The drive from Lansdowne to YVR Airport takes about 15 minutes over 6 km, and a standard rideshare costs about $17 at normal demand. Most trips of this length land between $14 and $20.
How the $17 is worked out
This is an estimate built from average rideshare rates, not a price taken from Uber itself. The inputs are a base fare of $2.50, $1.15 a km, $0.35 a minute and a $2 booking fee. For this trip that means $2.50 for the base, $6.90 for distance and $5.25 for time, which adds up to $14.65 before the booking fee. Add the $2 fee and you land at roughly $17.
Demand changes the number. When the area is busy, with a 1.2 multiplier on the fare, expect about $20. When it is very busy (1.5) the estimate rises to about $24, and at peak demand (2) it reaches about $31. The Uber app shows the real upfront price before you confirm the ride, so use our figures for budgeting and the app for the final answer.
Lansdowne to YVR: bigger cars and the meter
If you have more people or more bags, the other ride types cost more. Comfort comes to about $20, XL (up to 6 seats) to about $23 and Premier to about $35.
For a taxi, we found published tariffs for Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi. Both charge a $3.75 flag fee and $2.18 per km, so the meter should show about $17 for 6 km. That figure leaves out waiting time and any extras, so the final fare can be a little higher. In this case the taxi and a standard rideshare at normal demand come out almost level, which means the choice depends more on how soon you need a car than on cost.
Getting to the terminal without surprises
An airport trip has a few small steps that a regular ride does not. Once you request the car, open the app and look at the pickup spot it suggests before you walk outside. If you are being collected at a house or building, send the exact address and say which entrance you will be at.
Tell the driver how many suitcases you have, or ask when booking whether they fit. A standard car holds fewer bags than most people expect, and an XL costs about $6 more than a standard car here. Anyone who needs a wheelchair accessible vehicle should book it ahead by phone instead of hoping one is free, because those cars are fewer than regular ones.
Allow extra time if you are travelling at a busy hour. Prices go up when many people are requesting rides at once, and a driver may take longer to reach you. A short trip leaves little room for a late car, and a flight does not wait. Checking the fare in the app a few minutes before you leave also lets you see whether the price has moved into the busy range.