Lyft makes its On-Time Pickup Promise permanent to credit riders for delayed rides
It's already been a record-breaking summer travel season, with U.S. airlines expecting 271 million travelers between June 1 and Aug. 31, according to Airlines for America.
Lyft has long been in the business of getting travelers where they need to be when they need to be there.
After launching as a holiday travel promotion, Lyft's On-Time Pickup Promise is now a permanent feature for riders as of this summer, meaning you get paid if you don't get picked up on time.
On-Time Pickup Promise
As of Wednesday, prescheduled airport rides will be covered by Lyft's On-Time Pickup Promise, ensuring your ride arrives on time or you'll be compensated.
Users can schedule Lyft rides up to 30 days in advance so they can lock in their pickup date, time and price to avoid having one more thing to worry about. Scheduled rides are also given priority when it comes time to be matched with a driver, and drivers can accept rides anytime after they are scheduled. Prescheduled rides can be canceled or modified up to an hour before pickup time.
If you aren't picked up on time for your scheduled airport Lyft ride, you'll automatically receive Lyft Cash credit in your account as follows:
- $15 Lyft Cash if your driver is more than 10 minutes late (down from $20 during the initial rollout)
- $50 Lyft Cash if you're not matched with a driver 10 minutes after your scheduled pickup time
- Up to $50 more Lyft Cash if you aren't matched with a driver and your ride with another company is more than $50
The first two will be paid out automatically, but you must contact Lyft through the help section of its app to submit the receipt from your alternate transportation to be compensated for the additional $50.
Lyft's On-Time Pickup Promise is currently available in more than 50 North American markets, specifically:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus, Georgia
- Columbus, Ohio
- The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in Texas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Honolulu
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area in California
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota
- Nashville
- Nassau County, New York
- New Jersey
- New Orleans
- Northern Georgia
- Orange County, California
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland, Oregon
- The Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area in North Carolina
- Richmond, Virginia
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- The San Francisco Bay Area
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Toronto
- Tucson
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Virginia Beach Hampton Roads, Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- Westchester County, New York
Extra Comfort mode
Lyft's Extra Comfort feature is also available for travelers to get into rest and relaxation mode from the moment they step into their car. Rides designated as "Extra Comfort" offer roomier cars, top-rated drivers and preset preferences for temperature, a quiet ride or luggage assistance.
These features follow the successful launch of Lyft's Women+ Connect, which matches women and nonbinary riders and drivers in select cities.
As a reminder, a variety of credit cards offer additional points, miles or cash back for Uber and Lyft rides when you use them to book rides, including:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 1 point per dollar spent on ride-hailing services
- American Express® Green Card: 3 points per dollar spent on transit, including ride-hailing services
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees): 2% cash back on Lyft rides through Sept. 30, 2027
- Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card: 2 points per dollar spent on ride-hailing services
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 3% cash back on transit, including ride-hailing services (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout)
The information for the Amex Green credit card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related reading:
- 5 things to know before the next time you use a ride-hailing service at the airport
- How to easily earn points and miles on your Lyft rides
- Quick Points: Triple stack these offers to maximize your next Lyft ride
- Earn up to 5 Bilt points per dollar spent on Lyft rides with new partnership
- A guide to Lyft benefits as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder
Updated 01/14/2026
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