In a nutshell
- There are three major airports in New York: John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), Newark Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
- If you’re flying internationally, you’ll most likely arrive at JFK Airport or Newark. LaGuardia mainly handles domestic flights.
- All these airports near New York City offer easy access to Manhattan by public transport, taxi, or shuttle. We’ll walk you through all the options.
- Our top picks are the AirTrain and Subway from JFK, the shuttle bus from Newark, and the Q70 bus from LaGuardia.
What Major Airports are There in New York?
There are three major airports in and near New York City:
- John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Newark Airport (EWR)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
JFK is the biggest and busiest of all, with 6 terminals. It’s located in Queens, about 24 km from Manhattan.
Newark Airport is actually in New Jersey, just across the river. It’s around 27 km from Manhattan and is one of the best airports to fly into NYC if you’re coming from abroad.
Like JFK, LaGuardia is in Queens and only 13 km from Manhattan, making it the closest airport to the city center. However, it mainly serves domestic routes and doesn’t have flights from places like Germany.
New York's Airports on the Map
To help you see where the airports are in relation to the city, we’ve marked all three on this map.
Transfer from JFK Airport to the City
Here is a quick overview of all the ways you can get from JFK Airport to Manhattan:
| Price | Duration | Where To Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirTrain + Subway Recommendation | approx. $12 | approx. 60-75 min | on site |
| AirTrain + LIRR | approx. $14-18 | approx. 35-45 min | on site |
| Taxi | approx. $80-90 | approx. 45-70 min | on site |
| Shuttle-Bus | approx. $25-40 | approx. 60-90 min | book online |
| Private transfer | approx. $80-150 | approx. 45-70 min | book online |
AirTrain + Subway from JFK to Manhattan
- Lines: AirTrain JFK (green line to Howard Beach and red line to Jamaica) + Subway lines A (from Howard Beach) and E/J/Z (from Jamaica)
- Travel time: Around 60–75 minutes, depending on your destination and time of day
- Operating hours: Runs 24/7, every day of the year
- Frequency: AirTrain every 7–15 minutes, Subway every 4–12 minutes depending on the line
We recommend taking the AirTrain and Subway from JFK Airport into Manhattan. It’s the cheapest way to get to the city – just $11.40 for the full journey.
You’ll only be charged for the AirTrain when exiting at a transfer station. The subway fare can be paid right at the turnstile using a credit card, smartphone, or OMNY card.
The AirTrain runs day and night, connecting all terminals with Howard Beach Station (for Brooklyn and Downtown Manhattan) or Jamaica Station (for Midtown and Queens), where you can easily switch to the subway.
Here you can find everything you need to know about the New York Subway!
It’s not just the most affordable option – you’ll also skip the traffic and get to your hotel in New York quickly and easily.
You’ll find all other JFK airport transfers and info here:
Transfer from Newark Airport to the City
Here’s a general overview of all the ways to get from Newark Airport to Manhattan:
| Price | Duration | Where To Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle-Bus Recommendation | approx. $25-43 | approx. 40-60 min | book online |
| AirTrain + NJ Transit | approx. $15.50 (+ $2.90) | approx. 40-60 min | on site |
| Taxi | approx. $85-110 | approx. 30-60 min | on site |
| Private transfer | approx. $80-130 | approx. 30-60 min | book online |
Shuttle Bus from Newark Airport to Manhattan
- Lines: Direct service to locations like Grand Central Station and Penn Station
- Travel time: Around 40–60 minutes depending on traffic
- Operating hours: Runs 24/7, all year round
- Frequency: Every 20–30 minutes
We recommend taking the shuttle bus (Newark Airport Express) from Newark Airport to Manhattan.
It offers a direct ride into the city with stops at Grand Central Station and Penn Station—right in the heart of Midtown, making it one of the most convenient options from airports near New York City.
The shuttle runs day and night, including on holidays, and is especially handy for families or anyone traveling with larger luggage.
A one-way ticket costs $25, and a round-trip ticket is about $43 – good value for a smooth, direct transfer.
You can book your ticket online through GetYourGuide and either show it on your phone or print it out.
Book Your Newark Airport Express Ticket Online
All other Newark Airport transfers and tips can be found here:
Transfer from LaGuardia Airport to the City
Here’s an overview of all the ways to get from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Manhattan:
| Price | Duration | Where To Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q70 + Train Recommendation | approx. $2.90-$8.25 | approx. 30-45 min | on site |
| Taxi | approx. $40-$65 | approx. 30-60 min | on site |
| Private transfer | approx. $60-$100 | approx. 30-60 min | book online |
Q70 Bus + Train from LaGuardia to Manhattan
- Lines: Q70-SBS + subway lines E, F, M, R, 7 (from Roosevelt Av/74 St) or LIRR line 7 (from Woodside)
- Travel time: Around 30–45 minutes
- Operating hours: 24/7, all year round
- Frequency: Q70 bus every 8–10 minutes, Subway every 4–12 minutes depending on the line, LIRR every 15–30 minutes
We recommend taking the Q70 bus and train from LaGuardia Airport to the city.
This is one of the fastest and most affordable options to reach Manhattan from LGA — one of the major airports in New York.
The Q70-SBS (also called LaGuardia Link) leaves from all terminals and is completely free. It takes you to either the Roosevelt Av/74 St subway station or the Woodside LIRR station in Queens.
From there, it’s a straight ride into Manhattan. The subway costs $2.90, and the LIRR is $5.25 to $8.25, depending on the time of day.
You can tap into the subway with a credit card, your phone, or an OMNY card right at the gate. LIRR tickets are available from vending machines or via the MTA TrainTime app.
All other LaGuardia Airport transfers and travel tips can be found here:
FAQ about the Airports in New York
Which airport in New York is the best?
This question is not so easy to answer. If you are flying to New York from Europe, you will either arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport or Newark Airport.
La Guardia Airport is used almost exclusively for domestic flights, which is why it is probably only important for you if you have a stopover.
JFK Airport is by far the largest airport with 6 terminals. Newark is somewhat more compact with its 3 terminals. However, both airports are generally well suited for starting your trip to New York.
Is it better to fly into JFK or Newark?
Both airports are well connected to Manhattan, so you can easily choose the cheapest connection when choosing your flight.
It doesn’t make a big difference whether you arrive at Newark or JFK Airport.
We have taken off and landed at both airports and can’t say ourselves that we find either airport better or worse.
Which NYC airport is easiest to get to Manhattan?
If you’re choosing between JFK and Newark, JFK is generally the best airport for getting to Manhattan. The AtRain + subway combo is reliable and affordable.
Newark can be convenient too, especially for those heading to the west side of Manhattan. But it is usually more expensive and takes slightly longer.
LaGuardia is closest du the city, but only domestic flights land here.
Which airport in New York has the cheapest flights?
There are always good deals to both airports, JFK and Newark.
The prices to Newark Airport are often cheaper than to JFK, but it can also be the other way around.
We therefore always recommend that you search for both airports to find the best offer.
We prefer to use the Skyscanner flight search engine ourselves. Simply select “New York (all)” in the search form. All airports, including the airport in Newark, New Jersey, will then be taken into account when searching for the cheapest flights.
These were our tips for the best airports to fly in New York City
Do you have any tips for the airports in New York? Or do you still have questions? Then write us a comment. We look forward to hearing from you!