Lyft drivers: Extra Comfort replaced Lux and Preferred!

Lyft drivers got a surprising announcement about a big change: The Preferred and Lux ride types are longer be available.

Lyft also added a new ride type called Extra Comfort to replace Lux and Preferred.

In the announcement, Lyft said that they are making the changes to simplify options for riders and that ride volume for the two cancelled ride types was low.

But the elimination of Lux is a major blow to drivers who specifically drive on Lyft to target Lux rides. Many purchased Lux-eligible vehicles for the higher-paying rides, and now they fear they won’t be able to replace that income with standard Lyft rides or the new Extra Comfort mode.

For some drivers being downgraded from Lux, there was a $30–$50 weekly bonus available, but it only lasted until November—a small consolation.

Overall, this change will be an earnings cut for many Lux drivers. For Preferred drivers, the pay for Extra Comfort mode is similar to Preferred.

Lux and Preferred are no longer available

As of October and November 2023, the Lux and Preferred ride types have been eliminated, and replaced by the Extra Comfort ride type.

Why did Lyft end these ride types?

Lyft claims that ride volume was low for Preferred and Lux and that riders faced too many ride options. According to Lyft, these changes will simplify the rider experience and reduce downtime for Lux drivers.

What happened to vehicles that qualified for Lux?

Many vehicles that qualified for Lux will be eligible for the new Extra Comfort mode, but not all will. Some will receive an exemption to drive for Extra Comfort until April 2024.

The vehicle requirements are not changing for standard Lyft, XL, Lux Black, and Lux Black XL, so if a Lux vehicle already qualified for those ride types, it will continue to be eligible for those.

But for most Lux drivers, Lux was the highest level of service their vehicle qualified for, so their current vehicle will not be bumped up to Lux Black or Lux Black XL.

New ride type: Extra Comfort

Extra Comfort is for newer vehicles (2018+) with ample legroom, and only highly-rated drivers qualify.

Extra Comfort requirements

• Model year 2018 or newer and an eligible vehicle
• Completed at least 100 trips
• Maintain a minimum rating of 4.85
• No safety flags in the past 20 rides
• No more than 1 cleanliness flag in the past 20 rides

The ride and ratings requirements shouldn’t be difficult for most Lyft drivers to meet, but the safety & cleanliness flag requirements could become a problem.

Passengers make false accusations all the time. Allowing 0 flags in the past 20 rides could prove to be a strict standard that will kick drivers out of Extra Comfort too often.

It won’t be a stable experience. You do Extra Comfort one week, then you can’t the next because of one rating. It’s hard to create a profitable strategy when you can’t rely on your ride classification from week to week.

Earnings: How much do Extra Comfort rides pay?

From early examples shared by drivers, Extra Comfort rides pay approximately 20% more than regular Lyft rides. That’s a similar rate to Preferred rides, which also paid around 10-20% more than a standard Lyft.

Lux rides paid more than twice as much regular Lyft rides, so Extra Comfort is a major pay reduction for Lux drivers.

Here is a rate card from Oregon showing that Extra Comfort per-mile rate is around 20% higher than the standard Lyft per-mile rate.

And here’s a rate card that compares Lux to Extra Comfort. Extra Comfort rides pay far, far less than Lux.

Strange vehicle requirements for Extra Comfort: Honda Civic qualifies, but BMW 3 and 5 series don’t?

Drivers immediately noticed some inconsistencies in the list of eligible vehicles. BMW drivers noticed that their 2018 and newer 3 and 5 series models don’t qualify, but the 2018+ Honda Civic is on the list.

How could a BMW not be included in Extra Comfort when the far less luxurious Honda Civic makes the cut? The early list has some inconsistencies that will hopefully be corrected soon.

New ride preferences: Enable or disable other ride requests

Depending on your vehicle eligibility, you can enable or disable requests for ride types. You can’t currently choose to only do Extra Comfort rides.

• Eligible for Standard & Extra Comfort: Choose all ride types (You can’t do Extra Comfort only)
• Eligible for XL & Extra Comfort: Choose all ride types or premium only
• Eligible for Lux Black & Extra Comfort: Choose all ride types, premium only, or Lux Black only
• Eligible for Lux Black XL & Extra Comfort: Choose all ride types, premium only, Lux Black & XL only

Bonuses and requirement exceptions

Some drivers were informed that they are eligible for a bonus after changes to Lux & Preferred go into effect. The bonus is to compensate drivers who lose access to Lyft Lux and don’t get access to Extra Comfort.

The bonus amount depends on your Lyft Rewards tier, and Express Drive renters get a special bonus.

• Platinum drivers: $2 every ride, max $50 per week for 6 weeks after Lux availability ends
• Gold drivers: $2 every ride, max $30 per week for 6 weeks after Lux availability ends
• Express drive renters: $20 bonus for 12 weeks after Lux availability ends

Some drivers will also receive an exception that allows their otherwise ineligible vehicle to drive for Extra Comfort until April 2024.

For example, the driver below has a 2018 BMW that doesn’t qualify, but they were given an exception to drive for Extra Comfort.

Lyft says that only the drivers who “are disproportionately impacted by the changes to Lux and Preferred” will receive an exception.

Is this good or bad for drivers & passengers?

Lux drivers aren’t happy about this change. Many bought expensive vehicles just to chase after Lux earnings, and now that opportunity will be gone.

Lyft says that Lux and Preferred volumes are low, which isn’t always true in some larger cities. This will be an earnings cut for drivers in those cities.

For other drivers, this won’t be a significant change. Most who drove for Preferred will qualify for Extra Comfort, and the pay will likely be the same between those two modes.

Some passengers may miss the option to choose a mid-tier luxury ride. The new Extra Comfort mode will include some vehicles that were formerly in Lyft Lux, but other non-luxury vehicles will also qualify as well. You might get an Audi or a Toyota.

The only way to guarantee a luxury vehicle is the Lux Black mode, which is significantly more expensive than other rides.

But if Lyft’s claims are true, not many passengers chose Lux or Preferred to begin with. Most won’t miss it.