When you need a ride, you’re often faced with a choice: book a taxi ahead of time or try your luck hailing one curbside. While both methods have their benefits, your decision can impact how long you wait, what you pay, and how smooth your experience is—especially in busy cities or during peak travel hours. Here’s a breakdown of when prebooking makes sense and when it’s best to flag a cab the old-fashioned way.
Benefits of Prebooking a Taxi
- Guaranteed Pickup Time
Prebooking ensures that a taxi will arrive at your location at a specific time, which is especially helpful for early morning airport rides, business meetings, or time-sensitive appointments. It removes uncertainty and gives you peace of mind. - Transparent Pricing (in some cases)
When booking through apps like Curb or Flywheel, you can often view fare estimates or fixed pricing before the ride. This helps avoid surprises, especially during events or rush hour. - Better During Peak Demand
During peak traffic times, holidays, or bad weather, hailing a cab from the street can take much longer. Prebooking allows you to skip the competition and lock in a ride without standing outside in unfavorable conditions. - Contactless Payment and Trip Tracking
Prebooked rides through taxi apps offer digital receipts, real-time tracking, and the ability to pay via card or mobile wallet. This is ideal for business travelers who need expense reports or for anyone avoiding cash. - Special Requests and Accessibility
Booking ahead allows you to request a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, child seat, or larger cab for group travel—accommodations that are harder to guarantee with street hails.
When Street Hailing Makes More Sense
- High-Density Areas
If you’re in a city like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco, hailing a cab on a busy street can be quicker than opening an app. Yellow cabs in these cities are highly regulated, and you’ll often see dozens within minutes. - Flexible Timing
If you’re not in a rush and have flexibility in your schedule, hailing a taxi may save the booking fee that some apps charge. Just be sure you’re in a well-trafficked area during non-peak hours. - No App Required
If your phone is dead or you don’t have data access, hailing a cab is a reliable fallback. Licensed taxis don’t require a booking platform, making them ideal for travelers without smartphone access. - Fewer Restrictions
In some areas, taxis may not allow short trips when prebooked. A street-hail gives you more freedom to hop in for a quick local ride without worrying about minimum fare policies.
Combine with Smart Payment Strategies
Regardless of how you book, you can save by paying with the right method. For rideshare platforms, using gift cards purchased through Fluz is a great way to reduce your ride costs. You can earn cashback with a Lyft gift card or get rewards with an Uber gift card and apply those instantly to your account for immediate savings.
If you’re using a taxi-hailing app, you may also be able to apply payment rewards, card points, or promotional discounts offered through digital wallets.
Final Thoughts
Prebooking a taxi provides structure and reliability, making it ideal for travel days, business trips, or events. On the other hand, hailing a cab from the street offers flexibility and speed in the right setting. The smartest option often depends on your location, timing, and tech access—but pairing either method with cashback tools like Fluz ensures you’re not only riding smarter, but saving more every time.
