My 86 year old mother will be flying alone into JFK, no luggage to speak of. She is going to my brother's apt. on 10th Street. She was thinking of taking a cab, but I'm afraid that it will all be overwhelming to her.

Are car services priced about the same as taxis into the city? Would they meet her inside? Does anyone have a recommendation?

If you can help, I would appreciate it. I'm just a little worried about her making this trip alone.

Since car services have a flat rate, sometimes they might be cheaper than a cab depending upon traffic. You can make a reservation by phone or online. When you land at JFK and have all your belongings, you call their number and tell them you're there. They tell you the number of the car and where the driver is located. Does your mother have a cell phone?
To be met inside would be a lot more expensive I think. They would be holding up a card with her last name inside the building.

I don't know about prices, but I'd think the main advantage of having a car service would be IF they are one that meets her inside with her name on a sign. Otherwise, I think it would be easier to just follow signs or ask directions to get a taxi. Somehow I find the whole scenario -- call when you get there, find their location, figure out where that is, and looking for the right car -- more daunting than just getting a taxi. I'm not 86, but even I often find that "call and find" system pretty inconvenient or confusing.

We've used Air Brook to get from JFK to our home in northern New Jersey. They meet you inside holding up a card with your name, help you get your luggage to the car, and charge a fixed price. This is a very large operation and actually has cars based at all the New York area airports, so there's never been a problem with a late arriving driver. You can get a price quote from them by calling their 800 number. And no, I don't work for them, I've just used them.

Taxis have a flat rate from JFK to anywhere in Manhattan - at least they did last time I looked. It's $45, plus toll and tip.

I agree that the advantage of a car service is being met inside, otherwise, a taxi is easier.

P.S. The car service will charge for waiting time, so if she's met inside and the plane is delayed, there will be an extra charge.
But you can call and get details. I'm not familiar with the one Virginia mentioned, but some other popular ones are Carmel and Tel Aviv.

Taking a taxi from JFK into Manhattan is as easy as pie. It is a flat rate of $45 and there is usually an officer there to tell all tourists that. If I can do it after downing a bottle of Merlot and 3 martinis, your mother should have no problem. (And I usually just take the skytrain to Jamaica Station and transfer to the LIRR, which is also very easy.)

Thin

You haven't given us enough detail on your Mother and her capabilities to judge whether she can manage with a taxi or one of the car services that charge the same as a taxi (like dial7.com), but if you're really concerned, money should be no object and you should order a car service that provides meet and greet (they stand inside with a sign with her name on it). I can recommend either strusserslimousineservice.com or http://www.alexatransportation.com/Servicesindex-1.html
Both will be more than the taxi or Dial7 option. With Dial7 they ask you to phone them once you're ready to leave. If you think that's going to be a problem, order the better car service. She should also know the cross streets on 10th st. as well as the exact address.

Car services charge about the same as taxis only if you wait and call them when you arrive - and are waiting for them at the curb when they pull up.

If you want "meet and greet" service - where they meet you at the luggage carousel with a card holding your name it will definitely be more than a cab. Call Dial 7 or CArmel, explain the situation, and ask how much they will charge.

I would not use Carmel or Dial7 for "meet and greet". Those drivers are not used to providing that kind of service. That would be (imo) penny-wise and pound foolish. If you just want something a step up from a taxi and she can phone when she's ready, those services are fine. For meet and greet you want a service with better trained drivers.

McLaurie: I don't know if I agree: "but if you're really concerned, money should be no object and you should order a car service that provides meet and greet"

Money is an object. It sounds like mom should just go to the taxi line. The price is reasonable, and I think it is the simplest solution.

I thank everyone for your input. It was really helpful. Like NP, I have found the call-when-you-arrive services to be a little troublesome, and I don't want trouble for granny. Also, the meet and greet might not be perfect; she'll have a zillion worries about being late or early, and more.

I'm telling her to get a cab. I'll tell her where to go, and probably get a wheelchair to meet her at the arrival gate. She likes that. She can walk, but airports are sometimes too large for her.

I will put a note in her hand with the address, the cross streets, and the side of the block. Hopefully my brother will be there waiting for her. Granny has a cell phone, but she isn't good with it.

Thanks everyone. Your feedback cleared this up for me.

Re cell phones: I know that cell phones don't work in the Delta Terminal(Arrivals) at JFK until you get outside. You can still text, though.

Thin

IMHO your last message in not what I would do for my 86 year old relative. It will be cold (maybe very cold)in NYC, the taxi line can be very long (we have waited 20 minutes). You have no control over the condition of the cab or the driver. The cab can have no springs and the driver's English may be almost non-existent. I agree that call and wait will not work. This is one time that the money difference is NOT worth it. Have AirBrook or any of the other services meet her inside with a sign with her name. Most reassuring thing you can do. We are not yet 86 and we use a meet and greet when we do overseas travel. Well worth it!!! In many cities reatives meet people at the airport, people expect it. In NYC does not happen so often. But arriving in NYC can be overwhelming to anybody.

One more thing. She does not need to worry about being early or late. The meet and greet services check arrival times, plus no problem if you decide to do a pit stop between plane and exit.

From my experience at Newark airport, when you have wheelchair service from the plane you get to go right to the front of the taxi rank and the wheel chair attendant remains with you until you are settled in a cab. Be prepared to tip the wheelchair attendant. At JFK, the wheelchair attendant gathered our luggage, escorted us through customs and immigration handed us over to the Air Brook driver.

I would suggest calling the airline and ask for some help. My Mother came to live with us in NYC and Delta did a GREAT JOB in helping her once she got to the airport in Florida, and made sure she got on the plane and then walked her out to us waiting. I'd bet the airline has a program to help seniors to make sure they get to where they need to be, including cab or car service. Call the airline and see if they can help.

Now you disagree? You're the one who was concerned about the taxi and I agree with you! Elainee is exactly correct. You have no control over the condition of the taxi or how well the driver speaks English. The airline can get her to the taxi line but they won't wait with her nor are they going to ride with her.

A taxi will wind up costing at least $60 when you include toll and tip. She should also be prepared to tip porters and baggage people.

>A taxi will wind up costing at least $60 when you include toll and tip. She should also be prepared to tip porters and baggage people<

OP wrote that her mother has NO luggage.

I bet tens of thousands of elderly people take taxis every day in NYC and live. Some of you are very henny penny.

Thin

Henny penny?? What the devil is that? I was merely pointing out that if, as OP mentions, budget IS an issue, the $45 taxi fare that does sound reasonable will actually be $60 altogether plus whatever tips she needs to give people who help her--whether for luggage, wheelchair or whatever. If budget is so much of an issue, she could take the Express bus to either Grand Central or Port Authority depending on whether she's going east or west for $15 and then get a taxi from there. Perhaps the brother could meet Mom at the bus stop in Manhattan.
http://www.nyairportservice.com/page.php?id=31

Is my memory failing me? I've taken a taxi from JFK to midtown a couple of times and I honestly don't remember paying any tolls. Is that possible or likely? Is 10% still OK for tip? I honestly think I remember $45 plus $5 for tip, making it an even $50. No? Admittedly I could be wrong.