• GREATER NEW YORK METRO AREA AIRPORTS

New Yorkers have a choice of three major airports, even though one of them is located in another State. There is LaGuardia Airport, the closest one, located on the northern tip of Queens, and Kennedy Airport, the largest one, located on the southern tip of Queens, as well as Newark Liberty Airport located between Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. For Westchester residents there is Westchester County Airport HPN, while Nassau & Suffolk County residents may prefer the alternative airport of Long Island McArthur Airport ISP.

1. Kennedy International Airport JFK, located on Jamaica Bay, is served by AirTrain stopping at each of its terminals and offering direct and connecting rail links to midtown Manhattan and the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, saving you money and time while avoiding traffic jams. The Airport hosts all major domestic and international flights with the most direct and connecting flights to all points of the globe. Checking in can take quite a while as lines during peak hours and holidays are very long; the same goes for security checkpoints. In terms of passenger satisfaction, Kennedy International ranks very low. Complaints run the gamut of dirty, poor service, long check-in and security lines, etc. While the Airport is constantly updating and adding new facilities, the ever-present construction sites pose continuous problems to even the most seasoned JFK traveler. To avoid getting stuck in traffic, your best bet is to take the AirTrain into the City - but no guarantee that you will have delays there too. For international flights plan to be at the airport at least three hours prior to departure, for domestic flights two hours.

2. Newark Liberty International Airport EWR, whose southern perimeter borders on I-95 in New Jersey, is actually closer to mid-town Manhattan than to Kennedy Airport. However, at present there is no direct train connection available, aside from the New Jersey 'Tube' from either down- or midtown Manhattan and connecting to the Airport by bus. However, a feasibility study for a five-mile extension to connect the Hudson Tube from downtown Manhattan into the Airport has been conducted recently. Frequent Buses run between the Port Authority bus terminal on 42nd Street and 8th Avenue directly to the Airport. However, as these buses have to enter Lincoln Tunnel (under the Hudson River), a backup for miles into the New York City, as well as a serious backup in buses trying to enter the tunnel out of NY City, can add up to an hour to your travel time. Within the airport there is an elevated train connecting the terminals, offering a speedy transfer. Many travelers prefer Newark over Kennedy because it still is less congested. However, it also offers less airline and destination choices.

3. La Guardia Airport LGA is considered as more of a commuter airport; it also offers flights to more distant destinations on the East Coast. However, since there is no direct train connection (only subway, connecting to airport bus), getting there is time-consuming, also due to frequent traffic delays.

4. Westchester County Airport HPN, bordering to the north of the greater New York Metro area, can be an alternative for residents of this county, as well as to bordering Connecticut residents. Located in White Plains, it is reachable via the Interstate Hwy I-684 and connects to I-287 & I-95. Major and low-fare airlines serve the airport to major cities in the Atlantic and Mid-west region of the country.

5. Long Island MacArthur Airport ISP, located in Ronkonkoma, central Long Island, serves the large population of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The small airport offers lower parking fees and airfares. However, the choice of airlines is limited. Southwest Airlines and US Airways Express serve ISP Airport with direct and connecting flights to cities around the country.

6. Stewart International Airport SWF is located in Newburgh/New Windsor, New York at the intersection of the New York State Thruway I-87 and Interstate 84. The airport is 60 miles north of New York City and covers 2,400 acres. Since 2007 the airport is owned by the NY-NJ Port Authority, who aims to make SWF a truly international airport. SWF serves the regions of Long Island, Westchester County, Orange County, Connecticut and New Jersey. In April 2008, the New York Times issued a lengthy article headed "Stewart Airport Raises its Profile: International travelers in the future may consider flying directly from Stewart to Stansted near London. ...". Stewart already has room to handle the largest jumbo jets with one of its runways measuring 12,000 feet. It is only a matter of time that Stewart International will become a true alternative to Kennedy and Newark Airports. SWF also offers private helicopter services to midtown Manhattan business travelers from Stewart at competitive rates offered by JFK.

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