New York City airport transfers

New York is enormous – they don’t call it the Big Apple for nothing. So take the hassle out of getting to your hotel with an airport transfer.

A timeless hub for art, music and dining, packed with iconic landmarks, from the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, there really is nowhere else quite like New York City. Sprawling out over the five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, this massive metropolis often comes top of the city break bucket list.

Served by three major international airports, New York is well connected to Europe, but getting a transfer will largely depend on where you’re flying to and where you’re staying.

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), in southern Queens, is ideal for transfers to Queens, Brooklyn or Long Island. Staying in Manhattan? Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey offers the easiest access into the famous borough. Plus, you’ll get the epic views of the NYC skyline as you drive in – if it’s your first time in the Big Apple, goose bumps are a given.

If flying in to LaGuardia Airport (LGA), located in northern Queens, and you’re staying in Queens, northern Brooklyn, east Manhattan or Long Island, then a transfer is possible. Remember, New York’s traffic is legendary, so a little tactical planning is essential – unless you want to spend the first part of your break in a bumper to bumper jam.

While the city’s subway service is extensive, it can get very busy and navigating it with lots luggage in tow isn’t easy, especially in rush hour. On top of that, direct subway access from the major airports is limited, so it’s often a case of a bus or train and then change to the subway. And while the subway is an excellent way to get around New York, after a 7-hour flight, you might not fancy navigating your way through the city’s far-reaching metro system, and we don’t blame you.

If, however, the cost of a taxi concerns you, a shared bus or shuttle is a great compromise of time, convenience and price. Compare the airport transfer companies on TravelSupermarket to find discounts and some of the cheapest prices going.

• Currency: USD ($)
• Language: English
• Key phrase to learn: The Big Apple (just one of New York’s many nicknames)
• Time difference: New York is 5 hours behind London
• Average flight time: 8 hours
• International phone code: +1, then the three-digit borough number - 212/917/718/646/347
  
• Emergency services number: 911
• Public holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr Day (third Monday in January), Presidents’ Day (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans’ Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), Christmas Day (December 25), plus a federal government holiday in presidential-election years on the first Tuesday in November (Election Day).
• Link to FCO travel advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa