For most travelers, the flight is the part they plan down to the seat, while the ride from the airport is left to sort out on arrival. But it doesn't have to be. Booking ground transportation in advance is one of the easiest ways to take the guesswork out of a trip, and travelers who do it say it's well worth the peace of mind.
To find out how much that certainty is worth, Mozio surveyed 1,000 U.S. travelers about their airport pickups and drop-offs, including what they'd be willing to pay for a guaranteed ride. A little foresight goes a long way, and booking a private transfer in advance through a platform like Mozio is one of the simplest ways to make sure the last leg of your trip is the part you never have to worry about.
For most travelers, the ride to or from the airport is the easy part. The trips that do go sideways tend to fail in a few predictable ways, and those are the ones worth planning around.
.png)
Nearly two-thirds of travelers (65%) said their airport pickups went smoothly over the past 2 years. When rides went well, most travelers felt safe (97%), had enough room in the vehicle for their needs (97%), and drivers showed up and knew the way (94% each).
Among those who had an issue, the most common problems were long wait times for pickup (21%) and surge pricing or unexpected costs (16%). Reliability also varied by the type of ride booked. Rideshare and taxi users were more than twice as likely as private transfer users to face a driver no-show or last-minute cancellation (9% vs. 4%).
Travelers who've had a pickup go wrong tend to change how they book. Among those affected by a bad pickup, more than 1 in 10 (12%) now always reserve a guaranteed private transfer rather than leave the ride to chance. Locking in your driver and price ahead of time, exactly what booking on Mozio does, solves the two most common failure points at once.
How much someone plans ahead for ground transportation tends to track with how often they fly.
.png)
Seasoned travelers are more likely than novices to plan ground transportation in advance (44% vs. 32%). They're also three times as likely as novices to have a private transfer already booked before they landed (12% vs. 4%). They were also more likely to belong to programs such as TSA PreCheck (40% vs. 17%). In other words, the travelers with the most experience are the ones building certainty into the trip before it starts.
Rideshare is still the default for most travelers (42%), which could be where transport most often goes wrong. The appetite for something more dependable is clear. More than 3 in 4 travelers (78%) said booking ground transportation in advance reduces their travel stress, and more than 1 in 10 (11%) said they would pay $100 or more for a guaranteed pickup over a cheaper, less certain option.
If you want to travel more like a frequent flyer, the easiest habit to borrow is booking your airport ride in advance. Reserving a private transfer on Mozio lets you compare options and lock in a set price before you fly, so the ride is one less thing to figure out when you land.
A little planning goes furthest at the airports travelers find hardest to navigate.
.png)
Atlanta topped the list of airports travelers found most confusing for ground transportation pickup (18%), followed by New York City (14%) and Los Angeles (12%). And the confusion wasn't limited to a handful of hubs. Almost 7 in 10 travelers said at least one major U.S. airport has left them unsure where to find their ride. Most often, rideshare pickup points were hard to find (37%), signage was unclear (33%), and public transportation was confusing (24%).
Travelers said a guaranteed ride is most worth it for a late-night arrival in an unfamiliar city, with 60% naming it. That reassurance mattered even more to women (65%) than to men (53%). Arriving somewhere a different language is spoken (44%) and heading straight into a meeting or event (30%) ranked next.
For trips like these, a prearranged transfer takes the guesswork out of the arrival. Booking with Mozio means a driver is waiting for you at a set meeting point and a set price, whichever airport you land at, and whatever time you get in.
Flights can be unpredictable, but getting from the airport to your destination doesn't have to be. Our findings suggest that travelers are willing to pay a little more for the confidence that someone will be there when they land, especially after experiencing delays, confusion, or missed connections. Whether you're arriving late at night, visiting a new city, or traveling on a tight schedule, having your ride arranged in advance can take one more uncertainty off your itinerary so you can focus on enjoying the trip ahead.
Mozio surveyed 1,000 U.S. travelers about their experiences with airport pickups and drop-offs, including what they would pay for a guaranteed private transfer over a cheaper, less certain option. Respondents were 57% women, 40% men, and 3% another gender or preferred not to say. All respondents were adults aged 18 or older.
Mozio is a global ground transportation platform that connects travelers and travel businesses, including hotels, airlines, tour operators, and travel agents, with airport transfer providers across 190+ countries and 3,500+ airports. On Mozio.com, travelers can compare and book private transfers, taxis, and chauffeur services in advance, so the journey from the airport to the hotel is arranged before they land.
This data is available for noncommercial reuse with attribution to Mozio and a link back to this page.
