Black Friday and Christmas Week are the two biggest earning opportunities for delivery drivers. Whether you’re working with Instacart, Doordash, Uber Eats, Amazon Flex, or Shipt, demand skyrockets — meaning more orders and higher bonuses.
If you want to make the most out of the holiday rush, here’s a guide to help you maximize earnings, especially if you’re driving an economy rental car from LA Elite Rentals.
1. Choose an Economy Car to Reduce Costs
Fuel efficiency is everything during high-demand seasons.
Economy cars help you:
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Spend less on gas
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Maximize your take-home earnings
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Avoid unexpected maintenance issues
At LA Elite Rentals, our cheap rental cars for rideshare and delivery drivers come with unlimited miles, insurance, and maintenance included — perfect for long delivery shifts during the holidays.
2. Work During High-Demand Hours
Black Friday and Christmas Week have predictable busy times:
Black Friday Hot Hours
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6 AM – 10 AM: Early shoppers ordering breakfast
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11 AM – 3 PM: Mid-day shopping rush
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5 PM – 10 PM: Dinner + last-minute orders
Christmas Week Hot Hours
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December 20–24: Gift deliveries & grocery demand
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10 AM – 2 PM: Peak grocery window
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5 PM – 9 PM: Dinner + retail rush
Turn on your apps during these windows to catch surge pricing and bonuses.
3. Position Yourself Near High-Demand Zones
The best spots in Los Angeles for delivery earnings during the holidays:
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Burbank – Amazon, retail strips
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Downtown LA – restaurants + retail
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Santa Monica – holiday shopping
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Koreatown & Hollywood – high food delivery volumes
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West LA / Culver City – dense residential areas
Stay near mall clusters and grocery stores — that’s where rapid-fire orders come from during holiday shopping days.
4. Stack Multiple Apps to Boost Earnings
Running more than one delivery app can maximize your income.
Popular combinations:
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Doordash + Uber Eats
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Instacart + Shipt
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Amazon Flex + a food delivery app for downtime
With a reliable economy rental car, you can switch apps fast, accept back-to-back orders, and reduce downtime.
5. Keep Your Vehicle Organized & Delivery-Ready
Small improvements can help you deliver faster:
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Keep insulated bags in the trunk for food deliveries
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Use a phone mount for safe navigation
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Keep your battery at 80%+ to prevent downtime
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Preload common routes into your map app
With LA Elite Rentals maintaining your vehicle, you can focus 100% on earnings.
6. Track Gas, Miles & Earnings
The holiday season can get busy fast. Use apps like:
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Gridwise
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Stride
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Everlance
These tools help you understand when and where you earn the most — and make smarter decisions on shift planning.
7. Take Advantage of Rental Flexibility
One of the biggest benefits of renting an economy car for delivery work is flexibility.
At LA Elite Rentals, drivers get:
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Unlimited miles
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Maintenance included
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Insurance included
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Fuel-efficient cars
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Affordable weekly rates
This setup is ideal during Black Friday and Christmas Week when you’re driving constantly and need a reliable, low-cost car.
Final Thoughts
Black Friday and Christmas Week are the best times of the year for delivery drivers to maximize income. With the right strategy — and a dependable, fuel-efficient rental car — you can take full advantage of surge pricing, bonuses, and high order volumes.
If you’re looking for cheap rental cars for rideshare and delivery drivers, LA Elite Rentals is here to help you stay on the road and earning more this holiday season.