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Illinois 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. This rule does not apply at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport | ORD.
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
  1. 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 Illinois:
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Map of the staging area at Midway International Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait in the designated staging area. Only drivers within the designated staging area are added to the queue. All livery vehicles should stage in the Commercial Vehicle Holding Area.
  2. You may see multiple airport staging lots in the app. You can choose any available lots and it won't affect your place in the queue. The app will show how many drivers are waiting in each staging lot.
  3. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  4. If the staging 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.
  5. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  6. 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.
  7. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
  8. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Map of Midway International Airport
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers from the center lane, door 4, on the Arrivals level.
    1. The Lyft app moves the passenger's pin to an approved pickup area. If you're having trouble finding each other, make sure you have both gone to the pin's location and are on the correct level of the airport.
  3. Do not pick up passengers from any area at the main terminal not designated for Lyft.
  4. Do not wait on the terminal roadway if your passenger is delayed. Head to the cell phone lot and wait there in the designated parking spaces.
  5. Pre-dispatch: While waiting for requests, you may receive an SMS and/or in-app note directing you to head toward the terminal. While en route or shortly after reaching the terminal, you should receive a ride request. If you do not, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue. More information on pre-dispatch can be found here.
  6. 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.
  7. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at Departures at the passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait for requests at the airport terminal after drop-off. If you want to accept additional ride requests, proceed to the staging area and park in one of the designated spaces.
  3. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Map of the staging areas at O'Hare International Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait in the designated staging area. Only drivers within the designated staging area are added to the queue.
    1. Directions to Alpha Lot staging area: Go South on Mannheim Rd/45 S. Proceed to the Balmoral exit on the right, continue around the curve to Balmoral Ave. The lot is on the left.
    2. Direction to Delta Lot staging area: If Alpha Lot is nearing capacity proceed further South on Mannheim Rd to Montrose Ave. The lot will be on the right.
    3. All livery vehicles should stage in the Commercial Vehicle Holding Area.
  3. You may see multiple airport staging lots in the app. You can choose any available lots and it won't affect your place in the queue. The app will show how many drivers are waiting in each staging lot.
  4. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  5. If the staging 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.
  6. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  7. 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.
  8. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
  9. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Map of O'Hare International Airport
Pickups:
  1. The Lyft app moves the passenger's pin to an approved pickup area. If you're having trouble finding each other, make sure you have both gone to the pin's location and are on the correct level of the airport.
  2. Domestic Terminal: pick up passengers from the Departures level in the designated Lyft zone (see map above).
  3. International Terminal: pick up passengers from the Arrivals level in the designated Lyft zone (see map above).
  4. Do not wait on the terminal roadway if your passenger is delayed. Head to the designated staging lot and wait there.
  5. Pre-dispatch: While waiting for requests, you may receive an SMS and/or in-app note directing you to head toward the terminal. While en route or shortly after reaching the terminal, you should receive a ride request. If you do not, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue. More information on pre-dispatch can be found here.
  6. 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.
  7. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at Departures at the passenger’s carrier of choice.
  2. Do not wait for requests at the airport terminal after a drop-off. If you want to accept additional ride requests, proceed to the staging area.
  3. Click here for information on airport placards and other required Chicago documents.
Quad City International Airport | MLI
Map of Quad City International Airport
Waiting for requests:
  1. Wait in the designated staging area. Only drivers within the designated staging area are added to the queue.
  2. The queue is first in-first out. The driver who has been waiting within the staging area in driver mode the longest gets the next request. Your physical location within the staging area does not affect your spot in the queue, but if you exit the staging area or log out of driver mode, you will lose your spot.
  3. If the staging 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.
  4. Passenger cancellations don't affect your place in line. If your passenger cancels on you, head back to the staging area. As long as you're back within 15 minutes, you'll be placed at the front of the queue.
  5. 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.
  6. You can view your place in line in the app. Learn how to view your position in the queue here.
Pickups:
  1. Pick up passengers at along the outer lane as pictured above.
  2. Do not wait or circle back at the airport if the passenger is delayed. BUR requires you to leave the airport and kindly ask your passenger to request another ride when he or she is ready.
  3. Do not park in any of the private parking lots along Empire Ave.
Drop-offs:
  1. Drop off passengers at the terminal curbside.
  2. Do not wait at the airport terminal after drop-off. You must leave airport property immediately after dropping off your passenger.
All Other Permitted Airports
The rules below for pickups and drop-offs apply to the following airports:
  1. Belleville MidAmerica St. Louis Airport | BLV
  2. Bloomington Central Illinois Regional Airport | BMI
  3. Champaign-Urbana University of Illinois Willard Airport | CMI
  4. Decatur Airport | DEC
  5. Kankakee Airport | IKK
  6. Murphysboro Southern Illinois Airport | MDH
  7. Rockford International Airport | RFD
  8. Springfield Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport | SPI
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 after drop-off.
Other Regulations and Rules
Chicago airport placard & required documents
In addition to the Lyft emblem, drivers who give rides at ORD and MDW are also required to have the following documents:
This image shows where to place compliance documents in the windshield for Chicago drivers.
Airport placard
  1. Display the blue airport placard on the passenger-side of your rear windshield whenever giving rides at Chicago airports.
  2. You’ll be sent a link to an online lesson and quiz for Chicago airports (you can also find it in the Dashboard).
To order a placard:
  1. Open ‘Vehicles and Devices’ in the driver app.
  2. Tap ‘Order Airport Placard.’
  3. Tap ‘Request Your Placard.’
  4. Fill out the applicable information.
City tax emblem
  1. Display your City of Chicago tax emblem on your dashboard.
  2. All Chicago drivers are sent a tax emblem via email by the City of Chicago shortly after being approved.
Vehicle inspection form
  1. Keep this in your glovebox
To learn more about any of these documents, click here.
Review our Policies
  1. Educate yourself on how to assist members of the community with disabilities. Review anti-discrimination policies here.
  2. Review the Safety and Zero-Tolerance Policies here.
  3. Review and comply with driver requirements in Chicago by reading through this page.
  4. Before conducting rides at Chicago airports, you must complete the lesson and quiz we sent you via email.

Still need help?