We will be arriving at LGA at 10:30 pm on a Sunday night. We have a international 6 pm flight out of JFK on Monday, so I am guessing we will need to be at JFK at 3 pm.

We will need a room for the night. Which would be best: stay near one or other hotel for the night or head into NYC for a hotel? And if we stay near one of the airports - better to stay near LGA and then head to JFK next day or head to JFK area hotel when we land Sunday night?

Suggestions on where to stay and logistics of getting from LGA to hotel to JFK would be most welcomed. Despite being a native NYer - I haven't had to do this type of transfer.

Thanks~

You mights as well come into Manhattan and enjoy your time until 2 PM rather than be stranded at one of the airport hotels.

Both of those airports are in NYC, so I guess you are asking if you should stay in Manhattan? I would if you find someplace you like. Long Island City might be a less expensive option.

I am trying to eliminate taxi rides to and from airport/hotel/airport and keep the hotel around $150.

I would definitely stayin Manhattan. There are only a couple of places near LGA - none more than basic - and and JFK ditto.

And getting from one at LGA to JFK the next day will require a taxi or car ervice - or taking a shuttle back to LGA and then getting a bus or taxi there - and a really boring day.

You could try to get a bus shuttle from LGA to JFK the night you arrive and then a hotel shuttle to a boring hotel by the side of the highway with no service - but hotel shuttles might not be operating by the time you get to JFK - and then you wold spend the next day bored there.

Arriving at that time of night - probably 11:30 by the time you get to a cab assuming you have checked luggage - it will be at least as fast to get to midtown as to a hotel near JFK.

Taxi rides to and fro should be less than that. But I would do a car service (Carmel or Dial 7) to JFK on Monday afternoon. Car service that you call in advance will be more convenient and they fix prices so as to match cabs. Look for coupons on websites.

Taxi is about $70 including tip and toll from Manhattan to JFK. At that time of night cab from LGA to midtown should be no more than $40 or so - so easily within your budget.

Any thoughts on Z Hotel in Long Island City? Would that be easy to get to by taxi from LGA? And then to JFK?

Taxis cruise mostly in Manhattan - and that primarily below 96th ST - and at the airports. You can get to the hotel (although I know nothing about it - either quality or location) by taxi - but I would have directions on how to get there - since the cabbie might not know.

And don't count on getting a cab back to JFK - I would arrange a car service.

Think we are going to go with Affinia Shelbourne.

I've stayed there and it's a really nice hotel!

I used to go to quarterly meetings at the Shelbourne. It was always well maintained and a very pleasant staff. I like the Affinia Dumont on 34th better. If you stay at Shelbourne there are scores of Indian restaurants nearby.