Flying first or business class now means more than just getting fantastic seats in-flight.
Airlines are now looking to deliver the full experience. From the moment passengers leave for the airport, to how they experience in-flight service, even down to deplaning – airlines are creating a premium experience from the start to the end of the journey.
One way they do this is by offering a complimentary chauffeur service. Indeed, this is one of the biggest differences between first and business class when flying around the world.
While not all airlines are doing this anymore, the few who do certainly stand out as it adds that extra special touch and makes travel for top-tier passengers hassle-free.
If you’ve ever wondered how you can book this service and which airlines have them, we’ve compiled an in-depth list for you. It’s got everything you need to make use of this luxury perk as you travel, even as a travel hacker!
And if you intend to plan travel using points, be sure to consider using a points consultant to make sure you do everything right the first time.
Find out how to maximize your points!
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines offers a free chauffeur service to premium passengers. Image Credit: Kevin Hackert via Unsplash
Not only does Turkish Airlines have one of the best airport lounges in Europe, but it’s also known for providing excellent service to its top passengers.
This includes a free chauffeur service known as Exclusive Drive.
Turkish Airlines began its complimentary chauffeur service back in 2018. And while it’s free to use for business class passengers, the airline is also making it available to economy class passengers for a fee.
Turkish Airlines’ Exclusive Drive means a driver will pick you up in a luxury vehicle on your designated flight date and take you to the airport. If your destination city also has a chauffeur service, a luxury car will also be waiting for you to take you to your final destination as well.
This end-to-end service is a unique perk and one every business class passenger can look forward to. The only caveat is that the service is only available in certain cities and destinations. You can check out more details below.
How to Book the Service
Booking the service can be done via the Turkish Airlines website. All you have to do is purchase your business Class ticket, enter your PNR number as well as your last name.
Eligibility
- Turkish Airlines passengers flying with business fare classes C, D, K, J, and Z
- Business class passengers flying Turkish Airlines even if the ticket is issued by another airline
- Tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours before departure to be eligible
Restrictions & Limitations
- Unaccompanied minors, between 2 and 12 years old
- Passengers holding award tickets
- Those with upgraded complimentary tickets from economy class to business class, whether for free or a fee
- Those making reservations within 24 hours of flight departure
- Passengers who fail to cancel a reservation and those who don’t show up will be logged as a “no show”, and any later service will be canceled for the same ticket
- The complimentary chauffeur ride is limited to 35 miles only, if the destination exceeds the allocated miles, passengers will pay for the additional miles
Coverage
Passengers traveling to these regions are eligible for Exclusive Drive:
- United States (gateway cities only)
- Canada (gateway cities only)
- Kuwait
- Abu Dhabi
- Nairobi
- Cairo
- Mumbai
- Islamabad
- Tehran
- Tel Aviv
- Beirut
- Riyadh
- Bahrain
- Dubai
- Delhi
- Dammam
- Amman
- Jeddah
- Karachi
- Lahore
- Dhaka
Emirates Airlines
Emirates chauffeur-drive service. Image Credit: Emirates
Emirates first class and business class passengers not only get extra luxury like onboard showers in-flight, but they also get excellent ground service to meet their airport transportation needs, which includes access to the best airport lounge in the Middle East, and even some of the best lounges in Africa!
Chauffeur-drive is Emirates’ free chauffeur service. Out of all the airlines mentioned here, Emirates probably offers the most extensive service along with the most destinations covered (currently around 70+).
Every business class passenger who books Chauffeur-drive can be picked up from their address on the day of their flight and taken to the airport. Upon arrival, if the destination city has the service too, they can also be chauffeured right up to their front door.
Like most chauffeur services, there is a limit to the free mileage but most destinations will allow additional mileage for a fee.
How to Book the Service
The service can be reserved online through the “Manage” section of the Emirates website. It can be booked as little as 12 hours before the departure time.
Once booked, the driver will wait for the passengers for up to 15 minutes after the indicated time.
Already at the airport and want to book Chauffeur-drive? It’s still possible! Passengers already at the airport can head to designated service kiosks for assistance. Please note that there’s no guarantee the service will be available since priority will be given to those who booked in advance.
