Non-WDW Ques- Which airport for New York - LGA, JFK, or Newark? Hotel-NY Hilton&Tower

[pw2pp]

Sorry to ask a Non-Disney Question, but I need help:

We got our Hotel from Priceline for: New York Hilton and Towers.

We are leaving Oct 18

Which Airport do you recommend flying to?
They all have seats available and the price is the same.

Is there one that is better?
Smaller, Not as busy?
Better Security?
Closer to Hotel?

Thank you.

 

[Lewisc]

JFK is the furthest. LGA used to be the worst in terms of delays but with all the airlines cancelling flights I suspect it's OK. Newark may be the closest but with the current high security on the bridges and tunnels it's a guess which would be better. Under normal circumstances I'd pick Newark.

 

[ducklite]

Newark, no question. Traffic will be much less congested.
JFK is a LONG ride, especially now with everything so shut down down town (with the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel closed I have no idea how to even get to JFK from Manhattan!) Yikes!

LGA is always a major HASSLE!!!

Not that Newark is a cake walk, it is a lousy airport, but of the three it's the best.

Anne

 

[CityKid]

Definitions:

LGA- La Guardia, closest to Manhattan, it is on the norther side of an outer borough of New York- Queens. LGA is dense, chaotic and very convenient geographically for Manhattan and points north.

JFK- Kennedy is the furthest of the three from Manhattan (but on the southern side of Queens), an international airport, and is sprawlingly large. It works best for the eastern suburbs of NYC.

EWK - Newark is in New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Manhattan. It is the newest of the three airports and it is the airport New Yorkers love to hate! But it the most orderly of the three.

Right now, in NYC, surface travel into and out of Manhattan is a real mess. Lots of problems due to the disaster area in lower Manhattan. My sons, who travel a lot, have taken to finding their way into and out of the airports by using trains. This is a more certain form of transportation but is A) incomplete and B) hard to explain on the Internet!!!

You can get to "rapid transit" trains from JFK and LGA, but to do so you must take a bus ride. Once on the train, NYC is an easy (and cheap) ride!

Without reference to public transportation, I would suggest looking for "Carey" private bus service. It is a major limo-type service that serves all the airports and has regularly scheduled buses, etc. to all areas. Also, you can share a cab from any airport to NYC. And there are detailed written instructions at each cab station at the airports.

I think the ground connection issue is, right now, of greater concern than which airport you use. AND in dealing with that, I would suggest trying to come into NYC other than in the early morning to mid afternoon time frame. If you can arrange to arrive in the evening, that will lessen your hassles a lot.

There are websites for all these options.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[ducklite]

Actually, you can get to Manhattan via public transit from EWR as well. Take the NJ Transit shuttle bus from EWR to Penn Station Newark. Transfer to the train, to Penn Station, NY. If you hit the connections just right it takes about half an hour, seldom more than 45 minutes. You can take the PATH to midtown as well, but I have always found PATH confusing.

Carey is great if you are using LGA or JFK, I wouldn't recommend them for EWR. For EWR Super Shuttle is a better bet. They run more often, and seem to have a better knowledge of the "Side streets" to take when traffic gets backed up.

Anne

 

[BansheeBlue]

Since your hotel is in midtown on the west side, I very much recommend Newark airport. I honestly don't think of Newark as the airport New Yorkers love to hate. I travel practically every month, and I've always much preferred Newark, even though I now live 10 minutes away from LaGuardia.

I also recommend NOT taking a taxi from the airport, it will cost you upwards of $80. I don't like Carey transportation, but when traveling to/from Newark I swear by Olympia buses. Edited to say I found the link: Olympia Bus Newark to NYC

They cost $21 per person ROUND TRIP, and will drop you off at Port Authority, from which you can take a very quick cab ride. At Newark, the buses are located on the Ground Transportation level, the ticket desk is all the way to the left. At Port Authority, there is a well marked Airport Transportation office on the 42nd street side, where you catch an elevator up to the buses to the airport.

The traffic will be bad, they are doing a lot of car by car checks getting onto the bridges and tunnels now, (which usually just involves the police peeking in to the car and waving you through). But they've also just invoked a "carpool only" rule for bridges and tunnels, so it might improve things a bit.

Just be prepared for the sight of the new New York City skyline...I see it everyday and can't stop crying each time...

 

[adamak]

Newark just started the AirTrain this fall. That's a direct light track rail going into Manhattan. See http://www.airtrainnewark.com/airtrainnewark.

I don't know if they have changed since the 9-11 event, but if it still runs, I would pick Newark. Airport is less pack, and usually fare is slightly cheaper.

I would never choose LGA. Almost always delayed, traffic is horrible, and the airport amenities is disappointing.

JFK is further, but the benefit is you can take a cab and will cost you only $30 anywhere in Manhattan.

Depends on when you arrive. If it's during daytime, pick Newark. If it's late at nite, then go with JFK.

 

[ducklite]

Is the cab fare from JFK to Manahattan still only $30? If so, the cab drivers are getting hosed. With the BBT closed, it must add another 30+ minutes (not including the traffic nightmares!) to the trip. I really hope the TLC is giving them some sort of leeway to either refuse fares to JFK or has lifted the $30 flat fare for now. That's just not right. They have to make a living too!

Anne

 

[pw2pp]

You have all been so helpful. I appreciate it.

Bumping up for the Weekend DISers

 

[honeymom]

I grew up near Kennedy, plus I've lived in Manhattan and also in Queens halfway between JFK and LaGuardia and used to escort people from Rockefeller Center (near Hilton) to airports. I would say that before nixing JFK you should consider time of day and availability of flights (i.e. depending on where you are coming from it may be easier to get a nonstop flight). Non-rush hour it used to only take 35 minutes (without all these traffic checkpoints). Despite fact that Newark was closer it always seemed to take longer (however you may be able to get a better fare in and out). Laguardia is probably the closest of the three, however they are notorious for long delays, plus they have short runways which can make takeoffs and landings hairy if anyone in your party doesn't like to fly.

Besides taxis, I believe there is shuttle bus service available from all three airports to the big midtown hotels. I'm sure Hilton would be included. Try doing a search on the Port Authority of New York. Go into the airport website that you are interested in and look up transportation.