This is a very interesting thread. I think a lot of the disagreement and differing viewpoints are a result of the convenience of Uber and other ridesharing companies. I wouldn’t ask a family member to take a cab from the airport unless it was absolutely necessary, but asking them to take an Uber seems perfectly acceptable. Especially if the family is young and capable.

Everyone’s different. I would absolutely ask a family member to take an Uber from the airport if they were visiting me. I’d probably explain that it’s just easier that way, and offer to pay for it (they wouldn’t accept me paying but it’s one of those things you just say anyways).
But my fiancé picks his family and friends up every single time anyone visits us, which is SO nice of him. Neither of us judge the other for our ways.

My sister takes Uber and sometimes even the train when she comes to visit us. If I had a family member that caused this kind of drama over something so petty, I would ask that they never visit again.

Next time hire a towncar. Or there probably won't be a next time for you given this hoopla.

But for others, just hire a towncar/limo as it will make the person feel important (vs. taxi/uber/lyft) but you don't have to get up. Yes, it cost more, but it makes the complaints from the person getting picked up far less. My immigrant parents always sent towncars for family members when they couldn't make it, and there was never a complaint.

I'm not from U.S. and in my culture, we are taught not to "inconveniencing other people" because it is extremely taboo. In OP's case, I am very surprised to see that SIL does not think it would be extremely inconvenient for OP/OP's husband to pick her up at 6 a.m. BWI from Arlington?!! I could understand if this is like 75+ FIL/MIL or non-native speaker sibling, but SIL is able body and a native speaker. Spending $$$ on a ticket? Why can't SIL spend that $$$ to book a flight to DCA or even IAD? If SIL chose BWI cuz of the cheaper fare, then I believe blame on SIL. SIL started this by choosing BWI, is my thought.

This thread is really interesting to me. No one in our family will *let* anyone with young kids pick them up from the airport or let anyone fight rush hour traffic or disrupt sleep. It's all "Of course, you shouldn't pick us up, we will get a taxi/ uber." I understand why some families view the airport pick up as being hospitable but how horrible that it is viewed as a negative if someone can't do so. It's really just not that big of a deal. If your feelings are hurt because your SIL/BIL/ DIL/ SIL or whoever prefers that you take a taxi, please rethink your outrage and enjoy your time with family.

Anonymous wrote:I dunno guys. Those of us who really love their families don't end up plane rides away from them, so this discussion is moot anyway. Food for thought.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just to share...we asked MIL to take an Uber (we had our credit card saved in her account) from the airport to come see our 5 week old son. She started crying on the phone and said we don’t care about her. She hung up and called back after 15 minutes (of crying supposedly) asking if we can pick her up.

I bet that once she’s in town she will be crying about why the person who just gave birth isn’t waiting on her hand and foot.

Yep, that was my ILs when our first was 6 weeks old, terrible acid reflux, colic, never slept more than 45 minutes at a time....and they pitched a fit that H didn’t want to drive to and from Dulles during rush hour to retrieve them. The rest of the visit went as above- demanding to know what I was cooking them for lunch, peeved that dinner wasn’t on the table precisely at 6, complaining that the baby cried at night....

Anonymous wrote:Just to share...we asked MIL to take an Uber (we had our credit card saved in her account) from the airport to come see our 5 week old son. She started crying on the phone and said we don’t care about her. She hung up and called back after 15 minutes (of crying supposedly) asking if we can pick her up.

I bet that once she’s in town she will be crying about why the person who just gave birth isn’t waiting on her hand and foot.

Just to share...we asked MIL to take an Uber (we had our credit card saved in her account) from the airport to come see our 5 week old son. She started crying on the phone and said we don’t care about her. She hung up and called back after 15 minutes (of crying supposedly) asking if we can pick her up.

I dunno guys. Those of us who really love their families don't end up plane rides away from them, so this discussion is moot anyway. Food for thought.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my one sibling demanded that anyone pick him up from the airport i think the family would disown him. We've always been anti airport run. 6am? You're kidding.

That, sadly, says a lot of your family.

NP here - the thing that is sad is that you seem to believe this one thing says *anything* about her family. I value my family far to much to ask them to get out of bed before 5:00 am to pick me up at the airport, much less pitch a fit about it when they don't and they have offered to pay for transportation.

The real question, PP, is why do *you* value your family so little that you are so inconsiderate of their time and comfort?

Anonymous wrote:If my one sibling demanded that anyone pick him up from the airport i think the family would disown him. We've always been anti airport run. 6am? You're kidding.

That, sadly, says a lot of your family.

If my one sibling demanded that anyone pick him up from the airport i think the family would disown him. We've always been anti airport run. 6am? You're kidding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have picked my only sibling up at any time of the day. They have already spent money flying to see you. Your DH should not have listened to your dumb, whiny, controlling a**.

Do you not understand? The sibling was OP's husband's sister. So the husband should have picked her up.

I understand perfectly. If you have ONE sibling, you pick that sibling up from the airport. That's what DH should have done. OP should not have interfered with her whiny, "We can't pick you up because it's too early in the morning and our newborn one year old makes our lives so hectic and difficult because we are really dumb idiots who clearly can't walk and chew gum at the same time - sorry sis that you spent $600 round trip on a flight you could barely afford just because you love us and wanted to see us."