Wonder if anyone has used this Jet Blue shuttle service?? Am curious if this is a better arrangement than the free airport shuttle to the Howard's Beach subway stop? We are traveling to NYC for the first time in June. We will arrive in the city on train and will need to get to JFK on a Thursday afternoon to catch our Jet Blue flight. Was planning to get a cab--we are a family of four.

Here's the information Jet Blue offers, extracted right off the website:

"JetBlue gets you between JFK and NYC in under an hour for under $10"

"Hourly service operated by SuperShuttle between JFK Terminal 6 and the Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Subway station for connection to the E and F lines. Intermediary stop at the intersection of Lefferts Blvd. and Metropolitan Ave. in Kew Gardens."

"Terminal 6 - Van will arrive and depart from west side parking area (next to departures building)."

"Kew Gardens - outside the North Fork Bank located on the corner of Lefferts & Metropolitan."

"Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Subway - at the corner of 78th Crescent & Queens Boulevard (North Side)."

"Vans will depart Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Subway every hour, on the hour, from 5:00am to 11:00pm arriving in Kew Gardens approximately 5 minutes later."

"Vans will depart Terminal 6 every hour, on the half-hour, from 5:30am to 11:30pm."

"Journey time from Terminal 6 to Kew Gardens/Union Turnpike Subway is approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on traffic)."

"Charge is $5 for all JetBlue customers, payable in cash/credit card to the driver."

The website also has a map showing the stops as outlined above. Link: http://www.jetblue.com/travelinfo/jetblue_bus.html

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated!

You should just take a cab. It's so much easier and alot less stress and slepping, especially with 4 people who are 1st time visitors.

Going outbound from JFK, there was all sorts of confusion about a month ago. People couldn't figure out where to stand on the curb and which shuttle was which. It might be easier going TO JFK. I use NY Airport Service which is a direct shuttle for $13 but with 4 people, you can just get a cab for about $40 and have nothing to worry about.

Loki,

Is the cab fare different going from NYC to JFK instead of from the airport into town?

Just curious...

And I assume your $40 cost is before tolls and tip. Correct??

Taxis have a flat rate of $35.00 plus tolls and tip, from JFK into the city.

The ride from the city to the airport is based on the meter, plus tolls and tip. We took a cab from JFK last year will do so again this year. I think the toll came to about $4.00, so that made the ride about $45 with tip.

We got a ride back to JFK with friends, so I don't how much that would cost, I think at least $50 plus tolls and tip.

Also last year, while at the Cloisters, and on the advice of an employee, we called BROAD DYCKMAN, (212) 304-8080 for the ride back. They arrived very quickly in a new Lincoln Town Car, and the cost was less than the cab that had taken us there, and then _dumped us about five blocks away. The Broad Dyckman driver said that they had flat rate to the airport. We recommended them to some friends for their return to JFK, and they were very satified with the service.

I called them yesterday to see if they could pick us up at JFK next month, and they said that they were not allowed to do airpor pickups, but that they would take us there for $38.00 plus toll and tip. We will use them on this trip. You call them about 48 hours in advance. I will also call them a few hours before our depature to verify our pick up.

P.S. ...the flat rate taxi will take you directly to your hotel
and a taxi or Broad Dyckman will pick you up at your hotel for the ride to JFK. Much easier and about the same price if there are four of you and you are not Jet Blue passengers.

I don't see how this Jet Blue shuttle is much better than the subway alone. You STILL have to take the subway to Queens to get to the shuttle stop. And THEN pay an additional $40? No way.

$40? Jet Blue shuttle is $5.

Save yourself a lot of grief and take the cab. Save the few dollars someother way.

sounds like Jet Blus is just using Supershuttle to get you to a more convenient subway stop than the free shuttle, but you still have to get into the Manhattan--there's no advantage to this arrangement, especially at the price of $5 or 10 per person(which is it? It says $10 in the beginning of your message, $5 at the end)
You can book Supershuttle on your own and it will take you door to door, but also factor in the time involved for dropping off other passengers .Would probably cost around $40 total, so you might just be better off with a cab --($35 plus toll plus tip).By the way,I would think you'd need to get one of the minivan cabs to fit 4 people plus luggage, at the same price, but you may have to wait a little longer since there aren't as many of them
You could also use a car service (same price or a bit more if you book a larger sedan , station wagon or mini van"

The least expensive way to get into the city is the free shuttle service to the subway, and yes you will have to shelp your bags some, but for $1.50 one way if your luggage has wheels, it may not be awful.

The $35.00 I don't think includes tolls and tip for a cab. You can also call one of the car services in the city and have a service car or limo pick you up at the airport for a flat fee as well.

HOpe this helps have a great time in the city.

I travel monthly on Jet Blue to california from manhattan. The Blue Super Shuttle Van, which I've used once, was $18. per person from the upper east side. Traveling around 10Am on a weekday, I was the 3rd of a total of 4 passengers picked up, and the 2nd dropped off at my terminal. It took about 45 minutes to reach the airport with very little traffic.

I usually tak a car service, because I take a 7:00am flight. All the car services charge about the the same - Carmel, Allstate, Sabra (a very competitve business) From manhattan, (houston to 125th St )the rate is now $37. for 1-4 passengers. The toll, if the driver uses the tunnel or the tri-Boro bridge, depends on if the car has an ez pass (most do) is an additional $4.00. Tip is extra, too. You can always take one of the free bridges to exit the city, which depending on time of day, can be faster. At 5:30AM from downtown west side of manhattan it takes 20 - 30 minutes to get to JFK . At 4:0pm it can take an hour or more.

A cab to the airport is metered - sit in traffic and it can cost 50 bucks. zip right thru and the average is $30 or so.

As stated, a cab from the airport is a flat $35. with tolls or tip. and once again - take a free bridge if traffic allows and save anywhere from $4. to $6.50

I've found most car services from the airport to be a hassle - but then I always return on the redeye, which gets in at 5:30 AM - just the time they open the Cab stand at the Jet Blue terminal in JFK. I never wait more than a minute. And I bring my own EZ pass.

Just to clarify, Jet Blue advertises that using their shuttle in conjunction with public transportation you can get to Manhattan for less than $10. If you investigate further, it specifies that the shuttle is $5 payable to the driver, then you pay your subway fare(currently $1.50). So JB just makes it easy by saying $10, then they don't have to worry about subway fare hikes for some time to come.

Thanks for all the suggestions. We are looking for a way to get to JFK and don't need transportation from the airport to NYC as we are arriving by train.

So...all things considered I think the car service is our best option. Thanks for the info, MP. A fixed rate seems the way to go.

Just one more question. About how much time should we figure for the travel from NYC (near Rockefeller Center) to JFK via car service? Our JetBlue flight departs at 5:30 pm and we would want to allow plenty of time for security check-in and any sort of travel tie-up that could occur. Thanks for the help.