JFK are delays the norm?
 

Just read the post by Thibs27 and replies with regards to taking JetBlu into JFK. Since these were posted a year ago am searching for some current info. We will be flying into JFK mid May and plan to make a connection out. Should we expect to be circling a bit before landing? This has happened to us at LGA due to how busy the airport is. Or does JFK have a better reputation for "on time" arrivals+ departures? Many thanks.

Compared to the other NYC area airports (LGA, EWR), JFK has a better on time record, at least as far as I can recall from personal observation.


If you have good weather and are landing at an off peak time, you should be in good shape if you allow a couple of hours for the connection.

If you're unlucky, it doesn't matter how many hours you have planned for the connection.

All of the NYC airports are super crowded and have a high rate of delays versus most airports - except O'Hare.

LGA is worst - but JFK also has many delays. You really need to check the details for your specific flight - since some delays are caused by coming in at the busiest times - mid-afternoon on - or even where the flight is coming from.

There is a website where you can check history of ontime vs. late arrivals for all flights. Unfortunately I can't remember what it is! I do know all the NYC airports are considered some of the worst in the US for delays. The earlier your scheduled arrival, the better your chances for ontime arrival. The later in the day, the worse.

My JFK delay experiences have been largely between 4 and 8 PM - end of the work day - especially bad on Friday PM - International flights can be delayed hours.

Call me lucky but I've been fortunate with on-time flights with JFK.

The exceptions have been when there is bad weather forcing limited runway use or greater separation between planes - then all bets are off. Snow is the worst, but rain or wind can also cause problems.

I've also found that long haul flights (California or Europe to JFK) seem to do better on arrival and are less subject to ground hold at the departing airport. If there are limits to the number of incoming flights it seems to affect flights coming from Chicago, Boston, DC, etc.

One other consideration... if you are connecting between two flights from separate airlines, you might fall into the black hole found by these people...

http://tinyurl.com/36v4h2

The reason to buy all tickets on the same or partner airlines. These people tried to save a little - but didn't understand the risks they were taking.

Thanks much for the updated info, will check with JetBlue as to track record for this flight and will plan accordingly. Such a great forum. Once we've returned will enter a post as to how we made out.

I live in the area and fly JetBlue from JFK all the time. The only delays we have experienced are weather related, which affected all airlines. On most of our JB flights they have actually gotten us there early...waiting for a gate got us there on time. JFK is the best of the airports as far as delays. Avoid LGA at all costs.

When weather is not the best in the NYC area, all three major airports can see long delays, with aircrafts circling to wait for landing slots.

Just an example:

flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU5/history/20080216/0030Z/KBUF/KJFK

Usually a BUF-JFK flight takes 40 minutes. That one took 1:20.

Or this one, 1:24:

flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU5/history/20071025/0010Z/KBUF/KJFK