The short answer: book point to point when you are going from one address to another, such as the airport to your hotel. Book by the hour when you have several stops close together, need the car to wait while you are inside, or expect your plans to change during the day.
What is the difference?
Point-to-point transfer
A transfer takes you from a pickup address to a drop-off address at a fixed price. The chauffeur's job ends at the destination. If you need another ride later, you book another transfer.
Hourly (as-directed) service
Hourly service keeps a car and chauffeur with you for the hours you book. The chauffeur waits between stops, and you can change the order of your day as you go. In the industry this is often called "as-directed" service.
Five trips worked through
| Trip | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Airport to hotel after a flight | Point to point | One leg, fixed price, flight tracked |
| Three client meetings across downtown | Hourly | The car waits outside each building |
| Hotel to a dinner, back four hours later | Two transfers, usually | A long gap is better covered by two bookings |
| Wedding: ceremony, photos, reception | Hourly | Timings shift and the car must be on hand |
| Roadshow with back-to-back investor visits | Hourly | Meetings overrun; the schedule changes in real time |
A simple rule for choosing
Add up the time you will spend inside each stop. If the waits between rides are short, say under an hour each, and you have three or more stops, hourly service usually works out simpler and often comparable in cost. If you have one or two long gaps, separate transfers usually make more sense. When in doubt, ask for both prices for the same day.
Getting the most from an hourly booking
- Share a rough plan with addresses and expected times, even if it will change.
- Allow for traffic and parking between stops, especially downtown.
- Keep the chauffeur's number so you can call when you are ready to leave.
- Ask what happens if you run over the booked hours before the day starts.
Getting the most from a transfer
- For airport pickups, give the flight number so the pickup follows the actual landing time.
- Book returns together when you know both dates.
- Mention luggage so the vehicle class fits.
Booking with Black Drive
Black Drive offers both, in every city and from every airport we serve. Airport transfers and city-to-city transfers are priced per vehicle, fixed before you book. For hourly service, choose By the hour in the booking form and enter the start time and duration, or request a quote for longer itineraries. See private chauffeur service for how hourly bookings work, and corporate transportation for roadshows and executive days.