pat

Will fly into JFK and arrive around 6pm. Want to stay at an airport hotel overnight, because some more of the family on different flights will meet us there. The next day, our plane leaves for Prague at 5:45pm. Do we have time to go into NYC proper, considering we would need to be back at the airport by maybe 3pm? Don`t want to cut it too close. If not, we might be better off leaving from Newark, as hotels are a little cheaper. I don`t imagine there is much to do around either airport. Thank you for your help.

mclaurie

It takes about an hour to get into the city from JFK, obviously in bad traffic longer. Assuming this isn't at some time when snow or serious bad weather could affect things, I would stay IN Manhattan. At say 7pm or later you'd be going outside the rush hour and against the traffic anyway. Wake up in Manhattan. Have breakfast, do some sightseeing and head back to the airport around 1:30. The rest of the family can meet you in the city. If you're determined to stay at the airport (JFK hotels are just dreadful) you could still go into the city for a few hours. The only thing to do around JFK is a bit of uninspired shopping but you'd need to rent a car.

I'm less familiar with Newark, but from what I read here and sense, the hotels there are a bit better than at JFK and there are some shopping malls (Secausus, Jersey Gardens) that might have public transport from the airport hotels.

Marilyn

Unless you are unlucky and your flight is late, you should have the evening and the morning in Manhattan. Dinner somewhere pleasant, perhaps a stroll through an interesting neighborhood, and almost anything you choose for the next morning. I'd do it.

tpatricco

Staying in Manhattan would be the most pleasant, and it sounds like you have enough time.

If you do end up deciding to stay near an airport, Newark would be easy, and there are numerous newly constructed hotels in the area of Elizabeth directly adjacent to the Jersey Gardens Outlet shopping mall, which also has a large movie theatre. Many of those hotels also offer free shuttle service to and from the airport which is about 10 minutes away at most.

I think it's also quicker to get to Newark Airport from Manhattan, as opposed to JFK.

nytraveler

Agree - staying at JFK is the waste of a perfectly good evening. Get a hotel in Manhattan, meet your family there and have a nice dinner. then in the AM you can do a sight or museum or ?? before heading for the ariport - a pleasant interlude versus total boredom/inconvenience of tekking back and forth in half a day.

I would take a cab ($45 fixed plus toll and tip) into the city if you have significant luggage - if you have only carryons you may prefer to take AirTrain to the LIRR to PennSta to save a few $.

pat

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we would like to stay in Manhattan. I went over to biddingfortravel, and they don`t list a zone as Manhattan, so which zone should I bid on for priceline? I know nothing about NYC, but would probably take the airtrain into the city.

mclaurie

There is a separate board for New York City on BFT. It says New York State--New York City.

How many of you are there travelling? There are 2 ways of using the AirTran. One is to take it to the LIRR which takes you to Penn Station. (I think that winds up being $12-14/person). If you choose this way to go, you should bid on midtown west as the nearest area to Penn Station. Midtown south could also work but they combine east side and west and west side would be more convenient from Penn Station.

The cheaper option is to take airtran to the subway (which involves climbing stairs) which would cost $5 (airtran) + $2 for subway=$7. If you do that, in theory you can stay anywhere. Here's the URL for the subway map so you can see where it goes.

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/maps/submap.htm

Here's a website that explains the transport options from JFK

http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/jgtsfram.htm

There are also van services for about the same price. Don't forget a taxi will be max $60 for up to 4 people and you go door to door.

pat

thank you for all the info, Mclaurie. I will study it all.