Learn how to spot and avoid airport taxi scams: fake hotel pickups, broken meters, long routes, and unlicensed cabs. Get steps to arrive safely and save money.
You’ve just stepped off the plane, a little lightheaded from the journey and ready to get to the hotel and sleep. That relaxed moment is exactly when travelers often run into crafty drivers and scammers. Here are the schemes they rely on—and how to avoid them.
Scammers often pose as hotel transfer drivers. They hold a sign with your name or the hotel logo, and everything looks legitimate. In reality, they may have guessed the name or spotted it on a luggage tag.
The goal of such drivers is to take you somewhere else—say, to another hotel they have an arrangement with—and then present an inflated bill or push extra services. Travelers from different countries report that this happens far from rarely.
One of the most common tricks is when drivers claim the taximeter is broken. Instead, they suggest a flat fare—often two or three times the usual cost.
Sometimes the driver deliberately chooses a longer route, loops around the city, or heads straight into traffic. The ride takes longer and costs more. This is common in tourist-heavy cities like Paris or Barcelona.
Not every car outside the terminal is a real taxi. Some drivers operate illegally. They don’t switch on the meter and often invent additional fees: for luggage, late hours, waiting time, or simply for picking you up at the airport.
Stories like these surface, for example, in Rome or Bangkok. Tired travelers unfamiliar with local rules often pay just to get to the hotel quickly.
Book a transfer in advance through your hotel or a trusted website. You’ll know who is supposed to meet you and what it will cost.
Use apps like Uber or local equivalents. The fare, route, driver, and car are set in advance.
Check the license plate number and the driver’s name before you get in.
Open a map on your phone to follow the route. Even in silence, the driver can see you know where you’re going.
Ask the price up front. If the driver dodges the question or says they’ll tell you later, choose another option.
A taxi from the airport to the hotel doesn’t have to be stressful if you prepare. Those who prey on tourists look for people who are tired, disoriented, and in a hurry. Spend ten minutes planning before the trip—and start your vacation calmly, without extra costs or frayed nerves.