Giving Airport Rides — @ Sky Harbor International Airport (In Phoenix, AZ)

There are other airports in Phoenix that have rideshare demand (like Scottsdale Airport, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport) but this post is about the big one — Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

The best thing to do when doing Rideshare @ this airport is to understand the flow of the traffic routes. There is an area for rideshare drivers and passenger pickups. It is marked by columns and you will see people standing there, “hitchhiking with their phones.” There are other airports in Phoenix that have rideshare demand (like Scottsdale Airport, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport) but this post is about the big one — Sky Harbor International Airport.

Finely put there are designated, labeled, rideshare zones. They are on the “Outer Loop” of the standard traffic flow to Terminals 3 and 4. If you are doing Lyft or Uber rides during a busy time it is important to use these designated zones because if you use the what I’ll call the “Public Drop-Off Zone” instead, the rent-a-cop’s will threaten you with four hundred dollar tickets and rideshare platform suspension because they see that you have and are specifically looking for your Lyft murals (or Uber emblems to all you Plebeians…”The Stickers”). Now I am not sure that they can legally do this but it doesn’t seem much worth it to lose your source of money so best just to use the Rideshare Pick-Up Zones. You can usually get away with a quick drop-off, especially if your rider doesn’t have luggage and is using your trunk, but definitely DO NOT stand idle on the non-rideshare curb.

There is actually an official Lyft.com map and accompanying video for this complication, viewer beware though, the video came out pre-pandemic, over 7 years ago… also looking at the map doesn’t make too much sense:

The Sky Harbor website actually does a better job at explaining the loops and standing points for rideshare passengers. It says:

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Terminal Pickup Locations

Terminal 3
Entire south outer curb.

Terminal 4
Level 1, north outer curb, far west end outside door #1.

Terminal 4
Level 1, south outer curb, east end outside door #6 or door #8 and west end door #2.

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My tip? Look for “The Columns.” They are labeled A-H (I think?) at each terminal. And it says Lyft and Uber Pick-Up/Drop-Off.

Just doing 4-5 Airport rides will get you to understand the initial gist of the flow. But honestly the “U-turns” are a little confusing and even though I have given dozens and dozens of rides here I still have trouble understanding the turn around points and I get nervous because there aren’t really big signs that direct traffic directly to the rideshare zones — just small ones that are posted on the columns when you are “already there.” When I master it I will revise this post and share a mastered version of the specific turns to get you from Terminal 3 to Terminal 4 and back again.

Another tip to this airport is when you are texting your passengers know and ask your passengers which side they are on (It’s either North or South) (i.e. “What side are you facing?” and which number terminal and column number they are standing at. This is really the best you can do. Demand is high though, so go there and get the airport rides.