Would it be better to use an airport shuttle or get a taxi? There will be three of us. We are scheduled to arrive at LGA on 7/27 at noon. Our hotel is the W Times Square

We prefer a car service, have used Carmel and Tel Aviv with no complaints. The cars are nicer than cabs, and the price is similar.

what is the price range for a car service?

Also, do you have to reserve ahead of time or are they there at the airport?

You're better off just hopping in a cab - then no calling for the car service when you land and waiting for them to turn up.

The cab line might look long but there is a waiting area with at least a hundred cabs and they pull up as fast as passengers can get in. Cost will be about $35 with tip and toll.

Whatever you do don;t take a ride with any driver that approaches you inside the airport - they're illegal and trying to scam you (often change prices when they get you to the hotel).

The car services charge about the same as a cab. You must reserve in advance and then call when your plane gets in so they can send a car.

(If you have a car waiting for you they charge for waiting time from the time you schedule them until you actually turn up - so if the plane is late the price can be much higher.)

thank you both for the info!!

A taxi is usually quick and easy. Make sure to get an official yellow NYC cab on the taxi line. Do NOT accept a ride from anyone who approaches you.

The car services charge about the same and are a good idea, imo, only if you're arriving at a busy time (like rush hour) to avoid a high bill from heavy traffic. At noon on a Thurs. I don't think you need to worry. You might want to consider ordering one to go back to the airport.
carmellimo.com
telavivlimo.com

We used Carmel service. They have a coupon on their web site, which covers the tolls. We paid $35 inc. tip and the service was great.

thanks everyone. one more question - what is the appropriate tip amt for car service and/or taxis?

15-20% of the price without the tolls.

We took a cab from LaGuarida to our hotel on the Upper West Side. It was $27 plus tip, and perfectly fine. I had reserved a car service to take us back to the airport on our last day. I wish I had just let the bell man get us a cab. The service was Dial 7 and the total was $40 plus tip.

I was told on these boards that pricing would be similiar, but that was a big difference to me for the same ride. The car wasn't all that nice either, no better than the cab we took there.

Taxi.

Unless it is a very busy weekend, take a cab into the city and use a car service to get to the airport.

Dial 7 is pretty reliable but better for larger groups. Cost-wise, for 3, it would be similar to a taxi.

$40 to LGA does sound like a rip off unless there where extra charges for time of day or they gave you a deluxe car. The other service charge about $30 and Carmel always has a coupon on their website for $4 off so it pays for the toll.
http://www.carmellimo.com/Rates.shtml

hmm, the time of day was 1:30, and the car wasn't deluxe so I don't know. I probably should have questioned the driver and showed him my printout (I think I was quoted $31 plus tolls), but at that point we were ready to get into the airport and we just let it be.

Were you ready to leave when the car arrived? (if you tell them to come at 7:30 but don;t leave until 8 they'll charge you for 30 minutes waiting time.)
Or did you order a limo vs a sedan?

Otherwise I can;t thing of any reason for a charge that high.

Carmel car service (book ahead online) or a taxi. I used Carmel for the first time last March and I'll never use anything else. Do NOT take a shuttle or you'll spend your afternoon driving. Do NOT accept a ride from anyone who approaches you at the airport.

nytraveler:
No, we were out there waiting for him at 1:25 and he came on the dot at 1:30 (that's when I saw all the available cabs go by). And it was a sedan, not a limo. I don't know what happened, obviously got mischarged. The others in my family are not very assertive and I wasn't ready to argue with the guy so they paid and off we went. It is annoying looking back on it now though.