Uber Lyft Vegas Prices Going Down
I have covered the Las Vegas ride sharing Soap Opera since its inception. It all started when Uber illegally launched in Nevada before getting shutdown by the courts. Then, a law was finally passed to allow ridesharing in Nevada, but it took awhile for Uber and Lyft to setup and even longer before they were allowed to pickup at the airport in Las Vegas.
When both Uber & Lyft launched their services (legally) in Las Vegas, they pretty much matched the taxi prices. This didn’t last long however. In December, both companies announced a 30% price cut. Now, it seems they have both lowered their rates again with Uber advertising a further 16% cut and Lyft pretty much following suit.
New Uber Lyft Vegas Prices
So just how much have ridesharing prices fallen in Las Vegas? Last year I covered the original Uber/Lyft costs which were the same at launch:
- Base Fare: $2.40
- Cost per mile: $1.85
- Cost per minute: $.30 (cost even when vehicle is moving.)
While these prices were slightly different than taxis (for example taxis only charge per minute when the vehicle is moving under 8-12 MPH) the prices were comparable. Now let’s look at the new Uber/Lyft prices after this recent reduction. (As of May, 2016)
Base Fare
- Uber: $1.50
- Lyft: $1.50
Cost per mile
- Uber: $.90
- Lyft: $.93
Cost per minute
- Uber: $.15
- Lyft: $.15
Both companies also have a $5 minimum charge and a $1.70 fee added to every ride.
Uber & Lyft Vegas Cost Analysis
As you can probably tell, Uber and Lyft prices in Nevada are about half of what they were when they launched last year. While the base price has only dropped 37.5%, the cost per mile is about half and the cost per minute is exactly half. In other words, Vegas went from a very expensive ridesharing city to a city where it is actually quite cheap. Just how cheap is it?
A Mother’s Day Bargain
This past weekend I sent a Lyft driver for my mom to pick her up and bring her to my brother’s house for Mother’s Day. She lives on the far end of town and picking her up would have meant a ton of lost time, so using a Lyft credit seemed like a good solution. Here are the stats for my mom’s rides:
- Ride 1 to my brother’s house: 23.50 miles, 32m 4s, $29.87
- Ride 2 back to her house: 23.90 miles, 30m 24s, $29.98
I don’t know about you, but I consider a 23 mile, 30 minute ride for less than $30 to be very cheap. I used a website called TaxiWiz to find out what a cab would cost and it quoted $62.71 without a tip for the same route. I honestly don’t see how the taxi companies can compete without lowering their prices.
New to Uber & Lyft in Vegas & Elsewhere?
If you are new to Uber & Lyft, you can get a free ride for signing up using my referral links. I’ll get a credit for a free ride too. If you are looking to drive, you may get a sign-up bonus as well.
- Uber Sign-up – Get $20 towards your first ride.
- Lyft Sign-up – Download the app and use code SHAWN1598 for a $20 credit towards your first ride.
Note: While the sign-up bonus is generally $20, this amount can vary depending on the current promotion and which city you live in.
Conclusion
Uber & Lyft have lowered their prices in Vegas once again. At this point the Uber Lyft Vegas prices are about half of what they were at launch last year and about half of what it costs to take a taxi. Based on what I have seen in and around town, ridesharing is gaining a strong foothold and with these new prices, I doubt the growth of Uber & Lyft in Nevada will slow down.
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This means drivers don’t get paid near enough to cover expenses and though it is their choice to drive, I’m afraid having human rideshare drivers will soon be extinct due to these unfavorable conditions. Of course it’s well known both companies are pushing towards a future of automated vehicles to do the work. This mean a loss of more jobs as people are replaced by machines. If anyone truly understands what this means they will contemplate their decision to support these companies more. I am a driver and I’ve rarely thought about all that is involved, but when I do it becomes apparent that I will not drive for them much longer now that I’ve found a more stable and substantial part-time job. It’s quite sad actually because I love doing it, but it costs me a lot more than I earn in the end if riders do not tip as they should considering fares that are a third of what a taxi would cost.
I found the signs are kind of confusing in terminal 3. You have to get picked up at the ride sharing area at the valet (V) level. I took a pedestrian bridge from the terminal to the parking structure then went one level down. May be easier if you come out of terminal 1.
Thanks J.J, I will be flying southwest so I think that will be terminal 1…hopefully it will be better. What I can find sounds like it is in the parking garage across from terminal 1.
Terminal 3 is a bit of a pain I agree, especially since it is on the far West side of the garage. When we landed from London a couple of months ago, customs is on the far East side of the terminal, so it is a good 10 minute walk to where the pickup is. As you said, it is on the Valet level and signs aren’t quite as good as in Terminal 1.
How is it getting picked up at a hotel on the strip…do they have designated areas?
Is it a pain at the airport or are the signs pretty easily marked for pick up?
There are a lot of signs. From Terminal 1 you will want to go to level 2M in the parking garage. Here is a bit more info.
https://milestomemories.boardingarea.com/uber-las-vegas-airport/
Awesome thanks…I know you wouldn’t normally stay at the hotels on the strip but have you heard how they work there? Do they have designated areas too?
Thanks for the help!
They adjusted their prices to reflect the long-haul from LAS around to your hotel…
That’s just business, this is the economy at work. This isn’t slavery, nobody is being forced to do something against their will. If you get paid too little, go do something else. If you want to pay more, go ride a cab.
They need to stop lowering prices and squeezing these drivers (I am not one). The best part of Uber for me was that I didn’t need cash and I didn’t have to think about tipping. With everything that’s coming out with how these drivers aren’t being paid enough, I feel like I need to start tipping. I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather pay a little bit more to have the drivers compensated fairly for their time. It’s not about paying less…it’s about paying for what you get.
Hi i am a driver and i honesty rather you get a cheap fare and tip because … They take a percent out of the fare and the tips are 100% ours which therefor means that less they can take which is a high amount here in vegas 25% of the fare that is and if everyone tiped 2 bucks for every ride i have given then my check should break about evevenow if you rather pay more for your fare and not tip then we make even less. The states are the ones in charge of this percent thing. Because about 11% goes to between the taxi service (8.75) and then state (2.25) it may be the other way around but then the ride share company wants there cut for providing us with the service so 14% to them