How to Schedule an Uber Ride in Advance

Planning a trip to the airport or an important meeting? Scheduling an Uber ride in advance is a great way to have one less thing to worry about. You can book a ride from 30 minutes up to 90 days ahead of time, though the exact window can vary by location.

This guide will walk you through how to reserve your Uber, cancel it if needed, and what you need to know before you book.

How to Schedule

Booking your Uber ahead of time is easy. Just follow these steps in the app:

1. Open the Uber app. You can tap the "Reserve" icon on the home screen, or enter your destination in the "Where to?" bar and then tap the clock icon next to the "Choose" button.
2. Enter your pickup and destination addresses.
3. Choose the date and a 10-minute window for your pickup time.
4. Swipe through the vehicle options (like UberX or Uber Black) and select the type of ride you want.
5. Review your ride details and the estimated fare, then tap "Reserve" to confirm.

Before You Book

Uber offers two different ways to plan a ride in advance, so it's important to know which one you're using. The main feature, called "Uber Reserve," works a bit differently than the older "schedule a ride" option.

Scheduled rides are super convenient, but keep these key points in mind:

• Price Protection vs. Dynamic Pricing: With Uber Reserve, the price you see is an upfront fare that won't change due to surge pricing. You lock in the price when you book. If you use the older "schedule a ride" feature, pricing is dynamic, meaning the final price may change at the time of your trip if it's busy.
• Availability Varies: The option to schedule a ride isn't available everywhere. The best way to know for sure is to check if Uber is in your city and then look for the "Reserve" icon in your app. If you can't see it, the feature might not be in your area yet.
• How Driver Matching Works: For a Reserve trip, the app starts looking for a driver up to seven days before your pickup time. You'll get a notification once a driver accepts your trip. This is different from an on-demand ride where you're matched instantly.
• A Driver Isn't Guaranteed: In rare cases, a driver may not be available at your requested time. If this happens, Uber will let you know right away so you can make other plans.
• Airport Rules and Flight Tracking: You can schedule a ride *to* most airports, but you generally cannot schedule a pickup *from* an airport. For airport pickups, it's best to request a ride on-demand after you land. If the Reserve feature is available for your airport, you can enter your flight number so the app can adjust your pickup time if your flight is early or late.
• Free Wait Time is Included: Drivers will wait for you at no extra charge for a set time after your scheduled pickup. This is 5 minutes for economy options like UberX, and 15 minutes for premium options like Uber Black. Wait time fees may apply after that.

Cancel or Change a Ride

Plans change! Here's how to manage your reservation:

To Cancel

1. In the app, tap the "Reserve" icon on the home screen or go to your account and select "Trips."
2. Find the ride you want to cancel under the "Upcoming" tab and select it.
3. Tap the "Cancel Reservation" button and confirm.

You can cancel for free up to one hour before your pickup time. If you cancel less than an hour before, a cancellation fee may apply. Reserve cancellation fees are typically higher than for on-demand trips. You can also edit your booking details for free up to 60 minutes before pickup.

FAQs

Can I pay for a scheduled ride with cash?

No, you cannot use cash. You must use a credit card or another accepted digital payment method to reserve a ride in advance.

When is my card charged for a scheduled ride?

Uber places a temporary authorization hold on your payment method about 16 hours before your pickup time. This is just to make sure the payment method is valid. The actual charge happens after the trip is complete.

What happens if my driver is very late?

If your driver is expected to be significantly late, Uber will notify you. For most trips, you then have 10 minutes from that notice to cancel the ride at no charge.

Can I use a promo code on a scheduled ride?

It depends. Some promotions don't work with Reserve trips. Check the terms of your specific promo code. Eligible promotions are applied to your fare right before your driver heads to pick you up.

Plan Your Trip

Before you schedule, it's always a good idea to check the estimated fare for your trip. And if you're a new user, don't forget to look for an Uber promo code to get a discount on your first ride!