surge pricing
Peak demand rates
Surge pricing is the practice of raising prices when demand spikes.
Ride-sharing services like Uber pioneered the term, automatically increasing fares during rush hour, bad weather, or special events: Surge pricing after the concert made my ride home cost triple.
The model has spread to other industries—airlines, hotels, even some restaurants adjust prices based on real-time demand.
- supply and demandPrice-determining economic forces
- demandForceful request or requirement
- peak demandMaximum simultaneous consumption level
- UberApp-summoned car service
- peak hoursBusiest usage times
fare · algorithm · rush hour · holiday weekend · concerts · tickets · supply · scarcity · premium · rideshare · ride request · gig economy · Lyft · multiplier · inflated · sticker shock · real-time · variable rates
- pricingoverpricing, discounts, overcharge, markdowns, unit cost
- ticketingticket sales, box office, ticket agent, ticket agents, ticket booth
- Delivery AppsDoorDash, Grubhub, Instacart, Uber Eats, Postmates
- extra feesservice fee, service fees, delivery fee, processing fees, handling fee
- hotel chargesroom rate, resort fee, hotel fee, nightly rate, daily rate
- price changesmarkup, markdown, increase, decrease, rise
surge pricingflat rate
Unchanging price regardless of quantity
fixed rates · set price · list price · posted price · regular price
surge pricingoff-peak pricing
Reduced prices during low-demand periods
off-peak discount · early bird pricing · promotional pricing · clearance pricing · sale price
surge pricingprice controls
Mandated limits on charges
price ceiling · fair pricing · price caps · price protection · price cap
surge, pricing, surges, surged, surging, price, prices, priced, pricey