JFK Airport Bus
IATA Code: JFK
ICAO Code: KJFK
Number of passengers: ~ 62 million
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is an international airport located in Jamaica, Queens, New York, just 12 miles southeast of Lower Manhattan. JFK Airport is one of three airports in the state of New York, the other two being LaGuardia and Newark.
More than ninety airlines operate from JFK Airport to the six inhabited continents with numerous direct flights, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Qatar Airways, United Airlines and many more.
JFK has six operating airline terminals, four runways and 128 aircraft gates providing services to over 60 million passengers every year. It is the United States’ 6th busiest airport.
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How to get from JFK Airport to Manhattan, New York
Airport Shuttle
NYC Express Bus is the official shuttle bus for all New York airports. The shuttle bus connects JFK Airport with Manhattan, as well as with La Guardia Airport and Newark Airport. They run every day from 11 AM to 7 PM. A roundtrip ticket from JFK to Manhattan will cost you around $35.
If you need to get to Manhattan and want to avoid the hassle of switching buses, there are other options. You can take one of the privately operated buses which will take you from JFK Airport directly to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, located in Midtown.
For prices and timetables, check the below provided links.
JFK Airport to LaGuardia Airport
If your end destination isn’t New York and you just need to switch airports, that is not a problem. There are direct bus lines that take you from JFK Airport to LaGuardia Airport.
For more information about departure times and prices, check the links below.
Public bus
Probably the cheapest option to get to and from the airport would be the MTA city buses. The buses are available 24/7 and you can find them at the bus stop on Terminal 5.
Bus lines Q3 and Q10 will take you to Queens, while bus B15 takes you to Brooklyn. The price for a single bus ticket is around $2,75.
AirTrain
JFK airport has an AirTrain system in place which interconnects the airport terminals and continues all the way to Jamaica Station and Howard Beach Station. AirTrain is free when traveling between terminals.
But if your start or endpoint are Jamaica and Howard Beach Stations then you have to pay a fee of approximately $7,75. From here on you can take the MTA buses and subways, as well as the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) to your desired destination.
Keep in mind that you need a MetroCard to exit the AirTrain, which you can purchase at these locations.
Subway
New York City’s Subway is the oldest and largest rapid transit system in the world, with around 472 stations. It is the best public transportation system to travel around the city because it connects the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
The Subway is operated by the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), the largest public transit authority in the USA.
- When traveling from JFK Airport, the closest stations are the previously mentioned Jamaica and Howard Beach Stations. To get to the stations it’s best to make use of the AirTrain.
- On Howard Beach Station you will find line A which can take you to Lower Manhattan (below W. 14 St.).
- At Jamaica Station you can take either line E, which goes to Midtown Manhattan, or lines J and Z which go to Southern Queens and Northern Brooklyn.
- All in all, the cheapest and one of the easiest ways to reach Manhattan from JFK is by taking the AirTrain and then from there the Subway.
The total cost of a one-way trip would be somewhere around $10,50 and it usually takes about 60-90 minutes to reach your destination. - A single ride with the Subway costs around $2,75.
Train
Travelling by train is the best option if you want to go to Long Island from JFK. You’ll need to get to Jamaica Station first. There you’ll find trains serving LIRR (Long Island Rail Road).
Taxi
If you want to avoid the hassle of public transport, you should consider taking a taxi. New York City’s yellow cabs charge a flat rate of $52 from JFK to Manhattan (as well as the other way around).
Keep in mind that this price doesn’t include extra surcharges (usually a couple of dollars), tolls, and tips, which are customary. They also add an extra $4.50 rush-hour surcharge from 4 pm to 8 pm on weekdays.
Private transfer
Another way to travel from JFK Airport is with a private, door-to-door transfer directly to your accommodation in the city. You can pre-book a transfer for a hassle-free experience.
A professional driver will wait for you at the airport and take you to your destination.
Rent-a-car
For those of you who would like to reach the city and explore the area on your own, the best option is to rent a car directly at the airport.
There are several car rental companies there: Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless and Thrifty.
You can find the Car Rental counters on the Arrivals level of every terminal and the cars themselves at the Federal Circle Station (accessible with the AirTrain). A simpler option would be to check the prices and book your rental car online.
Renting a bus
Larger groups of passengers should consider renting a bus at the airport. However, it is recommended to book it online, so the bus rental companies have enough time to advise you on the meeting point and all other information.
JFK Airport Airlines
Arrivals and departures from this New York airport are both domestic and international flights.
Some of the most popular flights are those to Los Angeles, London, Chicago-O’Hare, Paris – Charles de Gaulle and many others.
The most frequent airlines are Jet Blue, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
Amenities and services
This New York airport provides for its passengers a range of services and amenities which are available on all six terminals.
Some of them are listed below.
- Unlimited WiFi
- ATMs
- Baggage storage
- Charging station
- Currency exchange
- Family restrooms
- Lost&found
- Nursing stations
Accommodation near JFK Airport
Looking for a place somewhere near the airport? For available accommodation units and hotels near JFK Airport, check out our map below:
JFK Airport FAQs
No, that won’t be a problem. The city buses and taxis operate 24/7 so you will definitely have some options to get to the city.
Yes, you can. There are ATMs and/or exchange offices to be found on every terminal so it should definitely not be a problem.
There are no other direct connections with JFK Airport besides New York City and Long Island. One of the options is to go to Grand Central Station, located in Midtown Manhattan, and see from there other possible destinations.
However, Grand Central is not the only option. Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is one of the biggest and busiest bus terminals in the world and an interstate bus terminal. PABT mostly serves as a departure point for commuters.
Anyway, if you wish to continue your journey with Amtrak trains, the station closest to the JFK Airport is the Penn Station in Manhattan.
One more option is to go to GetByBus.com and check any possible connections you might be interested in.
Yes, you can find them on terminals 1, 4, 5 and 8.
Yes, there is unlimited free WiFi at JFK Airport. In case you face any problems, call their Customer Support 24/7 on (800) 880-4117.
Yes, there is a TWA hotel inside the airport terminal where you can stay overnight. The hotel is equipped with conference rooms, a gym, swimming pool, lounge, museum and many more things.
JFK Airport is completely smoke-free indoors, including e-cigarettes. There are designated smoking areas outside the terminals.
Yes, the long-term parking lot is located outside the airport. You can take the free complimentary AirTrain to your desired terminal.
If you plan on parking your car on the long-term parking lot for more than 30 days, you should contact the ABM on the day of your arrival, otherwise, your car will get towed.
You can find the Baggage Claim on the Arrivals Level of each terminal.
To whomever wrote this: Grand Central is NOT the best option, as it is only a commuter station and travels primarily north. To use Amtrak, you MUST go to Penn/Moynihan Station (Amtrak does NOT use Grand Central anymore), and bus service is available from the Port Authority. I’m very surprised that there is no mention of either Penn Station or the Port Authority.
Dear Ray,
thank you for your comment, we appreciate it! We will consider your suggestions and update our post if necessary.
Best regards,
GBB Team