ilovetotravel29

Of the three airports, JFK, LaGuardia(sp), and Newark, NJ....do all of them offer comprable access to nyc? Are they all within an hour train ride or cab ride to NYC?

And if you saw a cheaper fair by flying into Newark, would it be worth the savings though your digs are in NYC?

Also, is staying in Queens or Jamaica, NY too far from the action of NYC? Not a party animal, so late night transportation may not be needed.

ipod_robbie

Both Laguardia and JFK are in NYC. LGA is the closest to Manhattan, about 30min taxi ride. You can take the subway from JFK (take the Airtrain to Howard Beach station), but it's a long ride into Manhattan - longer than an hour. Taxi can get you there in 45min on a good day, more like 60min on a normal day.

Newark actually is pretty close. If you arrive off peak hours, taxi will get you to Manhattan in about 45min. You can get train as well - I don't have the exact connections but it comes up here frequently.

Jamaica (which is in Queens, NYC), is way to far. It's where JFK is. If you are staying in Queens right near Manhattan, then it won't be too far to go.

If you can get a much better fare into EWR over LGA then go for it.

sharkdiver49

LaGuardia is the closet (on average 30 minutes) and cheapest as far as getting to the city is concerned. Depending on your arrival time, JFK and Newark could take as little as 30 minutes up to 90 minutes (traffic is the mai reason for the varried time). If the savings is big then it makes sence to fly into Newark.

As far as staying outside of the city goes, what is your budget? If you have never been to NYC then I highly recommend staying in the city, it really is where the vast majority of the action is.

mclaurie

LGA is indeed the closest option and it's the cheapest taxi fare of the 3, but you can get to Manhattan for less and easier with public transport from both JFK and EWR (assuming you don't have too much luggage to do stairs in the subway). Bottom line on which airport, pick the one of these 3 with cheapest fare/best flights for you.

Queens (Jamaica is part of Queens) is a large area. Some parts are better/safer and more convenient to Manhattan than others. Some hotels are in the middle of "nowhere" and wouldn't be safe to walk around. Others would be ok, but it's a totally different experience staying there vs. being in the city. Jamaica is NOT a good option. Too far at best, not safe at worst.

If you're looking to save money, Jersey City in NJ is a decent option with PATH train service (like a subway) and a ferry. It would particularly convenient if flying into Newark. The Hyatt Regency in Jersey City gets good reviews on tripadvisor and has nice views of Manhattan.

bgans

It's going to depend on where you are staying. I live on the Upper West Side and avoid JFK whenever possible. I prefer EWR over LGA, largely because LGA closes down whenever the weather turns (short runways, nasty winds), even though LGA is a little closer to my home.

Cab fare from LGA will be cheaper than from the other 2 airports, but there is train service (sort of, with transfers) from JFK and EWR into midtown. There are busses that run to midtown from all 3 airports (and are, at least in my opinion, preferable to the train or subway from JFK). You can also arrange for a car service to meet you at any airport and take you directly to your hotel.

Queens is primarily residential (with some indusrial areas) and a number of wonderful museums (PS 1), but if you are visiting for a few days and want to do the "big tourist stuff" - Statue of Liberty, Times Sq, etc., I'd strongly suggest staying in Manhattan. Do not stay in Jamaica, especially since you are not familar with the area. It's a bit north of JFK (it's where the Long Island Rail Road station is located and where most of the county courthouses are) and not the best of neighborhoods.

rkkwan

Actually, if you take public transport, LaGuardia is still the cheapest, as you can take a city bus and switch to subway. Or even bus-to-bus. But either way is going to take a long time.

While JFK is slightly further than Newark (EWR), it's cheaper and potentially more convenient when you use the AirTrain and connect to LIRR or the Subway. The LIRR will bring you to Penn Station, but the A & E trains have lots of stops in Manhattan. So, you can probably get to your destination with just two trains.

In contrast, from EWR, the AirTrain/NJTP connection is over $11; and it only gets you to NY Penn. Or if you want to go downtown, then it's Airtain/NJTP/PATH, requiring three switches.

Therefore, if all things are equal, and you're staying in Manhattan, and you want to take public transportation, JFK can be better than Newark.