If you’re a rider, please visit the PHL dropoff page or PHL pickup page instead.
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Airport regulations for driver-partners
Per airport regulations, drivers must adhere to the terms below while on airport property. Failure to do so may result in the receipt of a citation or restriction of access to airport trips. Please note that Uber will not pay for any citations that drivers 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)
- Drivers may wait for requests in the designated waiting area (see map below)
- Drivers waiting elsewhere will not receive trip requests through the Uber driver app
- Waiting at terminals or elsewhere on airport property is prohibited and may result in a citation
- Uber drivers may only use the restroom in the waiting lot
- All ride pickups must occur at the designated locations selected by riders in the Uber app
- The Uber vehicle decal (trade dress) must always be displayed on the front passenger windshield facing outward
Pickups at the airport
How pickup requests work
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, 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 drivers to enter will be the first to receive a trip request.
Based on the operating agreement with the airport, drivers must wait for trip requests in the designated waiting lot on Airport Recirculation Road (see map below).
Some things to know about designated queue zones:
- Proximity to the terminal within the designated queue 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 designated queue zone, trip requests will go to Uber drivers in the area 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 designated queue zone
- You do not accept multiple trip requests in a row
- You cancel multiple rides (if the rider cancels, you will remain in the queue)
Pickups located on Commercial road
Pickups take place on the Commercial Vehicle road parallel to the public Arrivals road. To reach the pickup points, follow the in-app navigation and use the road marked for “Commercial Vehicles Only.” You may be required to show your waybill and/or active driver app to airport personnel in order to access this road. Please be prepared to show your app if requested.
Dropoffs at the airport
How dropoffs work
Based on the operating agreement with the airport, riders can be dropped off at their requested terminal on the Departures/Ticketing 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 designated driver queue.
ReMatch feature
We’ve also launched the ReMatch feature at PHL. To qualify for ReMatch, driver-partners must first complete a dropoff at the airport. ReMatch then allows any driver who just completed an airport dropoff to temporarily receive a pickup request and complete a pickup without having to go to the waiting lot. Airport regulations prohibit loitering in the terminal area. Idling at the curb may result in a citation from airport authorities.
Important info on pickups
Waiting lot located on Island Ave
To join the queue, drivers must be located in the airport-designated waiting lot on Island Ave. Drivers staging elsewhere at the airport will not be eligible for trips (with the exception of ReMatch offers). Drivers should only be in the lot while actively waiting for trips.
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