• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026

3

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

1

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

2

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026

3

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Uber Technologies

Yes, Uber Expects New Year’s Eve Surge Pricing. Here’s What to Expect

By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sarah Gray
Sarah Gray
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 29, 2017, 1:40 PM ET

As New Year’s Eve approaches, ride-hailing leader Uber is reminding riders that surge pricing will indeed be in effect. In previous years some customers have voiced anger over the high price of their New Year’s Eve ride.

Surge or dynamic pricing are methods Uber and Lyft uses to incentivize more drivers to take to the roads when rides are in high demand—for example, during sporting events, holidays, or inclement weather. Prices are algorithmically determined and can vary by neighborhood or time.

“Given we’re expecting millions of rides to occur on just this one night, fares will likely be higher than usual,” Uber said in a release.

So what can you expect?

While the surge amount itself is subject to change due to to real-time, location-specific demand, Uber provided time windows when fare prices are expected to peak. Riders can expect the highest fares between midnight and 3:00 a.m. local time.

According to the Los Angeles Times, riders should also be mindful of high fares between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve.

Uber explained they’ll “show you the price before you request your ride so you know how much you’ll pay.”

“And when fares are much higher,” the company continues, “you’ll be asked to confirm the higher fare before request.”

In past years, Lyft has also inflated prices during peak hours, though those prices were capped. In a statement to Fortune Lyft said they, too, will have “dynamic pricing” on New Year’s Eve.

“We are looking forward to offering affordable, reliable, and convenient transportation on New Year’s Eve and do everything we can to ensure there are enough drivers available for those using Lyft to move around on this busy night. Lyft’s dynamic pricing allows us to maximize the number of rides available for passengers by incentivizing drivers to get on the road when demand is high. When the ride requests from passengers greatly outnumber available drivers on the road, our system will automatically turn on Prime Time. When Prime Time is in effect, passengers are alerted and required to confirm they accept the multiplier before requesting a ride.”

So how do you avoid these high fares?

If you’re looking to sidestep Uber altogether, you can walk to a local destination, have a designated driver (you did drink all that bubbly we recommended, didn’t you?), take public transportation, or hail a traditional taxi cab. Hosting New Year’s Eve festivities at your own home is also a way to dodge surge prices.

For those who still plan on using a ride share app, it’s a numbers game.

Getting to your destination before surge pricing begins, and timing your exit to hit between the peak fare windows should theoretically help keep costs down.

Sharing a car is also recommended. Uber suggests using uberPOOL, its carpooling option, which is less expensive than uberX, or splitting cars with friends to keep the costs low.

 

Lyft suggests using their carpooling option Lyft Line, or scheduling a ride in advance.

About the Author
By Sarah Gray
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

The real star of the UFC fight at the White House may be the Claw: a behemoth cage constructed for the Octagon
PoliticsUFC
The real star of the UFC fight at the White House may be the Claw: a behemoth cage constructed for the Octagon
By Dan Gelston and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
2 hours ago
Trump to talk with allies at G7 summit in the coming week about removing mines from the Strait of Hormuz as deal to end Iran war nears
PoliticsIran
Trump to talk with allies at G7 summit in the coming week about removing mines from the Strait of Hormuz as deal to end Iran war nears
By Munir Ahmed, Samy Magdy, Aamer Madhani and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
2 hours ago
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
HealthHealth
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
3 hours ago
A deal to the end the U.S.-Iran war could be finalized within 24 hours. Tehran wants to charge ships crossing Hormuz ‘for services rendered’
Middle EastIran
A deal to the end the U.S.-Iran war could be finalized within 24 hours. Tehran wants to charge ships crossing Hormuz ‘for services rendered’
By The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
3 hours ago
More and more of Musk’s companies end up under the same roof. Here’s a look at his sprawling empire
C-SuiteElon Musk
More and more of Musk’s companies end up under the same roof. Here’s a look at his sprawling empire
By The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
3 hours ago
Workers start removing Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center, but there’s little on the venue’s schedule after a few upcoming events
PoliticsDonald Trump
Workers start removing Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center, but there’s little on the venue’s schedule after a few upcoming events
By Steven Sloan and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Sydney LakeJune 13, 2026
8 hours ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
Success
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
2 days ago
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
Energy
U.S. energy secretary says 7 million barrels of oil exiting Persian Gulf daily, but Chevron CEO rebuts the claim
By Jordan BlumJune 12, 2026
22 hours ago
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
AI
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
By Jeremy KahnJune 13, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.