Eligibility
- Available to passengers flying first class and business class on Emirates operated flights
Restrictions & Limitations
- Not available on flights with other airlines where Emirates is only a marketing or partner airline
- Chauffeur-drive is not available for codeshare flights
- Economy to business class upgrades or Skywards business and first class Classic Rewards are not eligible
- Not available for complimentary tickets and ticket upgrades
- Chauffeur service is not available in cities where a Rail or Bus service comes with an Emirates ticket
- Additional charges are applied for special requests like a bigger vehicle or infant car seats
- Limited to two passengers per vehicle carrying only two checked bags plus and a carry-on
- Free mileage differs per city or destination, any excess mileage consumed will have a corresponding fee and paid directly to the driver in cash or credit
Coverage
- Available in almost every single Emirates flight worldwide (check with your destination airport to see if Chauffeur-drive is available)
- In Hong Kong, the chauffeur service is offered to First Class passengers only
- In Dubai, first class passengers are driven using a Mercedes-Benz S450 while business class passengers are driven in BMW Series 5 vehicles
- Cross border transfers are possible with Chauffeur-drive in most Schengen countries but it is not available for German destinations
Wishing you could book Emirates first class for free? This is taught in great length to our students enrolled in The Points University!
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways Chauffeur Service Fleet. Image Credit: Etihad
Etihad is another leading airline in the industry. So it’s no surprise they were among the first who began offering a global chauffeur service to Etihad first class and business class passengers.
Called the Etihad Chauffeur, it was a welcome addition to the company’s already impeccable offerings. However, by 2017, the company felt it did little to return company investment so they decided to scale back the offer by eliminating the international portion of the service.
All isn’t lost, though, since the airline is still giving out complimentary chauffeur service at the airline’s hub airport in Abu Dhabi, home to some of the best airport lounges in the world.
If you are flying in and out of the UAE and using Abu Dhabi Airport, the Etihad Chauffeur is still available for first class as well as select business passengers. The same goes for those flying in Etihad’s luxurious The Residence, which is one of the best international first class seats you can book.
How to Book the Service
To book the service, you have three options:
- Visit the Etihad website and fill out the booking form
- Call an agent from Etihad’s global call center
- Arrange the service with your travel agent
Passengers need to provide their contact info, address, city code as well as pick-up time for departure and arrival.
The indicated pick-up time serves as a guide only, passengers will receive an SMS or call for confirmation of the actual pick-up time within 12 hours of the flight. The chauffeur will wait up to 25 minutes for each guest.
Eligibility
- Guests flying Etihad Airlines with a confirmed first class or select business class ticket
- Guests arriving or departing from Abu Dhabi Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Booking must be done at least 12 hours before the flight
Restrictions & Limitations
- Only available on flights operated by Etihad Airways
- Unaccompanied minors (from 2 to 12 years old) are not eligible for the service
- Not available for guests purchasing instant upgrades at the airport
- If the passenger fails to cancel the service, it cannot be rebooked for the same ticket
Coverage
- Does not cover transfers between airport terminals
- Only applies to stopovers in the UAE, provided applicable taxes are covered
- Guest flying on The Residence can use Etihad Chauffeur when flying from London, New York, Sydney, Seoul, Paris, and Abu Dhabi
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Lufthansa
Lufthansa Limousine Service. Image Credit: Lufthansa
Lufthansa’s Limousine Service is slightly more limited compared to those offered by other top airlines like Emirates. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent premium service for Lufthansa’s first class and business class passengers.
In the majority of their designated airports, the complimentary limousine service by Lufthansa only offers transfers within the airport.
These complimentary airport transfers are only available in certain airports, namely, Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport, Zurich Airport, Vienna Airport, Geneva Airport, Oslo Airport, and several UAE airports.
With chauffeur services, you’ll quickly be escorted to some of the best first class lounges in Europe, like the Lufthansa first class lounge.
These transfers are either from the plane to the terminal/lounge upon arrival, or from the terminal/lounge to the aircraft upon departure.
A different set of rules apply in Oslo airport, passengers here can also receive complimentary limousine service to and from the airport, provided their address is situated around Ring 3 only. Anywhere beyond that will be subjected to a fee.
How to Book the Service
To book the service, you can visit the Lufthansa website or email the required information to [email protected].
