There’s no question that Uber has been a game changer for travelers and commuters alike. Not only did the platform provide an often less expensive competitor for traditional cabs but also made them easier to hail and pay for. Plus, it provided plenty of people with a solid side hustle opportunity. However, while I’ve been a user of Uber and Lyft for several past trips (and even internationally), I am finding times when taking a cab is just more convenient — and not all that much more expensive.
When I arrived at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport last week, I was initially tempted to head to the parking deck that the airport uses as a rideshare pick-up. But, before doing so, I thought back to all of the times I had to wait 10 to 20 minutes to get a car while nervously watching my phone’s notifications to ensure that I didn’t miss their text telling me what spot they’d parked in. So, instead, I decided to try to go ol’ fashioned cab stand.
Despite the line looking long upon arrival, it flowed the entire time as cabs consistently pulled up. And, rather than needing to rely on my phone to know where to go, the employee at the front of the line directed each passenger to a spot so there was no need to fight for a car. All of this made for an easy and quick pick-up process.
There happens to be another reason why taking a cab from LAS to my hotel made the most sense: they have flat fares. In the case of the Strip, there are three pricing zones based on how far north you’re going. These fares range from $21 to $29. Since I was staying on the South Strip, I paid the lower price.
Another reason why I’ve been enjoying taking cabs in Vegas is because they’re almost always there. When I leave my hotel at 4 or 5 a.m. for an early flight, I’ve had to wait upwards of 20 minutes for an Uber. Yet, when I did the same on Monday morning, there was already a cab there and waiting (I had a similar situation at Signature a while back, although that did require me to ask an employee to send a cab over to my particular tower). Look, if I’m getting up that early to get to the airport as a set time, waiting 20 minutes or more makes me a nervous wreck — so I was very glad to just hop in a cab instead.
Alas, there is a downside to these cabs as well. You see, as I learned they charge a $3 credit card fee. Speaking of credit cards, though, you can connect your ride to the Curb app and pay via your phone instead. While you’ll still incur the fee, I found that this made it so I could quickly depart the cab upon arrival rather than mess with the credit card machine.
For what it’s worth, when I was leaving Las Vegas, the price for my Uber was actually slightly higher than a taxi — but not accounting for the credit card fee. Still, the fact that I could simply step out to the porte cochere rather than try to find wherever the hotel tucked the rideshare pick-up away made it far more convenient. With that, while I may not be a cab guy overall, when it comes to Vegas, I’m certainly changing my tune.