La Guardia vs JFK vs New Jersey
 

Ultimate destination NYC:
Trying to decide "least walking" to get to public transit /shuttle into Manhatten
Last time I went to JFK...Jet Blue terminal & then to baggage claim...THEN seemed like miles to shuttle ...May have to resort to "help" but would rather figure out whether I can manage on my own...
No actual mobility deficit...just tire easily..
It is Hell to get old...

Just returned from New York a few days ago. Usually La Guardia is the easiest airport for much of Manhatten but it seems that construction has made the traffic around the airport a mess so JFK may be your best option. Newark is much further away from the city.

Wrong. They’re exactly the same distance to Times Square (17 miles, according to google maps). And there’s a good chance a taxi or shuttle from Newark will be quicker since you’re avoiding the Belt Parkway or Van Wyck and Grand Central. If you take the train, the ride from JFK might be a little shorter because the LIRR arrives every couple minutes at Jamaica. You might have a little longer wait for NJ Transit. In other words, this is a long-winded way of saying there really isn’t much difference between JFK and Newark. LaGuardia is obviously closer, but there’s no good rail option. That means you’ll have to take a cab or shuttle, which will be more expensive.

If you are taking public transit then it’s a lot of walking at any airport. Shuttles at EWR are at the far end of the terminals. The walk at the JFK JetBlue terminal is a particularly long walk regardless. If you are taking JetBlue to LGA however you are in luck. They have temporarily moved to the much smaller Marine Air Terminal, which is especially small and a very good experience (a very short walk for an airport), unlike the rest of LGA. Definitely choose LGA if you are flying JetBlue..

It is so easy to get into NYC from EWR by train. Take airport Airtrain to NJ Transit station, connect to NJ Transit and it will take you to Penn Station, no traffic or weather to deal with. It is the most efficient way to get i to the xity from any of the three NYC airports.

It seems the thread went in a direction that doesn't do much for the OP's concern about the least walking to public transportation. Bumping this to see if there are any more contributions.

Jsing Airtrain would not be a lot of walking. If she needs transport to Airtrain, ask for assistance, wheelchair or folf cart transportion to the train.

I also just returned from NY last week (flew into LGA). While in the cab going to the city (and yes, there was quite a bit of traffic), I specifically asked the driver if it would have been better (timewise) to fly into EWR, and he said the trip from LGA was definitely faster,

Hope this helps.

IMO walking out of the front of the terminal, getting into a cab, and having that cab drive you directly to the door of your hotel is also "efficient" and when we fly into LGA that's what happens and that's why we use that airport.

It’s efficient if there are no major traffic delays in and around LaGuardia. And that’s a huge “if.”

Check construction at LGA, a huge peojext.. Last time we were there we had to a shuttle bus to an area where the taxis were. The situation changes constantly.

The construction of the new main terminal does make LGA a hassle, but it only applies if you are flying into the main terminal B (American and Southwest fly into Terminal B, among several other airlines, with American being the biggest). However, JetBlue now flies into Terminal A (the Marine Air Terminal), a lovely small art deco gem that is small, separate, and has relatively little walking. That's why I recommended the OP fly JetBlue to LGA. But it's good information for anyone to know.

I'd actually disagree a little about the amount of walking with the Airtrain at JFK. The walk is egregiously long to JetBlue's Terminal 5. It's less long to other terminals, so you can't make blanket statements about the Airtrain.