Travelers flying in and out of Bellingham International Airport and passengers using the Bellingham Cruise Terminal gained a major new transportation option on June 15, 2026, when Uber resumed rideshare service at both facilities after a gap of more than four years.

The Port of Bellingham, which operates the airport, announced the agreement earlier in June, restoring on-demand ride-hailing service that had been unavailable since Uber withdrew from both locations on May 1, 2021. The departure left travelers without one of the most widely used transportation options, a gap that grew more noticeable as BLI's passenger numbers climbed in subsequent years and the airport added new routes to its network.

What Travelers Can Expect

With Uber back in service, passengers arriving at Bellingham International Airport can now request rides directly through the Uber app, just as they would at Sea-Tac or any other major airport. The same access extends to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, where Alaska Ferry passengers and cruise visitors can now connect to on-demand rides without depending on scheduled shuttle services or prearranging a taxi.

The practical difference for travelers is significant. Before Uber's return, someone landing at BLI without a personal vehicle waiting had a limited set of options: arrange a taxi in advance, rely on a shuttle service with fixed schedules, or ask a friend or family member to make the drive. None of those options replicate the convenience of opening an app, seeing available drivers within minutes, and getting a confirmed pickup time before even reaching the curb. For visitors arriving in Bellingham for the first time, that friction occasionally pushed travelers toward the more expensive and time-consuming choice of driving to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport instead of using their closer regional airport.

Matt Rodriguez, Director of Aviation at Bellingham International Airport, said the timing matters most for early-morning and late-night flights, when other transportation options are often limited or unavailable. BLI serves nonstop routes to Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Portland, with some of those flights arriving or departing at hours when transit options are sparse and taxi availability is unpredictable.

"Our travelers have told us they want more flexible, on-demand options for getting to and from the airport, and we listened," Rodriguez said in the announcement. "Welcoming Uber back means a smoother, more convenient experience for passengers arriving and departing throughout the day, including those early-morning and late-night flights when reliable transportation matters most."

The Bellingham Cruise Terminal presents its own specific transportation challenge. Alaska Ferry passengers arriving in Bellingham frequently have no personal vehicle waiting and need to reach hotels, downtown Bellingham, or connections to other transit systems. Cruise visitors face the same need. A prearranged taxi works if everything goes to schedule, but ferry arrivals are subject to weather delays and schedule changes that can make fixed arrangements unreliable. On-demand rideshare through an app solves that problem directly, giving passengers a transportation option they can request the moment they know they are ready to leave the terminal.

Background: Why Uber Left and Why It Matters That It Is Back

Uber withdrew from Bellingham International Airport and the Cruise Terminal in May 2021. The departure reflected broader struggles Uber faced during the pandemic period, when rideshare demand collapsed nationally and the company scaled back its footprint in smaller markets to concentrate resources on high-volume airports where driver supply and ride demand were sufficient to keep the economics viable.

For BLI travelers, the absence was a persistent inconvenience that outlasted the pandemic by several years. The airport does not have an on-site rental car facility in the traditional sense, and travelers without a personal vehicle picking them up faced a narrower set of options: prearranged taxis, shuttle services, or asking someone to drive them. Each of those alternatives requires planning ahead in a way that rideshare does not, and none of them offers the real-time transparency of seeing where your driver is and getting a fare estimate before you commit.

The Bellingham Cruise Terminal faced a similar gap, since cruise passengers arriving by Alaska Ferry often have no personal vehicle waiting and need flexible ground transportation to reach hotels, downtown Bellingham, or onward connections to other parts of the region.

Port of Bellingham Executive Director Tiffany DeSimone framed the return as part of a broader commitment to improving the airport experience. "Bringing Uber back to our airport and cruise terminal after more than four years is an important step forward for both travelers and our community," she said. "Reliable, accessible transportation is essential to a positive travel experience, and this is one of many ways we're strengthening connections to and from Whatcom County. It also represents our renewed commitment to actively investing in an airport that reflects our community's values and unique vibe: welcoming, convenient, and distinctly local. We're proud to work on creating a gateway that not only serves travelers well, but truly represents the spirit of our region."

BLI's Growing Role in Whatcom County Travel

Bellingham International Airport has expanded its route network significantly in recent years, making the transportation gap left by Uber's 2021 departure increasingly consequential. Alaska Airlines added a daily nonstop flight to Portland International Airport starting March 19, 2026, departing BLI at 8:15 a.m. and connecting travelers to hundreds of domestic and international destinations through PDX. The airport is also in active discussions with airlines to restore service to the San Francisco Bay Area after Allegiant suspended its Oakland route.

The airport is responsible for $471.5 million in annual economic benefit to the Whatcom County region, according to the Port. Several major capital projects are in the pipeline, including a $15-plus million runway repaving project and a $100-plus million Airport Traffic Control Tower replacement funded through federal grants. Those investments signal that BLI is positioning itself for continued growth in passenger volume, which makes the surrounding ground transportation ecosystem more important, not less.

The return of Uber fits into a larger pattern of investment in the airport's passenger experience. For Whatcom County residents who use BLI as their primary departure point, particularly those who do not want to leave a vehicle in long-term parking or who cannot easily get a ride from a family member at 5:00 a.m., the rideshare option adds meaningful flexibility. For visitors arriving in Bellingham for the first time, whether for tourism, business, or a connection to the ferry system, being able to open a familiar app and get a ride removes a logistical hurdle that had made BLI feel less competitive than the airport's route offerings warranted.

The rideshare return also matters for the region's tourism economy. Bellingham serves as a gateway to the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, the North Cascades, and Whatcom County's growing food and wine scene. Visitors arriving without a rental car who previously faced a complicated arrival experience now have a straightforward path from the gate to wherever they are headed in the county.

Uber is available at both BLI and the Bellingham Cruise Terminal now. For flight schedules and parking information, visit the Port of Bellingham airport page. For earlier coverage on Whatcom County transportation infrastructure, see this look at road and transit developments in the region.