JFK Airport New York

[ALEXANDRAM]

Can anyone help with input on a nice clean hotel near JFK New York airport?
I booked 8:00am flight and we live in Northern NJ, about 1 hour drive. Limo
company says we will have to leave in morning around 4:30, I can't believe leaving this early is necessary. So we're thinking of staying near airport night before. Hate to spend $150 to sleep.

Anyone ever travel for this early flight from northern NJ? We were thinking of leaving at 5:30-6:00am if we left same morning from northern Nj.
Please help!

 

[Stimpy]

Sorry, can't help with the hotel.

Just wanted to say that 4:30 is about right. The traffic around JFK gets absolutely horrendous any time of day and night. (we drive past JFK often to get off LI and have been stuck in traffic there for up to an hour) Plus, you'll be hitting the start of rush hour traffic. Navigating around JFK itself can be a nightmare if you don't know where you are going. Also, you should be at the airport 2 hours beforehand to check in and get through security.

 

[Lewisc]

You can try PL, betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com for help, then use Avistar for parking.

An alternative is to book a park n fly package
http://www.radissonjfk.com/fly.htm

http://www.americanairporthotels.com/

 

[dbanzai]

As I said in another thread, I live by priceline for hotels. How big is your party? Most times with Priceline I've gotten a room with two queen-sized beds for pretty good prices. I'd bet you could get a room for less than $90 in a three-star hotel.

This post brought to you by William Shattner.

You may also want to check out airtrain at JFK. There is a depot in eastern Queens and then the ride from there is supposed to be pretty quick and convenient.

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

You can tell the limo company what time you want to leave....just remember they are not responsible if you miss your flight.

We live in Westchester and at that time of the morning it takes us about 30 minutes to get to LGA and 40-45 to JFK. We always leave the house at about 4 or 4:15 for a 6:30 or 7:00 flight and go by car service.

If you think you can get there in time by leaving later, let them know what time you want to leave. If you are leaving on a weekend--and you truly live 60 minutes from JFK--you can probably get away with leaving at 5. But I certainly wouldn't leave any later than that and as Stimpy said, if it's a weekday I'd probably do 4:30. But again, it's your call as to what time to leave.

Bob

 

[Jennasis]

Unless you book a towncar or private limousine, most "LIMO companies" are really just "livery companies" (like cabs). They will likely be picking up you and several other travelers in a large van. Therefore they may have to pick you up at 4:30am in order to have time to get the other passengers.

If they pick you up at 4:30, you'll arrive at JFK around 6am (just because you live an hour away doesn't mean you won't hit traffic, even early in the am). Then you may need up to 2 hours for check-in, especially with the heightened alert following London's attacks.

PS...as a former NY'er, I'd sooner walk on foot from my house on LOng Island to JFK than stay in ANY of the hotels near the airport.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Can anyone help with input on a nice clean hotel near JFK New York airport?
I booked 8:00am flight and we live in Northern NJ, about 1 hour drive. Limo
company says we will have to leave in morning around 4:30, I can't believe leaving this early is necessary. So we're thinking of staying near airport night before. Hate to spend $150 to sleep.

Anyone ever travel for this early flight from northern NJ? We were thinking of leaving at 5:30-6:00am if we left same morning from northern Nj.
Please help!

These guys are pros and I trust their judgement. With rush hour traffic, if it's a weekday, I think leaving by 4:30AM would be the only way to make an 8AM flight.

I've never booked a flight at that time because of the problems with getting to the airport at rush hour. If we leave from a NYC airport rather than Newark, I try to make it in the middle of the day since it's usually manageable at that time... well, that's the theory, anyway!

 

[sorcerermick]

I worked at JFK airport 4 years ago, but the best hotel I remember nearby was the Ramada. It is the only hotel within JFK airport proper. All of the rest are just outside the airport. There basically is only a 5 minute difference in travel time, so this isn't really a factor, however, I remember the Ramada as being very well kept. The only drawback though, is that it could get a bit noisy depending on which of the four runways was being used at any given time. There have also been a couple of new hotels added since I left so maybe somebody else can give you insight as to those. More than likely, there is a link on the website for JFK airport that will describe the surrounding hotel facilities.

Hope that helped!

 

[puggymom]

Wow, I too live in North NJ and I was going to leave at 4:30 for a 7:00 flight out of JFK on a Saturday. I haven't called for the towncar, yet, but thanks for the heads up.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Wow, I too live in North NJ and I was going to leave at 4:30 for a 7:00 flight out of JFK on a Saturday. I haven't called for the towncar, yet, but thanks for the heads up.

Luckily, on Saturday you won't have any rush hour traffic!

When you call to reserve the car, ask them what pick up time they would suggest for a 7AM flight our of JFK. Like you, I'd think that at 4:30AM on a Saturday, you could zip right through, but they'll know for sure.

 

[JVL1018]

Can anyone help with input on a nice clean hotel near JFK New York airport?
I booked 8:00am flight and we live in Northern NJ, about 1 hour drive. Limo
company says we will have to leave in morning around 4:30, I can't believe leaving this early is necessary. So we're thinking of staying near airport night before. Hate to spend $150 to sleep.

Anyone ever travel for this early flight from northern NJ? We were thinking of leaving at 5:30-6:00am if we left same morning from northern Nj.
Please help!

We have an Friday morning 8:00 flight out of JFK in August. I also live in Northern NJ(Bergenfield) and we are leaving at 5:45 am.

Last year we had a 7:05 am flight and left here at 5:10, and were at JFK in plenty of time, I think it took about 40 minutes.

I think we'll get to the airport earlier than necessary, but I know if I leave after 6 I'll be running the risk of traffic, so better to sit in the airport for a while than to miss the flight!

 

[JVL1018]

Unless you book a towncar or private limousine, most "LIMO companies" are really just "livery companies" (like cabs). They will likely be picking up you and several other travelers in a large van. Therefore they may have to pick you up at 4:30am in order to have time to get the other passengers.

If they pick you up at 4:30, you'll arrive at JFK around 6am (just because you live an hour away doesn't mean you won't hit traffic, even early in the am). Then you may need up to 2 hours for check-in, especially with the heightened alert following London's attacks.

PS...as a former NY'er, I'd sooner walk on foot from my house on LOng Island to JFK than stay in ANY of the hotels near the airport.

Just in my experience for early morning flights out of JFK--the roads are EMPTY before 6 am, weekday or not, it's all been the same IME.

Now if someone can tell me what time I have to leave my house for a 9 am appointment at Columbia Presbyterian on a weekday, I'm all ears. What a horrid time to have an appt in the city. Argh!

 

[ALEXANDRAM]

Thanks all for your advice! With a 5 yr old and a 3 yr old, we really did not want to leave any earlier than necessary if we left the same morning from home instead of staying at a hotel the night before. We noticed there was a Holiday Inn Express that is a pretty new hotel near JFK with free shuttle, but previous poster got me nervous with statement about not wanting to stay in any hotel near JFK. We are unfamiliar with the area, is it really that bad?

I just wish Song did not discontinue service out of Newark or I wouldn't be in this predicament. We had over 80.00 pp credit from last year to use or I would've flown Continental. I only booked one way out of JFk to use up the credits and we are flying into Newark on Cont. coming home.

If we leave same morning I'll check in from home online to save time and hopefully JFK has curbside check-in for bags same as Newark. We'll probably leave about 5:00am.