Why does split fare not work on Uber?

The Mystery of the Uber Split Fare Hold: Why Your Card Shows a Double Charge (But Doesn’t)

Splitting an Uber fare with a friend seems simple enough: share the cost, share the ride. However, many users report seeing double the fare temporarily authorized on their cards when using the split fare option. This often leads to confusion and concern about being double-billed. The truth, however, is far less sinister than it appears.

The key to understanding why your card shows a temporary authorization hold for the full fare – even when splitting – lies in the way Uber processes payments. The system isn’t actually charging both cards the entire fare upfront. Instead, it places a hold on each card for the total amount before determining the final individual cost. This pre-authorization acts as a safeguard, ensuring sufficient funds are available for each rider’s portion of the fare.

Think of it like this: Imagine you and a friend are splitting a $20 meal. The restaurant might temporarily hold $20 on each of your cards to ensure you both have the funds. Once the bill is finalized, only your individual share ($10 each) is actually charged. The remaining holds are released.

Uber’s split fare system operates similarly. Both riders will initially see a temporary hold for the entire trip cost on their respective cards. This is purely a preventative measure designed to avoid failed transactions. Once the ride finishes and Uber completes its payment processing, the system calculates each rider’s share based on the agreed-upon split. Only the individual amount is then actually debited from each card. The remaining hold is released shortly thereafter. This release time can vary slightly depending on your bank’s processing speed.

Therefore, seeing a temporary double authorization for the full fare when splitting an Uber ride is perfectly normal and shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. It’s a crucial part of the split fare functionality, designed to prevent payment complications. Rest assured, you will only be charged your individual share of the fare once the trip is complete and processing is finalized. If the hold persists unusually long (more than a few business days), contacting your bank and Uber support is recommended. But in most cases, the temporary double charge is simply a quirk of the system, not a billing error.