Search flights to John F. Kennedy Intl. Airport

JFK Airport is located in Queens, about 20 km from Manhattan. There are many transportation methods to get from the airport to various parts of the city. You can take the metro, train, bus, taxi, rental car, or use an airport shuttle service. You can easily get to public transportation hubs by taking the AirTrain trains that depart from the airport. These trains also provide transportation between the terminals, rental car services, parking lot, and the hotel shuttle services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

AirTrain trains provide transportation within the airport for free. However, if you want to go to the main stations that allow access to the city’s metro, bus, and train lines, then you have to pay a fee. You can pay this fee using the MetroCard payment system, which is valid for all public transportation networks in the city. You can get a MetroCard from the automated ticket machines at the airport.  

Metro

To get to the New York City Subway from the airport you have to first get on the AirTrain. There is an AirTrain station located in each passenger terminal, making the train easy to access. If you want to transfer to metro line E, J, or Z then take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station. If you want to transfer to metro line A then take the AirTrain to Howard Beach Station.  

If you’re planning on transferring to one of the city’s other metro lines from lines A, E, J, or Z you can plan your route by taking a look at a map of the New York City Subway online. If you get on metro line E from Jamaica Station you can get to the western section of Queens, central Manhattan, and some transfer points in the Bronx.

Getting from the airport to Manhattan takes about 50 to 75 minutes, including the AirTrain ride from the airport to the station. By taking the AirTrain train to Jamaica Station you will have access to metro lines J and Z which provide transportation to the north of Queens, stations in the south of Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Metro line A, which runs through Howard Beach Station, provides transportation to lower Manhattan. To get on the metro you have to use a MetroCard, which you can purchase at the airport or at the metro stations. There are many card types you can purchase that depend on a variety of factors. Some of these card types include the SingleRide ticket, Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard, EasyPayXPress MetroCard, or Unlimited MetroCard. You can evaluate the most appropriate MetroCard option according to your needs during your stay in the city.  

Train

After taking the AirTrain to Jamaica Station you can get on the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) trains to get to Penn Station, located in central Manhattan. Penn Station is one of the main stations in Manhattan. It is very centrally located, in close proximity to the Empire State Building and Herald Square. These trains are the fastest way to get from JFK Airport to the city center. The AirTrain trains from JFK to Jamaica Station take about 10 minutes. From Jamaica Station you can get to Manhattan in about 35 minutes. From Jamaica Station you can also use the LIRR train lines to get to different areas in Brooklyn, Long Island, and Queens. If you buy your train ticket before boarding you will save money on your ticket. Getting a MetroCard beforehand is more advantageous. We recommend that you purchase the prepaid card, which offers a variety of different fare options including a weekly, monthly, or a 10-ride card, at the airport or at the station.

Bus

You can also take a bus to get from JFK to the city, although this tends to be the least preferred transportation method. To get to Jamaica Station take the AirTrain train from the airport terminal. At Jamaica Station you can get on one of the New York City buses. Many bus lines pass through this station and provide transportation to various parts of the city. Buses that operate from Jamaica Station are Q6, Q8, Q9, Q20, Q24, Q25, Q30, Q31, Q34, Q40, Q41, Q43, Q44, Q54, Q56, Q60 and Q65. To get to Howard Beach Station take the AirTrain train from the airport terminal. At Howard Beach Station you can get to central Queens by taking bus line Q11. You can also use bus lines Q10 and Q3, which depart from a stop close to the Terminal 5, to get to Queens. The bus route for line Q10 passes by stops where you can connect to New York Subway lines A, E, and F.  

Similarly, bus line Q3 stops at 169^th Street and Hillside Ave where you can connect to the F line. You can transfer to the metro from these stops. Bus line B15 also departs from Terminal 5 and travels to the east of New York. Buses, along with the subway, are the cheapest means of transportation to get from the airport to the city center. However, since buses drive through city traffic it can take longer to reach your destination. If you have a lot of luggage getting from the airport to the city by bus can be a hassle.

Airport Shuttle Bus Service

Another way to get from the airport to the city is by NYC Airporter Express shuttle bus services. These bus stops are located at each terminal exit. NYC Airporter Express shuttle buses provide transportation to Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, and Port Authority Bus Terminal. The ride takes about 90 minutes but can vary depending on traffic. This service also offers hotel shuttles that depart from central Manhattan and take you to your hotel. The large airport shuttle bus drops you off at Bryant Park where smaller hotel shuttle vans await to take you to your hotel. NYC Airporter Express shuttle buses run every 30 minutes from 5 am to 11:30 pm every day of the week.

Taxi

New York City’s yellow cabs are located at the terminal exits. Taxis offer a flat rate from JFK to Manhattan, which does not include bridge tolls. If you are going to more than one destination in the city the flat rate to the first destination will apply and from then on the taximeter will be turned on to calculate the inner-city fare. New York taxis can take a total of 4 people. Normal taxi fares (excluding the flat rate) can vary depending on the operating hours. 4pm to 8 pm are considered peak hours where a surcharge is applied to the fare.  

We recommend familiarizing yourself with the city and taxis fares. There is the possibility of your taxi driver going the long route to increase the total fare. It’s important to be aware of it.

Rental Cars

Rental car offices are located in the arrival halls of each terminal. There are 10 rental car companies located at JFK Airport: Advantage, Budget, Hertz, Alamo, Dollar, National, Avis, Enterprise, Payless, and Thrifty. If you’re trip is limited to New York City then it is not really necessary to rent a car. Not only can you walk to many places in the city, New York’s subway system enables you to navigate the city without dealing with traffic. The subway system covers almost every region of New York. There are also many alternatives to get from the airport to the city. However, if you are going to travel to surrounding areas and plan on renting a car you can do so at the airport and in the city. Let us remind you that renting a car isn’t cheap and parking in New York can be expensive.