Airports · 7 min read
What to expect from a chauffeur airport pickup
Your chauffeur tracks your flight, waits for you at the airport and helps with your bags. SUV.LIMO includes one hour of free waiting at airports, so a delay or a slow immigration queue does not cost extra. The exact meeting point depends on the airport and is confirmed before you travel.
What happens between booking and landing?
After you book, you receive a confirmation with your pickup details. Add your flight number, because that is what lets the team track the aircraft rather than relying on the scheduled time. If your flight number changes, for example after a rebooking, send the new one to the booking team.
Before your trip, your operator confirms the meeting point for your airport and terminal. Large airports have several arrival halls and more than one place a driver may legitimately wait, so the instruction you receive is the one to follow.
On the day, the chauffeur plans around your actual landing time. If the flight is early, they adjust. If it is late, they adjust again, and you are not asked to rebook or pay a new fee for a delay outside your control. It is also worth saving the chauffeur and booking team contact details in your phone before you fly, so they are available offline if your data connection is slow on landing.
How does flight tracking work?
SUV.LIMO tracks every airport pickup. The chauffeur is dispatched against the live status of your flight rather than the printed timetable, which is why the vehicle is in position when you walk out and not an hour before or after.
Tracking covers the common cases: early arrivals, late arrivals and gate or terminal changes that affect where you will exit. It cannot predict how long you personally will take, because that depends on your queue at border control and how quickly your bags arrive.
That is why the waiting allowance exists. Tracking gets the chauffeur to the right place at the right time, and the free waiting period covers the gap between landing and walking through the arrivals doors. Tracking also helps on departures indirectly, because the same team knows your schedule and can plan the pickup time for your transfer to the airport with the usual traffic in mind.
How long will the chauffeur wait?
SUV.LIMO includes one hour of free waiting at airports. The period is there to cover immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, which can take a few minutes on a quiet domestic arrival and considerably longer on a busy long-haul one.
If you expect to take longer than usual, for example because you are travelling with several children, need assistance or have a connection through a slow border, tell the booking team in advance. They can note it on the booking and plan accordingly.
If you are delayed beyond the included period, contact your chauffeur or the booking team as soon as you can. Waiting beyond the included allowance is handled with you directly, and you will be told about any additional charge before it applies. The aim is that you never have to hurry through the terminal because someone is waiting. Walk at your own pace, collect your bags and make any calls you need before you go to meet your driver.
Where will I meet my chauffeur?
The typical arrangement is a meet and greet inside the arrivals hall, where the chauffeur holds a sign with your name or your booking details. At some airports the rules instead require the driver to wait at a designated pickup zone or car park, in which case you receive directions.
Because airports differ so much, do not assume a layout from another city. Heathrow, JFK, Paris CDG and Dubai DXB each have their own rules for where drivers may stand. Our airport pages and the airport guides linked below describe the arrangements at specific airports.
If you cannot see your chauffeur within a couple of minutes of exiting, stay near the arrivals doors and call the number on your confirmation. The chauffeur will already be tracking your status and can tell you exactly where they are standing. If you are travelling with a group on different flights, tell the booking team in advance so that the arrangement is clear for everyone, including who the chauffeur is waiting for and in what order.
What help do I get with luggage and the journey?
The chauffeur assists with loading and unloading your bags and opens the door for you. The vehicle you booked has been sized to your party, so the Business SUV takes up to three passengers and three bags, First Class up to five and five, and Extended up to six and six.
On the drive, you can tell your chauffeur your preferences for temperature, route or a quiet ride. If you need to make a stop, for example at a pharmacy or a hotel for a quick drop, mention it as early as you can so that it can be included in the plan.
At the destination the chauffeur will unload your luggage and make sure you are settled. Because gratuity is included in the fare, there is no need to settle up or tip at the kerb. Chauffeurs also know the local roads, so if your hotel entrance is hard to find or a street is closed, they can usually get you to the right door without a call to the front desk.
What should I do if something goes wrong?
If your flight is diverted, cancelled or rebooked, contact the booking team with the new details. Changes to the flight are routine and are handled by updating the booking.
If you land at a different terminal than expected, tell the chauffeur as soon as you know. Most airports have shuttle links between terminals, but the fastest fix is usually for the chauffeur to reposition.
If you have lost your phone or have no signal, go to the arrivals hall's information desk and ask them to help you contact the number on your booking. Keeping a printed or screenshot copy of the confirmation, including the chauffeur's number, is a simple precaution. In every case, the booking team is the best single point of contact because they can see the booking, the flight and the chauffeur's position at the same time and coordinate between them.
Frequently asked
Does the chauffeur track my flight?
Yes. SUV.LIMO tracks every airport pickup, so the chauffeur is positioned against your live flight status rather than the scheduled time.
How long will the chauffeur wait at the airport?
One hour of free waiting is included at airports, which covers immigration, baggage reclaim and customs for most arrivals.
Will the chauffeur have a name sign?
Meet-and-greet pickups normally use a name sign in the arrivals hall, but some airports require drivers to wait at a designated zone. Your confirmation says which applies.
What if my flight number changes?
Send the new flight number to the booking team and the pickup will be updated and tracked against the new flight.
Do I need to tip the chauffeur at the airport?
No. Gratuity is included in the all-inclusive fare, so you do not need to add a tip at drop-off.
Related
More guides
- Heathrow Pickup Guide: Terminal by Terminal
Where a chauffeur meets you at Heathrow T2, T3, T4 and T5, how long clearance really takes, what the drop-off charge covers and typical drive times into London.
- B4 vs B6 Armored SUVs: What the Ratings Mean
A plain explanation of VPAM/CEN armoring levels B4 and B6, what each stops, how they differ in weight, ride and cost, and how to choose the right protection level for a movement.
- Congestion Charge & ULEZ: What a Chauffeur Fare Includes
How London's Congestion Charge, ULEZ and Bank junction restrictions affect a chauffeured SUV journey, who pays them, and how they change routing and timing.
Last updated 15 October 2026.