Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the number of
start-up, no-frills airlines serving New York (and 2008 brought the
demise of some of them, so check and see whether the following are
still flying when you are planning your trip). You might check out
Atlanta-based
AirTran
(
&
800/AIRTRAN); Denver-based
Frontier
(
&
800/432-1359; www.flyfrontier.com), Milwaukee- and Omaha-
based
Midwest Airlines
(
&
800/452-2022; www.midwestairlines.
com), or Detroit-based
Spirit Airlines
(
&
800/772-7117; www.
spiritair.com). The JFK-based cheap-chic airline
JetBlue
(
&
800/
JETBLUE; www.jetblue.com) has taken New York by storm with
its low fares and classy service. The nation's leading discount
airline,
Southwest
(
&
800/435-9792; www.iflyswa.com), flies
into MacArthur (Islip) Airport on Long Island, 50 miles east of
Manhattan.
TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM
THE NEW YORK AREA AIRPORTS
For transportation information for all three airports (JFK,
LaGuardia, and Newark), call
Air-Ride
(
&
800/247-7433
), which
offers 24-hour recorded details on bus and shuttle companies and car
services registered with the New York and New Jersey Port Author-
ity. Similar information is available at
www.panynj.gov/airports
;
click on the airport at which you'll be arriving.
The Port Authority runs Ground Transportation Information
counters on the baggage-claim level at each airport where you can
get information and book transport. Most transportation companies
have courtesy phones near the baggage-claim.
Generally, travel time between the airports and Midtown by taxi or
car is 45 to 60 minutes for JFK, 20 to 35 minutes for LaGuardia, and
35 to 50 minutes for Newark. Always allow extra time, especially dur-
ing rush hour, holiday travel times, and if you're taking a bus.
TAXIS
Despite significant rate hikes the past few years, taxis are
still a quick and convenient way to travel to and from the airports.
They're available at designated taxi stands outside the terminals, with
uniformed dispatchers on hand during peak hours at JFK and
LaGuardia, around the clock at Newark. Follow the
GROUND TRANS
-
PORTATION
or
TAXI
signs. There may be a long line, but it generally
moves pretty quickly. Fares, whether fixed or metered, do not
include bridge and tunnel tolls ($4-$6) or a tip for the cabbie
(15%-20% is customary). They do include all passengers in the cab
and luggage—never pay more than the metered or flat rate, except
