Lyft calculates fare based on a number of variables, and the cost of any given Lyft ride includes various combinations of fares, fees, and surcharges. According to Ridester.com, the average Lyft fare in 2022 is $35–$36.
Rideshare apps like Lyft and Uber are referred to as “transportation network companies” (TNCs), and they have had a significant effect on how people get around in American cities. But for these ridehailing apps to continue surviving in the era of inflated gas prices and car insurance
costs, they’ve had to do so by significantly raising prices. While a Lyft was once the cheaper and more convenient option over regular cabs, that’s not always the case anymore. In this article we’ll use Lyft’s very own fare estimate tool
to provide examples of how much a Lyft ride would cost in different cities. Then we’ll break down the different fares, fees, and surcharges that make up an average Lyft fare. Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars 4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers How much does Lyft cost?
Let’s start by taking a look at some hypothetical fares for common trips you might take in a few larger U.S. Lyft cities.
How much does Lyft cost in Los Angeles?
Let’s start with Los Angeles
, which won the 2019 Lyftie award
for being the city that uses the ride-sharing service the most. According to LAist.com, 2019’s most popular hotel Lyft destination in LA was the Ace Hotel, and the most popular venue drop-off was the Hollywood Bowl. Let’s use the Ace Hotel as our pickup location and the Hollywood Bowl as the drop-off location. Outside of Prime Time, it would cost about $20 to $30 for a regular Lyft. If you plan on going extra bougie and want room for up to six passengers, a Lux Black XL will cost $60 to $70. During Prime Time (which usually occurs during rush hour), these prices could be increased by up to $20 or more depending on demand.
How much does Lyft cost in New York?
New York City
was the top tipping city on Lyft in 2019, and in 2018, Lyft revealed that Elsewhere in Brooklyn was the most visited bar. So let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re staying at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan, and you want to go clubbing in Brooklyn
. Even if you leave extra early, let’s say around 8:30, you’re looking at a base Lyft fare of about $90 to $100. To be fair, it’s a long trip! And don’t forget that this price depends on the day and time. You can expect higher evening fares on weekends.How much does Lyft cost in Chicago?
Let’s use Chicago
as our third and final example. In this hypothetical situation, you’re a diehard Chicago Bears fan taking a Lyft from your home in Lincoln Park to Soldier Field to go watch the Bears lose another game. You can expect your base Lyft fare to be around $15 to $25, depending on the day and time. With a 20% tip, you're looking at up to $29. In Chicago, all regular Lyfts charge a base fare of $1.77. Cost per mile is $0.81, and cost per minute is $0.29.
Breakdown of Lyft prices
So now that we’ve seen a few examples of how much a Lyft ride can vary depending on city, trip length, and how busy Lyft is at a given time, let’s break down some of the main factors that affect Lyft rates in general.
Base fare
As you may have already noticed, not every Lyft has a base fare. In many cities, a standard Lyft will have a $0 base fare, but this isn’t always the case. However, as you move up your list of upgraded car service options, base fares increase.
No matter how far you’re going or how long it takes, your Lyft’s base fare charge will be whatever you see below. Here’s a table comparing Los Angeles, San Francisco
, New York City, and Chicago base fares depending on Lyft ride type: 4.717k Ratings 5M+Drivers Joined
7M+Cars Garaged
Service fees
In some cities, Lyft charges a service fee. These function similarly to a base fare, as they’re affected only by city and Lyft service type—they don’t change based on the duration or distance of the ride. Service fees rarely exceed $5.00, and they actually get slightly lower if you choose an upgraded ride.
Cost per mile
Cost per mile also varies between cities, but this is one of the most significant variables that will affect the cost of your trip. According to EstimateFares.com, the average fee per mile for a standard Lyft is $0.90.
Cost per minute
The other thing that will most significantly impact the cost of the ride is the cost per minute, which also varies depending on what city you’re in. The per-minute charge is less than the distance charge—an average of $0.09 for a non-upgraded Lyft. Take note that the cost per minute is not based on the actual duration of the trip. Instead, it’s based on Lyft’s time estimate, which is calculated prior to the trip when you make your ride request.
Prime Time
Trying to get somewhere during busy traffic? That’s what Lyft calls Prime Time (known to Uber drivers as “surge pricing”), and it’s then that you’ll pay an extra percentage of your base fare. Just how much Prime Time will add to your ride price is a question of complicated algorithms that take into account how many people are requesting rides and how many Lyft drivers are available.
Tolls
If your driver has to pay a toll during your ride, you’ll pay for it as a surcharge.
Airport Fees
If you’re taking a ride to or from the airport, there are variable airport fees that will be applied to your trip price, depending on traffic, date, and time of day.
Tips
While you aren’t required to tip, you should always consider the effect that tipping has on the lives of our rideshare drivers! Customers who tip are the difference between a good night and a bad night of gig driving.
Cancellation fees
If you request a Lyft and cancel it after a certain period, you’ll be charged a cancellation fee. These fees vary depending on the ride, but canceling a scheduled ride too late will result in incurring a base cancel penalty.
Minimum fares
Each city will also have a minimum fare that you’ll have to pay, even if you’re just requesting a very short trip.
Shared rides
If you want to save on your next Lyft ride, you can sometimes request a shared ride, meaning you’ll join a rider who was picked up near you and/or has a drop-off near yours.
How to get a Lyft fare estimate
You can use the fare estimate
tool on the Lyft website or the Lyft app to get a price estimate for your trip. Unfortunately, the online tool does not allow you to receive estimates for specific dates or times, only the current time. You can see the breakdown for your particular cities fares, fees, and surcharges on Lyft’s Find Your City
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