NYC Airport Transportation Guide

This post has everything you need to know about the New York City Airports! The 3 main airports are Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia, and I’m gonna review all of the ways to get to and from each airport. I’ll start with Newark because it is the airport I fly into the most often.

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

This airport is technically in New Jersey, but it is very close to NYC. The best way to get to and from this airport to Manhattan is to take the Coach bus. I’ll link the website here, and it brings you right to the airport from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC. No transfers, it’s great. As of today, the cost per way is $22.50. I walk through how to take the bus here ⬇️

Then I walk through how to get the tickets on your phone here ⬇️

Another option is to take the AirTrain. This involves taking the NJ Transit train and then transferring to the AirTrain. I walk through how this works here ⬇️

AirTrain to Newark Route

• Cost: $16.80
• How it works (Going from Manhattan to Newark Airport):
  • Get to Penn Station
  • Get a NJ Transit ticket
    • Origin: NY Penn Station
    • Destination: Newark Liberty Int’l Airport
  • Go to the track – you can take either the NJCL or NEC lines (You can tell they go to the airport because they have a little plane icon next to them)
  • Take the train and get off at the Newark Liberty International Airport stop
  • Follow the signs for the AirTrain
  • Get on the AirTrain and get off at your terminal
• How it works (Going from Newark Airport to Manhattan):
  • Get on the AirTrain
  • Get off at Newark Liberty International Airport RailLink Station
  • Get a NJ Transit ticket
    • Origin: Newark Liberty Int’l Airport
    • Destination: NY Penn Station
  • Go to the track – you can take either the NJCL or NEC lines
  • Get off at NY Penn Station

I walk through how this works here ⬇️

Newark Airport also recently just underwent a huge renovation, and I’ll show you here! ⬇️

JFK Airport

JFK Airport does not have any direct bus service, so you have 2 options for public transportation. You can either take the Subway to the AirTrain, or you can take the Long Island Railroad to the AirTrain. If you are staying close to Penn station or Grand Central, then I’d recommend taking the LIRR since it’s right there.

Subway to AirTrain Route

• Cost: $2.90 (subway fare) + $8.50 (AirTrain fare) = around $12
• How it works (Going from Manhattan to JFK):
  • Get on either the E, J, or Z subway line going uptown
  • Get off at the “Sutphin Boulevard & Archer Avenue” station
  • Follow signs for the AirTrain
  • Get on the AirTrain
  • Get off at your terminal
• How it works (Going from JFK to Manhattan):
  • Get on the AirTrain
  • Get off at the Jamaica Station
  • Take the E, J, or Z subway line to Manhattan
  • Get off where ever you want in Manhattan

I walk through how this works here ⬇️

Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to AirTrain Route

• Cost: $10-15 depending on the day (LIRR fare) + $8.50 (AirTrain fare) = around $20
• How it works (Going from Manhattan to JFK):
  • Get to Penn Station or Grand Central Station
  • Get a LIRR ticket
    • Origin: NY Penn Station or Grand Central Station
    • Destination: Jamaica station
  • Go to the track and get on the train
  • Take the train and get off at the Jamaica stop
  • Follow the signs for the AirTrain
  • Get on the AirTrain and get off at your terminal
• How it works (Going from JFK to Manhattan):
  • Get on the AirTrain
  • Get off at the Jamaica Station
  • Get a LIRR ticket
    • Origin: Jamaica station
    • Destination: NY Penn Station or Grand Central Station
  • Take the Long Island Railroad to Manhattan
  • Get off at NY Penn Station or Grand Central Station

LaGuardia Airport

Public transportation to LaGuardia Airport is terrible. No matter how you try to go, you’re going to need to transfer to a bus. It’s just extremely inconvenient and I have never even bothered to try to figure it out. So, unfortunately your best bet to get to and from LaGuardia is either with an Uber or a Taxi. I don’t know why it’s so difficult for them to make a direct bus line from Port Authority to LGA, like that would solve everything. 😄 But in the mean time, Uber and taxis are the only realistic option.

And those are all of my NYC Airport Transportation tips! Do you have any tips? Let me know in the comments!