How to Tip a Shuttle Driver

Tip your shuttle driver $1 to $2, or more if you have heavy luggage, after he drives you to or from the airport. Shuttles, which commonly run between airports and nearby hotels, provide you with a simple way of traveling when you don’t have access to your vehicle. Tipping is proper etiquette and costs you less than you’d pay a taxi driver for the same ride.

Budget Travel magazine reports that it's appropriate to tip your shuttle driver $1 or $2 after you reach your destination. Although many hotels close to the airport do not charge for the use of the shuttle service, the magazine cautions against viewing your trip as free. Providing a tip of a couple dollars is the proper way to show your appreciation for the driver's effort.

The tip of $1 of $2 is a base amount. If your driver helps you with your luggage -- and especially if it's overly heavy or difficult to manage -- it's appropriate to give a slightly bigger tip. It's conventional to tip around $1 per bag. If, for example, you ride the shuttle with two heavy suitcases that the driver handles for you, show your thanks with a tip of $3 or $4.

Other considerations can help to dictate exactly how much you choose to tip the shuttle driver. In an interview on IndependentTraveler.com, etiquette expert Lizzie Post suggests giving a tip for the driver who held the shuttle for you. If the driver was friendly and attentive or made a special trip just for you, tip more than if the driver ignored you during your trip. As with any tipping situation, it's not necessary to tip if the driver was rude.

If you're taking the shuttle with a group such as your family, it's proper etiquette to give a tip based on the number of people in the group. The website TravelSense.org, which is run by the American Society of Travel Agents, recommends tipping your shuttle driver $2 per person in your group. This tipping approach ensures the driver doesn't lose out on tips because of the size of your group.