At it’s heart, Uber is an amazing tool that lets people who need a ride connect directly with other people who need a ride. As Uber has grown in popularity over the years, it has also begun to offer more and more services. Two of the most popular ride options that Uber offers is UberX and UberXL. Here are the differences between these two services. Both of these two services are a great way to get to your destination.
There are quite a few differences between UberX and UberXL. One thing that they both have in common though is that they are on the more affordable side of things when compared to Black or Select.
Here are the main differences:
- Seating: UberX can handle up to 4 passengers, while UberXL can accommodate 6 riders, giving the advantage to UberXL
- Price: UberX is the more affordable of these options, so if you don’t have the need for a 6 passenger vehicle, XL is probably not the best option for you. It’s broken down a bit more directly below.
- Quality of Vehicle: While the UberX and XL services are more affordable than the original UberBlack service, Uber promotes the XL service as something of a luxury for people who wish to have a ride in a more spacious vehicle.
UberX vs. XL: Price Difference
UberX and UberXL are both a much more cost effective option than the UberBlack service, which we have also included to help keep the cost difference between UberXL and UberX in perspective.
The example below uses data captured for the St. Louis Uber Market, and was fetched on 2/20/18, it’s for a ride from the Frontenac Hilton to Lambert Airport. While UberX is always going to be more affordable than UberXL, you can easily check to see the going rates in your area by visiting the fare estimator over at Uber’s website.
| UberX vs. UberXL: Affordability | Uber Black | UberX | UberXL |
| Pick Up- Base Fare | $7.00 | $1.50 | 3.00 |
| Booking Fee | – | $2.55 | $2.55 |
| Per Minute | $.45 | $0.20 | $.30 |
| Per Mile | $3.61 | $1.26 | $1.86 |
XL is the better value with 5 or 6 riders
If you are planning on taking an UberX or UberXL with 4 or less commuters, UberX is the more affordable option. UberXL can handle up to 6 passengers, which would make it more economical with a group of 5 or 6, since you would not need to call for 2 separate rides.
UberXL: Perfect for luggage
UberXL can fit up to six passengers with ease, since the only vehicles that qualify to be UberXL are minivans and SUV’s. But, if you are headed to the airport with a lot of luggage, UberXL is the perfect way to get it all there.
Think about it this way, if you have the four passenger maximum for UberX, you aren’t going to be able to bring a ton of luggage with you. But, with UberXL, you’ll easily be able to bring all the luggage that you want with all of the extra room. The last thing that you want to do is not be able to bring everything that you packed right before taking off for a trip.
UberX vs XL: Which one is better?
Both UberX and UberXl provide the same basic level of service. UberXL offers the ability to carry more passengers and/or luggage. There are going to be a few situations where XL is a better decision. Such as:
- You have four people and a ton of luggage.
- You have five or six passengers.
- There’s an elderly person in your group that requires a vehicle that’s easier to get in and out of.
No matter which one you choose, taking an Uber is always a great idea when compared to taking a Taxi. Good luck!