Make sure to send the following details:
- Booking reference or ticket number
- Pick-up date and time, pick-up address, or airport name
- Drop off airport name or address
- Provide passenger email address or contact number
- Number of persons or other additional information
Eligibility
- Complimentary limousine service is available to Lufthansa and SWISS passengers in first class to and from Oslo Airport – booking Class must be F or A
- Tickets must be purchased in the following countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Norway
- Booking requests for limousine service need to be submitted at least 3 days before the flight date
- For limousine service within Frankfurt, Munich, Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, or Geneva airports, chauffeur service from the terminal or lounge is automatically provided for First Class passengers as well as *HON Circle members (*applicable to Geneva and Zurich Airports only)
Restrictions & Limitations
- Not applicable with award tickets or upgrades
- Service is provided by 3rd party, Oslo Chauffeur Service AS
- Cancellations for limousine service needs to be done within 24 hours before pick-up time
- It is the passenger’s responsibility to inform or cancel the service if travel plans have changed
Coverage
- Transfers to and from Oslo are only available for addresses within Ring 3
- Complimentary limousine service is only available within select airports
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Air China
Air China is considered one of the three biggest airlines in China, alongside China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. Air China mainly operates at its primary hub in Beijing Capital International Airport.
To match its large fleet, Air China has an extensive chauffeur service designed to accommodate its first class and business class passengers.
Aside from having good coverage overseas like Europe, the United States, and Canada, they also have a well-coordinated chauffeur service for intracity and intercity transfers around China. Unfortunately, Air China’s airport lounges didn’t make the cut for the best airport lounges in Asia.
How to Book the Service
To book the service, passengers can head to Air China’s website and use their booking form.
Passengers can also download the form, fill it out, and email it to [email protected]. An agent will reply with a confirmation for the reservation if it has been approved and processed. Bookings must be done at least 8 hours before the flight.
Submitted the form but got no response? Air China urges that if you don’t hear a reply after 4 hours of submitting the booking form, to contact the Air China call center at 800-882-8122 instead.
Eligibility
- First class and business class passengers with a ticket in fare class F, A, J, C, D, Z, or R
- PhoenixMiles Platinum members are eligible even if they are on a codeshare flight
- PhoenixMiles Gold in the F and J fare classes
- Ticket numbers beginning with “999”
Restrictions & Limitations
- Not applicable to reward bookings
Coverage
- Covers the following cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Tianjin, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen
- Chauffeur service is only available for airport terminal transfers and designated pick-up and drop-off points in the cities covered
China is one of the biggest countries in the world, and Air China has a huge chauffeur route network, especially domestically. Air China’s chauffeur service doesn’t apply to award tickets, but if you’re flying on a qualifying ticket, you don’t want to miss out on this perk!
SriLankan Airlines
SriLankan Airlines Limousine Service. Image Credit: SriLankan Airlines
SriLankan Airlines may not be a big-name airline but for a 26-fleet carrier with limited routes, it does offer a complimentary limousine service for its business class passengers.
Even better is that its service picks you up straight from your front door to the airport upon departure, and from the airport to your doorstep upon reaching your destination. Now, that’s a premium perk!
How to Book the Service
Booking your complimentary limo service with SriLankan Airlines is as simple as visiting their ticketing office worldwide or calling their global call center.
Requests for the service need to be submitted at least 30 hours before departure. They require the full address for the pick-up or drop-off including the postcode.
The airline is also quite lenient and will still entertain requests submitted within 30 hours of departure. Requests made within 30 hours need to be emailed to [email protected]. However, they do not make any guarantees the request will be granted.
Eligibility
- Available for business class passengers arriving or departing from London-Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Restrictions & Limitations
- Service is not available for certain discounted or promotional business class fares
- Not available for unaccompanied minors
- Chauffeur service does not apply to involuntary upgrades
- Free chauffeur service is limited to the indicated mileage, a corresponding fee will be charged and paid directly to the driver for exceeding miles
- If the passenger is tagged a “no show”, the service cannot be rebooked on the same ticket
- Cancellations must be made at least within 48 hours before departure
- If there are special requests like a child seat or special needs, the passenger must inform SriLankan Airlines ahead of time
Coverage
- Covers departure and arrival from/to Heathrow Airport
- Allowed distances are for departure and arrival and depend on the business class fare type. For BIZ SAVER and BIZ Value, a maximum of 50 miles while BIZ PLUS has a maximum of 70 miles per arrival and departure.
