New York City’s three major airports—Newark Liberty (EWR), John F. Kennedy (JFK), and LaGuardia (LGA)—are among the busiest in the world. If you have connecting flights at different airports, planning your transfer is essential. Options include ride-hailing services, public transit, and shuttle buses.
When you opt to transfer via an airport shuttle from JFK to EWR, do note that you may have to transfer from one bus to another. Shuttle services can be a more affordable option than ride-hailing services. Other shuttle services may offer direct routes from JFK to EWR, with reservations available on their websites.
Airport shuttle services may be available for this transfer route as well, though some may require transfers between shuttles. More specifically, shuttle services can get you from Point A directly to Point B, often at a lower cost than ride-hailing services.
Knowing New York City’s Airports: From EWR To JFK To LGA
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In case you didn’t know, there are three commercial airports operating in the vicinity of New York City. These are the John F. Kennedy International Airport, the LaGuardia Airport, and the Newark Liberty International Airport.
The one you might be familiar with is the John F. Kennedy International Airport, more commonly known as JFK. It’s located in Queens, New York City. Due to its convenient location, it's considered the city’s main international airport. It's also one of the U.S.A.'s busiest.
Another air transport hub situated in Queens is LaGuardia Airport, a.k.a. LGA. Although this airport serves NYC and caters to both local and international flights, it's less crowded than JFK and EWR. Nonetheless, it's still a busy airport, so don't be surprised if you need to go for a connecting flight.
Finally, there’s Newark Liberty International Airport, more commonly known as EWR. This airport isn’t located in New York City or even New York State; you can find it in its neighboring city — New Jersey. However, it also serves the New York metropolitan area, thanks to the proximity of Newark to Manhattan and the rest of the city.
If you're wondering how far apart these NYC airports are, Pennsylvania (Penn) station, right in the heart of the city, is a good mid-point landmark. The distance from Penn Station to JFK spans around 15 miles. On the other hand, LGA is about 10 miles away from Penn Station while EWR is 19 miles away. Airport shuttle services may be available for the EWR–LGA route as well, though some may require transfers between shuttles.
Getting To JFK From EWR And Vice Versa
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Most Convenient: Car Ride-Hailing Services (Taxis or Uber/Lyft/etc.)
A comfortable and convenient ride makes all the difference when it comes to traveling. Hence, the best way to get from one airport to another is to hail a cab or book rides using apps like Uber and Lyft. During off-peak hours, this mode of transportation is quite likely the fastest way. However, that means if you’re trying to get from JFK to EWR during the rush hour, traveling this way is not ideal.
One thing to take note is that comfort and convenience can come at a price. The distance between the two airports is approximately 33 miles, and your cab ride could cost more than $100 without a tip. Uber and Lyft prices are none the cheaper as it can cost from $90 up to $280 on a normal day. However, if you don’t mind splurging for comfort, then this is the way to go.
Most Affordable: Shuttle Services
If you want to save some money, an airport shuttle might be the best option for you. To transfer from EWR to JFK, airport shuttle services are a popular choice.
From JFK, board a shuttle to EWR’s Port Authority, then transfer to the Newark Airport Express, an express NJ airport shuttle, to reach EWR directly. You also need to do this shuttle transfer if you’re going the opposite route — coming from EWR and going to JFK.
Not Recommended: Public Transport
While going from EWR to JFK is possible using public transportation, it’s not recommended by many. Firstly, there are no direct public bus routes and train routes between airports. Next, the bus and train line transfers are a hassle, especially if you’re carrying luggage. Plus, the travel time is long, too. Public transport should be your last resort.
Getting To LGA From EWR And Vice Versa
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Most Convenient: Car Ride-Hailing Services (Taxis or Uber/Lyft/etc.)
Similar to transferring between EWR to JFK, the most convenient and comfortable way to get from EWR to LGA and vice versa is by car. For this, you can get ride-hailing services like taxis, Uber, and Lyft.
The distance between these two airports is about 31 miles, so do note that using ride-hailing services can get expensive. Much like JFK to EWR, EWR to LGA car rides can cost from $90 and up to $280. So if you don’t mind splurging on airport transport and want a comfortable travel experience, go for ride-hailing services.
Most Affordable: Airport Shuttle Services
Again, similar to the JFK-EWR route, using airport shuttle services is your most affordable option if you want to go to LGA from EWR or vice versa. Other shuttle services may offer direct routes between the two airports, with reservations available on their websites.
Not Recommended: Public Transportation
LaGuardia Airport isn’t really well-connected as far as public transportation is concerned. When you do get to the nearest bus terminals or train stations, you still have to transfer from one platform to another, multiple times. While some people may think that it’s ok to do multiple transfers, remember that most people traveling from one airport to another need to carry their luggage with them. That is a terrible inconvenience for any traveler.
Getting To JFK From LGA And Vice Versa
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Most Convenient: Car Ride-Hailing Services
For the third time, car ride-hailing services take the cake on being the fastest and most comfortable option when transferring from LGA to JFK. If traffic is not congested, it can only take 25 minutes to get from one airport to the other. Additionally, hailing taxis is almost instant near airports, while ride-hailing services can assure you’ll have a ride.
You can also enjoy the short waiting time using this method. But this mode of transportation will still cost you $40-$60 for a taxi and $30-$80 for a Lyft or an Uber to JFK from LGA and vice versa. So if you have little time to waste and money to afford it, this is a great way to transfer between these two NYC airports.
Most Affordable: Airport Shuttle
Again, similar to the two previous routes in this list, the most recommended and most affordable way to travel from JFK to LGA and vice versa is via an Airport Shuttle. However, do remember that Airport Shuttle buses operate on a schedule, so they’re only available during specific times of the day.
Not Recommended: Public Transit
To reiterate, the public transportation route from LaGuardia to JFK airport (and vice versa) is not well-connected and efficient. Despite being both in Queens with only a 12-mile distance, going on public transit between these two airports will be rough. It’ll even be tougher if you have a lot of bags to carry around, so only use public transportation when you have no other choice.
NYC Airport Tips
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Save Time In Security Lines
JFK, EWR, and LGA are all busy airports all year round, which means you’ll likely experience long security lines while you’re there. Luckily, you don’t have to waste a lot of time as there’s a way to find the fastest way to go through security.
Not a lot of people know that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a very helpful app. It lets you monitor the queue at security, thanks to crowdsourced data. Using the app, find the line with the shortest queue and go there to save time.
Save Time In Dealing With Customs
Dealing with customs and immigration can be a nightmare, thanks to the sheer amount of people and the wait times that produces. Two NYC airports are especially notorious for having bad customs queues: JFK and EWR.
Luckily, automated kiosks were recently installed in NYC airports, which can potentially make a flyer’s life easier. The caveat here is that many flyers don’t know about those kiosks or don't know how to use them. So to make your life much easier while dealing with Customs, seek out these kiosks. Enter your details, and by the time you’re going to be inspected by the customs officer, your data is ready to go.
Hassle-Free Transfers
Transferring between New York airports can be intimidating, but knowing your transportation options helps.
Related travel guides: Luggage Handling and Destination Travel and Getting Around Iceland.
