups at the airport

It is easy to receive trip requests from riders leaving the airport. However, these trips work a little differently than other requests.

Waiting for requests

Uber’s technology uses a first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue. This means that, in order to receive a trip request and comply with airport rules, you need to enter the designated waiting area, located within a “FIFO zone”. You will then be placed in a virtual queue where the first driver to enter will be the first to receive a trip request.

This Airport has located their waiting area on the north side of Elkridge Landing Road, north of the airport entrance (see map below).

Some things to know about FIFO queues:

  • Proximity to the terminal within the FIFO zone does not create an advantage for drivers or move you closer to the top of the queue.
  • If there are no drivers in the FIFO zone, trip requests will go to Uber drivers in the area - outside of the FIFO zone - based on proximity and other factors.
  • You can lose your place in line if:
    • You go offline on your Uber driver app
    • You drive outside the FIFO zone
    • You repeatedly reject or cancel incoming trip requests, or engage in other types of on-app abuse or fraud

Picking up your rider

Once you accept a trip request, the pickup location at the airport is located on the Upper Departures level (see map below).

Dropoffs at the airport

Based on the operating agreement with the airport, riders can be dropped off on the Departures level. If you’d like to receive a trip request afterward, you’ll need to keep the Uber driver app on to maintain your place in the FIFO queue.

Staging information

Uber drivers may wait for ride requests at the designated TNC staging lots. You will not receive an airport request outside of these lots (and may be issued a citation for waiting in other areas).

TNC Lot: The staging lot is located in the northeast corner of the lot off of Elkridge Landing Rd, across Aviation Blvd from the Express Parking Lot.