Using Uber & Lyft to Get to the Los Angeles & Long Beach Cruise Ports

In a region that’s almost as famous for its car culture as it is for Hollywood, there has been a huge change in how people get around Los Angeles… and it’s great news for cruise passengers.

Los Angeles and Long Beach Uber and Lyft
Services like Uber or Lyft are ideal for getting you to and from a cruise in Los Angeles or Long Beach.

Years ago, your options to getting to the cruise ports in Los Angeles or Long Beach were to catch a taxi or schedule a private car. Today you can use a rideshare service. Namely: Uber and Lyft.

If you’re not familiar with these companies, the premise is simple. Drivers are everyday people, driving their personal automobiles (cars have to be in good condition and relatively new). Riders use an app on their smartphone to schedule a ride, make the payment, and rate their driver.

Drivers love it because it allows them to earn extra cash on their own schedule. Riders love it because it is fast to catch a ride from anywhere (literally thousands of drivers are in LA), and it is often much cheaper than a traditional cab.

Uber & Lyft Availability to the Cruise Port

Both Uber and Lyft are available throughout southern California. That means no matter where you are, you can catch a ride. This includes area airports such as Los Angeles International (LAX) and Long Beach Airport (LGB).

The pictures below show the service areas for the rideshare programs. As you can see, both operate in the entire region. And don’t worry if you are traveling from one shaded region to another. Rides can travel anywhere in the area.

Map of Uber and Lyft availability in Los Angeles

Estimated Fares to the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach

So how much does it cost to take an Uber or Lyft to the Los Angeles and Long Beach cruise ships?

To give you an idea of how much Uber or Lyft would cost, we’ve rounded up some estimated fares between popular pickup locations and the cruise ports. We’ve also compared the fares to the cost of a taxi, based on searches from TaxiFareFinder.com

Uber and Lyft fares to Los Angeles cruise ports

Keep in mind that the fares listed above are for one car, not per person. Regular Uber and Lyft are designed for up to four people, but remember to consider your luggage when going to the port. (For that reason, we suggest three to a car.)

If your entire group can’t fit into a small four-door sedan, then we suggest ordering an “XL” ride or going with two separate cars. Otherwise you might not all be able to fit. We’d suggest that three adults with luggage should fit fine in a regular Uber/Lyft. 

Catching Uber/Lyft From Los Angeles Airports to the Cruise Ship

Most importantly, Uber and Lyft operate at all the airports in the area, including Los Angeles International (LAX), Ontario International Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), and Long Beach Airport (LGB).

Depending on where you fly into, expect it to take about 30 minutes to over an hour to get to the cruise ship from the airport. Below are estimated times for normal traffic.

Ride Times to Port of LA | Port of Long Beach:

  • Los Angeles International (LAX): 35 minutes | 40 minutes
  • Ontario International Airport (ONT): 70 minutes | 70 minutes
  • John Wayne Airport (SNA): 50 min | 45 minutes
  • Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): 70 minutes | 70 minutes
  • Long Beach Airport (LBG): 25 min | 20 min

Note on Catching Uber or Lyft From Los Angeles International (LAX)

LAX-it sign at the airport
If catching an Uber/Lyft from LAX, you’ll need to take a shuttle or walk to the dedicated pickup area, known as “LAX-it.”

While you can catch a ride from all major airports in the area, LAX has a little different pick-up procedure than you might be used to.

Because of the airport’s size, congestion is a major issue. That’s why the airport has put in a special spot for catching Uber and Lyft called “LAX-it” (pronounced L-A-Exit). Put simply, you’ll catch a shuttle or walk to a dedicated lot for ridesharing and taxis.

By moving the pick-up area for rides to a separate lot, the hope is that it will help to alleviate some of the airport’s notoriously bad traffic. Depending on which terminal you arrive, it can take about 10-15 minutes to take the shuttle or walk to the LAX-it lot. To take the free shuttle, you simply look for the LAX-it sign at the lower level of arrivals.

More on Cruising From Los Angeles & Long Beach

Getting to the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach — Directions, maps, and information on taxis and shuttles. Everything you need to know to get to the port and start your vacation.

Los Angeles/Long Beach Cruise Parking — Parking at the port? We’ve got you covered with all your parking options, including costs and discounts.

Dropping Off at the Port — Dropping off passengers for their cruise? Not sure where to go once you get to the port? We have turn-by-turn directions to find your cruise terminal.

Los Angeles/Long Beach Cruise Hotels — Getting in late? Leaving early? Simply need a place to rest your head? We’ve rounded up the options for places to stay near the port.

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12 COMMENTS

    • You’ll need 2-3 rides. It’s likely easiest to simply have a couple of people call a ride at the same time and split up when the cars arrive. Not sure if Uber/Lyft has some sort of solution on their app for this type of situation.

  1. When disembarking at the World Cruise Port, is there a specific place to wait after you’ve placed your Uber/Lyft order?

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