How to schedule a ride with Lyft takes a few taps, and the rules around it are short: pick a time up to 90 days out, and you can change your mind until 1 hour before pickup. Lyft’s help center says you can plan ahead by scheduling a ride up to 90 days ahead of time, and that Lyft sends a reminder before your pickup.[1] This guide covers the steps, where it works, what it costs to cancel, and the airport on-time promise.
How do you schedule a ride with Lyft?
Lyft describes two routes in the rider app. In the first, you set your destination, tap the Schedule calendar icon on the ride type selection screen, choose a date and time, and tap Next. In the second, you start from the app home screen, tap the calendar icon next to the address search bar, choose a date and time, tap Next, set your destination and tap Schedule.
To book for another person, choose Scheduled ahead, tap Change rider at the top of the screen, pick a rider from your contact list, set their destination, and choose the date and time. The rider is notified about the ride. New to the app? See how to use the Lyft app.
Where and how far ahead can you schedule?
The limit is 90 days. Lyft’s marketing page for the feature uses the same number and says you can lock in your pickup time and price up to 90 days in advance.[2]
Availability is local. Lyft notes that if the Schedule option is not in the app, scheduled rides may not be offered in your area. Even where they are, it adds that driver availability may vary during your scheduled pickup window. So a scheduled ride is a priority request, not a reserved car.
Why schedule instead of requesting on demand?
Lyft says scheduled rides are the first to be matched with drivers, which is the reason its page gives for a more reliable pickup. You also know the time in advance, which suits early flights, appointments and any trip where waiting a few extra minutes would cost you something.
It also states you can lock in your pickup price. Lyft does not claim that a scheduled ride is cheaper than an on-demand one, and nothing on its pages promises a discount, so compare the quote in the app for your own trip. Ride type and location change the price, and Lyft says cancellation fees for scheduled rides vary by ride type. For extra stops, see how to add stops to a Lyft ride.
Tip: Schedule with some margin. Lyft says the driver will wait if you are running late, but it gives no time limit on that wait, so be at the pickup point on time.
How do you edit or cancel a scheduled Lyft ride?
Tap the Trip bar at the bottom of the home screen, then Details under the scheduled ride you want to change. You can edit or cancel up to 1 hour before pickup. A cancellation fee applies if you cancel within 1 hour of pickup, and Lyft says these fees are subject to change and vary by ride type.
Lyft’s normal cancellation policy may apply instead if you cancel after a driver has been matched, if the driver is already on the way, or if the driver is scheduled to arrive within the designated pickup time.
| Situation | What Lyft says |
|---|---|
| More than 1 hour before pickup | Edit or cancel in the app |
| Within 1 hour of pickup | A cancellation fee applies |
| Driver already matched or on the way | Normal cancellation policy may apply |
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What is the on-time pickup promise?
For scheduled rides to the airport, Lyft credits your account automatically if the pickup goes wrong. You get $15 in Lyft Credits if your driver has not arrived 10 minutes after your scheduled pickup time, and $50 in Lyft Credits if you are not matched with a driver 10 minutes after the scheduled time. If you then take other transportation to the same airport on the same day and it costs more than $50, you can ask for up to $50 more by submitting the receipt within 14 days.
There are conditions. The promise applies only in listed regions, covering dozens of U.S. metro areas plus Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and Vancouver in Canada. You must be the person who requested the ride, you must not change the ride less than 1 hour before pickup, and you must have completed at least 1 ride since opening your account. Lyft limits the credits to 1 ride in a week and 2 rides in 30 days. Rides with extra stops are excluded, and so are scheduled rides that start at an airport. If you book for someone else, Lyft says the credits are issued to you, effective December 15, 2025.
The promise covers scheduled rides to the airport, not rides picked up at the airport. Check the exclusions on Lyft’s page before you rely on it.
Can you schedule an airport pickup?
Yes, but it is a separate list. Lyft states that it also offers scheduled airport pickups at specific eligible airports across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, including Los Angeles International (LAX), John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL). Because the list is long and changes, check Lyft’s help page for your airport rather than assuming it is covered.
What should you check before you rely on a scheduled ride?
Run through four points. Confirm the Schedule option appears in your app. Make sure the date is within 90 days. Note the 1-hour cutoff for free changes. And, if the trip is to an airport, look at whether your region and ride qualify for the on-time promise. Lyft notes that cancellation fees for scheduled rides can change, so the app is the final word on the day.