British Airways
British Airways London Heathrow Airport Terminal. Image Credit: Tomek Baginski via Unsplash
You would think British Airways would be one of those airlines clamoring to offer their top passengers free chauffeur service. But BA has notoriously kept its car service to a minimum, only offering free chauffeur rides within the airport and only to First Class passengers with tight connections.
First Class British Airways passengers who are in danger of missing their flight in between transfers will be greeted by a BA customer service agent who will lead them to a Jaguar and drive them to their destination terminal so they can make the connection.
And more recently, in 2019, it’s not just a Jaguar that could be waiting for passengers, British Airways decided to add a bit of a London twist to their service by employing the classic London cab as their transfer vehicle. The difference? This fleet of white London cabs is eco-friendly, purely electronic, and emission-free!
These company taxis from the London Electric Vehicle Company feature a panoramic roof with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and options for charging phones and laptops. A neat touch even for just a short transfer!
How to Book the Service
This service is in huge demand and some passengers are even booking tight flights via Heathrow, in hopes of getting to experience this unique chauffeur service.
To book the service, you don’t have to do anything except be a premium flyer and have a tight connection via Heathrow.
BA has designated customer service agents who monitor passenger flights. Those in danger of missing their connections will automatically have the car service waiting for them as they deplane.
Meanwhile, those who will end up missing their connections are automatically rebooked to the next available BA flight even while they’re still up in the air.
Eligibility
- Passengers traveling in First, Club Europe, or Club World who are in danger of missing their flight
- Passengers who are British Airways Silver or Gold Executive Club Members that might miss their connection
Restrictions & Limitations
- The free car service transfer is within Heathrow Airport only
Coverage
- Covers passengers arriving and departing from London’s Heathrow Airport T5
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Bonus – LATAM
LATAM no longer offers chauffeur service to its guests but it does offer the next best thing, a free shuttle service!
The airline is known as one of the biggest airline groups from Latin America. It has a strong domestic market in Peru, South America, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile. Internationally, they also have a market in the United States, the Caribbean, the rest of Latin America, and Europe.
How to Book the Service
Book the shuttle service through your travel agent or contact LATAM airlines directly through their hotline at 866-435-9526.
The service is available every day of the week although the shuttle times may change. Reservations need to be done at least 48 hours before the departing flight.
Only passengers with a departing flight for the same day can utilize this shuttle service. You can present your passport and a copy of your ticket with your flight date.
Eligibility
- Passengers heading to Lima coming from New Jersey, either from Patterson or Union City
- Passengers heading to Guayaquil and flying from New Jersey, either from Newark or Union City
- Passengers arriving from Lima and Guayaquil to JFK Airport
Restrictions & Limitations
- Unaccompanied minors under the age of 12 are not allowed
- Animals are not allowed in the shuttle unless they are a certified service animal with proper identification
- Guests are not allowed if they do not have a connecting flight to Lima or Guayaquil via LATAM Airlines
Coverage
- Shuttle service is available for LATAM travelers from John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), Patterson, Newark, or Union City in New Jersey
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Final Thoughts
A complimentary chauffeur service is a nice add-on bonus for premium flyers.
Sure, the service might be dwindling as more airlines are pulling the plug or scaling back on their own offerings.
But as you can see, there are still numerous airlines that see it as a necessary service to ensure that their best customers experience stress-free travel when flying.
When planning your next travel, make sure to keep this unique perk in mind. It’s a great way to extend your premium experience on these airlines.
Do you know if Turkish Airlines still offers free chauffeur service to their business class passengers? I have a round trip business (class K) ticket from JFK to BKK. I am being asked to pay $155 for the pick up service from a location which is 23 miles away from JFK.
Hi Monty,
It should be complimentary. Here’s the official Turkish Airlines website showing you the details:
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-int/flights/fly-different/business-class/exclusive-drive/
The limo service is far from complimentary. Without knowing the full detail, I booked a Turkish Limo service from Baltimore to IAD and return, and each way they charged me $179.04, which is a rip-off. I could have hired a normal taxi or a Uber service at a fraction of this price. Be aware of this rip-off service! Turkish Airlines didn’t warn me of this exorbitant price for this so-called complimentary I wish I could have gotten my money back! Turkish Airlines please take note!
Hi Michael,
Was this for a business class ticket? Many airlines offer chauffeur service but most of these only offer them on paid business or first class tickets.