Is anyone familiar with taking the NYC Airporter from JFK to Port Authority Bus Terminal? I know the price and approx time to get into the city, but is it reliable, clean, easy to find at JFK? The Airporter and a bus ticket to New Jersey is certainly less expensive than $300+ for a limo service, but just want to make sure it won't be too much of a hassle.

A cab is $52.80 set fare for a total of about $ 65 - $ 70 with tolls and tip.

The OP is going to Jersey and the $300 fare is for the total trip.

The Airporter is reliable but is subject to any road delays that affect those going through midtown Manhattan. For instance, at the moment the UN General Assembly is in session (more than 90 heads of state) and the pope is also visiting. So coming to Port Authority will probably take double the scheduled time.

The same can happen with really bad weather, road construction, a major accident or another special event (Mets in the Series?).

So specific day and time matters a lot.

A car service can avoid this by going to Jersey without going through Manhattan - so it really depends on your need for speed versus cost.

If you need to take the bus to NJ, then the Airporter is your best bet. It lets you off streetside at the Port Authority, however. If you can take a train to NJ, then the Airtrain/LIRR is your best option.

There's certainly no issue with taking the bus. I've done it many times. My only issue is that it takes a long time and often makes multiple stops, but the stops are well marked outside the terminals at JFK, and there's someone selling tickets at the curb.

But you are subject to the same traffic delays in a taxi and are paying at least quadruple the cost. Someone did post on the forums recently that they took a car service from EWR to JFK for $120 all in (including tolls and tip). That's a great deal. If you could hop in a taxi at EWR, then you might do the trip cheaper than $300 depending on where you're going.

I believe I read that the bus leaves from JFK once an hour. Have you ever found them to be full, Doug, and then have to wait another hour? We would probably need it about 9 AM mid-week.

They leave every 30 minutes, not every hour. The Airtrain takes a lot of the pressure off the airport buses since it's so much faster and more convenient to most parts of Manhattan, but there are still people who prefer the bus. They will allow passengers to stand, and I've been on the bus when people were standing, but only when we were digging out of a major storm or had a taxi strike did I ever see people turned away.

Just realize that the trip can take 90 minutes to the Port Authority. The Airtrain will be half that. So the Airporter is only a good idea if you have to go to the Port Authority for a bus. Otherwise (unless there's some kind of service disruption), you're always better off with the Airtrain and LIRR.