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Michigan airport information for drivers

To ensure a smooth airport experience for you and your passengers, make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules below. Tap each link to jump to detailed instructions on each section:
The following information applies to all airports:
Airport officials will issue administrative citations to drivers who do not follow the rules. You are responsible for paying any tickets you receive for violating airport rules and regulations.
Note: The time you spend waiting in an airport queue won’t be counted towards the 12-hour limit.
Lyft emblem
  1. Keep your Lyft emblem displayed in your lower right hand (passenger side) of your front windshield at all times while giving Lyft rides.
  2. If you are giving a non-Lyft ride at the airport, make sure to remove your emblem before entering airport property.
  3. If you’ve just been approved to drive, you should receive your Lyft emblem shortly. If you didn't get one or need a new one, place an order in your Dashboard. While waiting for it to arrive, you may print a temporary emblem.
Image of the Lyft emblem.
Conduct at the airport
  1. Do not stop or pull over in crosswalks.
  2. Do not park in red zones or taxi/shuttle areas unless otherwise specified in the rules above.
  3. Always follow instructions given by airport personnel.
  4. If you run into any trouble, like a regulatory citation, reach out to our Support team. We're here to help 24/7.
Waybill
Airport authorities may ask you for a waybill, which shows your latest ride. Click here to learn how to access your waybill.
Permitted Airports
Drivers on the Lyft platform are responsible for knowing and following all airport regulations in order to avoid receiving administrative citations from the airport. Lyft is available at the following airports in Michigan:
Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
This image is a map of the DTW airport staging area.
Waiting for requests:
  1. Lyft Detroit has been able to secure a staging lot for drivers at the Airport. The new lot will open March 6th, 2018 at 12am.
  2. The lot is located off of Goddard Rd. There is roadway signage currently in place to show you how to get there. There will be bathrooms available to you at the lot and we are working on other amenities as well.
  3. It is mandatory that you check-in and display your Waybill with the gate attendant when entering the pick up zone of both the Warren Cleage Evans and McNamara terminals. Failure to check-in with the attendant and display your Waybill can result in fines and possibly bans (outlined below in Rules & Regulations). If there is no attendant present, you must make a full stop at the stop sign before continuing to a parking spot in the terminal pick up area.
  4. Please note: This is the only area in which you can be in the queue for the airport and immediate surrounding areas. You will have to be outside of Ecorse Rd., I-275, Inkster Rd. and/or Pennsylvania Rd. to receive a ride outside of that zone.
  5. Wait in the designated assignment area pictured above. Only drivers within the designated assignment area are added to the queue.
  6. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the assignment area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the assignment area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the assignment area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  7. If the assignment area is full, you must leave the airport. You may not wait for requests anywhere else on airport property or use any other parking lots while in driver mode.
  8. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the assignment area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  9. Driver cancellations and missed requests do affect your place in line. You can miss or decline up to 3 rides before getting placed at the back of the queue.
  10. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
This image is a map of the DTW airport terminals.
Pickups:
  1. McNamara Terminal: Follow signs for 'McNamara Terminal', then 'Domestic Arrivals', then 'Commercial/Rideshare', proceed to the booth and identify as a Lyft driver, then pull forward and park in a space until your passenger arrives. Exit by driving to the end of the parking spaces and exit on the right.
  2. Warren Cleage Evans Terminal: Follow signs for 'Warren Cleage Evans Terminal', then 'Commercial Vehicles/Rideshare', then 'Arrivals/Baggage Claim', then 'Commercial Vehicles/Rideshare', then stay to the left and enter the 'Rideshare' area, turn right and proceed to the booth and identify as a Lyft driver, then pull through and park in one of the spaces waiting for your passenger. Exit by pulling forward and to the right at the end of the parking spaces.
  3. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up.
  4. Do not pick up passengers curbside. Doing so may result in your permanent suspension from DTW.
  5. Short ride bump: If you receive a request for a short ride from the airport after waiting in the queue, you may qualify for a higher queue position after you drop off your passenger. You'll receive an SMS after dropping off to let you know you have the option to return to the staging area for a preferred spot in the queue. Please note, if you give a ride before returning to the staging area, you may still qualify for a preferred spot in line.
  6. Rematch is a feature that enables you to be matched with additional passengers shortly after completing a drop off. This means you can receive a ride request shortly after dropping off a passenger without returning to the assignment area. Please don't recirculate or wait in the terminal area for a rematch, as airport authorities may issue citations.
  7. See the following videos on driving instructions for Warren Cleage Evans Terminal and Mac Terminal.
Check out these videos for tips about making pickups at the McNamara Terminal and Warren Cleage Evans Terminal.
Pickups at DTW Airport's McNamara Terminal:
Pickups at DTW Airport's Warren Cleage Evans Terminal:
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers curbside at the terminal entrance, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.
Rules & Regulations:
  1. Pickups outside the designated rideshare pickup area in the Terminal GTC’s are specifically prohibited
  2. The new penalty structure to drivers for illegal pickups outside of the designated area is as follows:
    1. First offense: $75 for the first offense
    2. Second offense: $75 penalty and a permanent airport ban at the request of DTW (for two instances of Driver Misbehavior)
    3. Third offense: A permanent ban
  4. Failure to properly display Lyft trade dress after third documented incident will result in a permanent ban from airport pickups.
  5. Driver misbehavior (ex. not following Airport staff direction, loading passenger(s) in Rideshare vehicle in non-loading and waiting areas, use of profanity, failure to check-in into the Rideshare pickup area, failure to provide waybill and other driver misconduct) after two documented incidents will result in a permanent ban from airport pickups.
  6. Three illegal Airport pickups, three instances of failure to properly display company trade dress or two instances of driver misbehavior will result in a permanent ban from airport pickups
All Other Permitted Airports
The rules below for pickups and drop-offs apply to the following airports:
  1. Ann Arbor Municipal Airport ARB
  2. Cherry Capital Airport (Traverse City) (TVC)
  3. Flint Bishop International Airport (FNT)
  4. Freeland MBS International Airport (MBS)
  5. Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)
  6. Jackson County Airport (JXN)
  7. Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO)
  8. Lansing Capital Region International Airport (LAN)
  9. Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport (MOP)
Pickups
  1. Pick up passengers from Arrivals, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed when picking up.
Drop-offs
  1. Drop off passengers curbside at the terminal entrance, at your passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal or accept additional ride requests after drop-off.

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