Uber Reveals 2023 “Airport of the Year” Award Winners

Over the past year, Uber and airports across the US and Canada worked in close partnership to create a leading ground transportation experience. Our airport partners understand that the journey doesn’t end when the plane touches down — it’s just the beginning of a smooth transition to a passenger’s final destination. From deploying innovative technologies to investing in convenient pickup areas, airports are going above and beyond to create exceptional ground transportation experiences.

As one of the largest technology players in the airport ground transportation space, Uber is pleased to recognize airports in the US and Canada whose efforts in 2023 helped create a best-in-class rideshare experience for our shared customers. Each award recipient demonstrated excellence in categories spanning innovation, sustainability, shortest wait time, and more.

The last thing a traveler wants to experience after a long flight is an extended wait for their ride to pick them up from the airport. Fortunately for those arriving at Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Uber customers enjoyed the shortest average wait time of any airport in the US and Canada at just over three minutes. The airport created this industry-leading experience through a mix of technology, infrastructure, and pickup area investments. By leveraging Uber’s ExpressMatch technology to reposition vehicles in advance of ride requests, providing dedicated pickup areas that are separate from other vehicles, and providing customers and drivers with easy-to-identify zones, drivers can quickly reach their customers and get them on their way.

Innovation is at the core of Uber’s identity, and the airport provides a unique (and challenging) testing ground to use new technologies and infrastructure designs to improve the traveler journey. Tampa International Airport (TPA), an airport long regarded as customer experience-obsessed, recently developed a first-of-its-kind pickup and dropoff experience for travelers without checked bags. The new facilities — dubbed “Express Curbsides” — provide customers with an option to bypass the ticketing and baggage claim levels and instead head directly to or from the security checkpoint. This innovation not only reduces congestion along the primary curbside but also provides a more efficient and enjoyable customer experience.

Since launching, Uber has worked in close partnership with TPA to promote the new options in the app when customers are selecting their pickup and dropoff location. The airport has continuously invested in best-in-class in-terminal wayfinding, which has helped TPA score near the top in Uber customer satisfaction surveys for ease of experience.

Uber recognizes that partnerships with airports provide a unique opportunity to accelerate the adoption of zero-emissions ride options. To date, our work with airports has focused on three key areas: improving access to Electric Vehicle fast charging, creating preferential “green curbs”, and offering incentives such as discounted per-trip fees for customers requesting low or zero-emission ride options.

Long recognized as a leader in the area of sustainability, Portland International Airport (PDX) worked closely with Uber throughout 2023 to roll out a first-of-its-kind dedicated pickup area for passengers using sustainable ride options. As part of its newly opened Transportation Plaza, the airport collaborated with Uber to offer a separate green curb pickup zone for Uber Comfort Electric and Uber Green offerings. The zone features signage and floor stickers to nudge riders to try zero or low-emissions rides from the airport. By placing the zone front and center, riders are made aware of these options and enjoy a more premium pickup experience. The airport has also been a leader in installing EV fast charges in the rideshare driver waiting lot, with charging provided at no cost to drivers in an effort to further incentive the shift to zero-emission vehicles.

Metrics can help inform how well an airport is performing, but airport policies and openness to partnership can also have a significant impact on the overall passenger and driver experience. Each airport recognized with the Experience Obsessed award has considered the viewpoints of riders and drivers to create an excellent overall experience.

Despite being the second busiest commercial airport in the world, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has created one of the most seamless and convenient rideshare pickup experiences. Combining strong reliability and short customer wait times, DFW creates its best-in-class experience by providing a driver staging lot with direct access to the terminal and leveraging technologies that further reduce average wait times, including both Uber’s Rematch and Prematch. Inside the terminals, DFW added clear wayfinding that incorporates the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) standard iconography to help direct passengers to dedicated pickup zones that are close to the gates. Additionally, DFW and Uber worked together to roll out in-app walking guides that provide customers with step-by-step instructions on reaching the correct curb.

Throughout 2023, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) worked in partnership with Uber to design a new and improved pickup area for rideshare. The new facility, which launched in December, features significantly expanded curb space, an indoor waiting area for passengers, clearly marked zones that allow for quicker rider-driver matching, and efficient pull-through spaces for passenger loading. Compared to the former pickup location, it is more directly connected to the terminal and is a shorter walk from the baggage claim. Throughout the design process, MSP sought Uber’s input and feedback and developed a comprehensive switchover plan so that the new facility succeeded from the start.

Each award recipient, through a commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement, has actively partnered with Uber to optimize technology and infrastructure in a way that makes the day to day travel experience even more seamless and efficient for residents and visitors alike. On behalf of the Uber airports team, we applaud their passion for partnership, innovation and excellence across the customer experience. Together, we’re shaping the future of travel — one smooth ride at a time.

The Uber Airports team tackles tough challenges and works in partnership with airports around the world to achieve operational goals. For more information, reach out to us at us-airports@uber.com or canada-airports@uber.com.