Travel time from Manhattan to JFK on a Thursday?
November 19, 2015 8:44 AM Subscribe
I need to catch a 3:00 flight out of JFK on a Thursday (not Thanksgiving) and am wondering how long the trip will take from Manhattan. I am open to cabs, Uber and public transportation.
I will be visiting NYC soon and once I arrive at JFK, I will not be in a hurry to get to my hotel in Manhattan. However, on the return trip I want to ensure that I allow enough time to get to the airport, anticipating heightened security issues/ wait times. But I would also like to maximize my morning in NYC, if possible-rather than getting up and going straight to the airport, just to wait all day. Any advice on how long the trip will take based on transportation method is appreciated.
I will be visiting NYC soon and once I arrive at JFK, I will not be in a hurry to get to my hotel in Manhattan. However, on the return trip I want to ensure that I allow enough time to get to the airport, anticipating heightened security issues/ wait times. But I would also like to maximize my morning in NYC, if possible-rather than getting up and going straight to the airport, just to wait all day. Any advice on how long the trip will take based on transportation method is appreciated.
Best answer: It sort of depends where in Manhattan you are.... for 6am->10pm I personally default to subway-> airtrain, since in my experience it is the most consistent means of timing getting to the airport.
If you are near Penn Station, LIRR-> Air train should take you 45 mins. If you are near an A/E train, then Subway->air train takes about 1.5 hr depending on the subway stop (1hr from midtown).
A car journey can take from 25min->2hrs, if traffic and weather look good, then I say go for it (heavy rain can do a number on our highways actually)
A cab from Manhattan is a flat fee of $52+ tolls and tip (expect to pay about 70 in the end)
Uber from Manhattan depends on surge pricing. On a nice non-weathery day, at 3pm on a Thursday it might run you $40ish. Surge pricing can really screw you over though, as can your proximity to highway.
posted by larthegreat at 8:53 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you are near Penn Station, LIRR-> Air train should take you 45 mins. If you are near an A/E train, then Subway->air train takes about 1.5 hr depending on the subway stop (1hr from midtown).
A car journey can take from 25min->2hrs, if traffic and weather look good, then I say go for it (heavy rain can do a number on our highways actually)
A cab from Manhattan is a flat fee of $52+ tolls and tip (expect to pay about 70 in the end)
Uber from Manhattan depends on surge pricing. On a nice non-weathery day, at 3pm on a Thursday it might run you $40ish. Surge pricing can really screw you over though, as can your proximity to highway.
posted by larthegreat at 8:53 AM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
The problem with a cab to JFK is always, always, the Van Wyck. Sometimes it's fine and sometimes it takes an hour to go 2 miles. Not even joking.
Personally if time and not money is a concern, I'd go with LIRR to Jamaica and AirTrain to the terminal. LIRR should take 20-25 minutes and AirTrain 10-15.
posted by Automocar at 8:55 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
Personally if time and not money is a concern, I'd go with LIRR to Jamaica and AirTrain to the terminal. LIRR should take 20-25 minutes and AirTrain 10-15.
posted by Automocar at 8:55 AM on November 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: I'll be staying very near Rockefeller Center.
posted by JennyJupiter at 8:59 AM on November 19, 2015
posted by JennyJupiter at 8:59 AM on November 19, 2015
In that case, you should take the E to Jamaica to the Airtrain. The E is pretty quick because it goes express through Queens.
posted by the_blizz at 9:05 AM on November 19, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by the_blizz at 9:05 AM on November 19, 2015 [9 favorites]
Best answer: Oooh, the greatest NYC argument of all time. Here is my previously published belief:
The only time on a weekday that you should take a car to JFK is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
I stand by this remark strongly.
I prefer the LIRR to Jamaica from Penn Station. Why? Because you know exact departure and arrival times. (The time from Jamaica to your terminal is, mmm, I usually say 20 minutes.) And you are very close to Penn.
The E is perfectly fine, I've done it, it's not the worst thing, and the A is so-so, but the on-train time there is REALLY quite long, and you cannot accurately predict your arrival time. Whereas the actual train travel time on the LIRR is much less, and is down to the minute.
If you are departing from Terminal 8 at JFK, or possibly even Terminal 7, definitely do the Airtrain transfer at Terminal 1. (Get off, go the opposite way.)
If you have further questions, please let me know, I have ENDLESS amounts of opinion about this and I will go on at great length.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 9:54 AM on November 19, 2015 [6 favorites]
The only time on a weekday that you should take a car to JFK is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
I stand by this remark strongly.
I prefer the LIRR to Jamaica from Penn Station. Why? Because you know exact departure and arrival times. (The time from Jamaica to your terminal is, mmm, I usually say 20 minutes.) And you are very close to Penn.
The E is perfectly fine, I've done it, it's not the worst thing, and the A is so-so, but the on-train time there is REALLY quite long, and you cannot accurately predict your arrival time. Whereas the actual train travel time on the LIRR is much less, and is down to the minute.
If you are departing from Terminal 8 at JFK, or possibly even Terminal 7, definitely do the Airtrain transfer at Terminal 1. (Get off, go the opposite way.)
If you have further questions, please let me know, I have ENDLESS amounts of opinion about this and I will go on at great length.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 9:54 AM on November 19, 2015 [6 favorites]
Directions and travel times provided by Google Maps are pretty reliable, for public transit as well as for cars.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:36 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:36 AM on November 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Just this week, this guy posted an analysis of a very large dataset of NYC taxi trip data. Scroll down and you'll see some charts for historical data regarding taxi transit times from various neighborhoods (including Midtown Manhattan) to the three airports.
posted by mhum at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mhum at 2:06 PM on November 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you have a big suitcase, the LIRR is challenging; I'd rather take the subway than wrestle a big bag between the LIRR seats. But RJ Reynolds makes an excellent point about the difference in the on-train time.
posted by shiny blue object at 2:29 PM on November 19, 2015
posted by shiny blue object at 2:29 PM on November 19, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks everyone-I'm going to go with the LIRR to Jamaica to Airtran based on your confident recommendations. I'll report back with the travel time when I'm back in town.
posted by JennyJupiter at 6:24 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JennyJupiter at 6:24 AM on November 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I took the LIRR from Penn Station to Jamaica, then the Air Train to JFK. Total time from entering Penn Station to arriving at the air port: 51 minutes. Thank you for all of the great suggestions!
posted by JennyJupiter at 6:04 AM on December 4, 2015
posted by JennyJupiter at 6:04 AM on December 4, 2015
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