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Driving at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)

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, driver-partners 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 driver-partners may incur.

  • When on airport property, the Uber driver app must be open at all times (driver-partners must not go Offline until exiting the airport area).
  • We’ve instituted a special system at Palm Beach International Airport. The system only works within the designated waiting area and driver-partners waiting elsewhere will not receive trip requests through the Uber driver app.
  • The Uber vehicle decal (trade dress) must always be displayed on the front passenger windshield facing outward. Driver-partners can obtain this Uber decal at their local Greenlight Hub or fill out this form to receive one by mail.
  • PBI expects Uber driver-partners to maintain the cleanliness of its portable restrooms, if used:
    • Airport officials expect that everyone in the waiting lot will use trash cans for any garbage, such as coffee cups, food, or cigarette butts.
    • Drivers must wait for trip requests in the designated staging area. Please reference the map below for details on the waiting lot.

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, 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-partner to enter will be the first to receive a trip request.

Based on the operating agreement with the airport, the staging lot is located on Belvedere Rd. The lot is accessible from Belvedere Rd and 5th St. See the map below for more details. See the map below for more details.

Some things to know about FIFO queues:

  • Proximity to the terminal within the FIFO zone does not create an advantage for driver-partners or move you closer to the top of the queue.
  • If there are no driver-partners in the FIFO zone, trip requests will go to Uber driver-partners 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 do not accept multiple incoming trip requests in a row
    • You cancel multiple rides (if the rider cancels, you will remain at the top of the queue)

Picking up your rider

Once you accept a trip request, the pickup location at PBI is located on the Arrivals Level (see map below).

Dropoffs at the airport

How dropoff requests work

Based on the operating agreement with the airport, riders can be dropped off at 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