How do I get to JFK?
Facts about John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
New York has three main airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). JFK is the largest and busiest airport in all of New York and is located in the southeastern section of Queens County in New York City, about 16 miles by highway from Midtown Manhattan. It has a total of five different active terminals (numbered 1-8, skipping 2, 3, and 6 as these were demolished), 130 gates, and it covers 5,200 acres. You can check out maps of the airport and its terminals on JFK’s website.
Common flights from JFK
There are many domestic and international flights from JFK on a daily basis. Some of the more popular flights include:
- Los Angeles (LAX), California
- San Francisco (SFO), California
- London (Heathrow), United Kingdom
- Paris (CDG), France
- Frankfurt (FRA), Germany
Known airlines that fly from JFK
- Delta Air Lines
- JetBlue
- American Airlines
- Alaska Airlines
- British Airways
- Air France
- Virgin Atlantic
*Previous versions of this article listed United Airlines as one of the known airlines that fly from JFK. However, United Airlines fully suspended its services in October of 2022. If you’re looking to fly with United Airlines, you can do so from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
Transit Options for JFK
There are many different ways to navigate to the John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, Queens. Transport options to JFK include:
- Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
- Airport Express Bus
- Subway
- NYC Cabs/Uber/Lyft
How to travel to JFK via the LIRR
To JFK the travel time is between 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the chosen route and which terminal you’re traveling from. An example of a route from Penn Station would be taking the Huntington-bound LIRR train to Jamaica Station. Then take the JFK AirTrain for the remainder of the trip. Cost: $13.50 for a one-way off-peak LIRR ticket, $15.50 for a one-way peak LIRR ticket, and $8.50 for a JFK AirTrain ticket.
*Previous versions of the article stated that the cost was $7.25 for a one-way off-peak LIRR ticket, $10.00 for a one-way peak LIRR ticket, and $5 for a JFK AirTrain ticket. Prices have since changed.
How to travel to JFK via the Airport Express Bus
NYC Express Bus by Golden Touch (formally known as NYC Airporter) is the official express bus operator for those traveling to JFK. The service runs seven days a week from 11 am to 7 pm every 30 minutes and the travel time to JFK is approximately 1.5 hours. You can board the bus at these Midtown Manhattan locations:
- Grand Central Terminal (41st Street between Lexington Avenue and 3rd Avenue)
- Penn Station (West 33rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues)
- Port Authority Bus Terminal (42nd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues)
Cost: $19 from Manhattan to JFK.
*Previous versions of the article stated that the ticket cost was $17.
How to travel to JFK via the Subway
From Penn Station, you can take two different trains, either the E or the A line.
- If you’re taking the E line, take it to Sutphin Blvd – Archer Av – JFK Airport. Walk 1 minute to Jamaica Station and then take AirTrain JFK Red to the airport. This will take approximately 1 hour.
- If you’re taking the A line from Penn Station and getting off at Howard Beach – JFK Airport. Walk 1 minute to Howard Beach Station, and then take the AirTrain JFK Green to the airport. This will take you approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes.
Cost: $2.90 for a subway ticket with a metro card or $3.25 for a Single-Ride ticket, which you can buy at vending machines.
*Previous versions stated that the cost of a subway ticket was $2.75 and a Single-Ride ticket was $3.
How to travel to JFK via NYC cabs/Uber/Lyft
From Penn Station to JFK it will take approximately 35 minutes to an hour with traffic. Average Cost: $74 with Uber (low-cost option), $98 with Lyft, and $70 flat rate with a cab (plus additional fees/surcharges).
Penn Station to JFK
Most of the transit options above will take you from Penn Station to JFK. The most affordable method is to take the subway and then transfer to the AirTrain. However, if you’d prefer not to haul many suitcases through the subway system, then consider taking the Airport Express Bus or calling a cab, Uber, or Lyft to take you directly to the terminal you need at JFK.
