I’ve traveled to New with my family a couple of times — once with my daughter for her birthday a few years ago and more recently with my son as a layover on our way to Greece.
Both times I stayed in (once at the Sheraton Times Square and once at the Wingate by Wyndham Midtown Manhattan), so none of the three options (JFK / LGA / EWR) were markedly better for us than any of the others. For our to Greece, my son and I ended up flying out of .
Because is quite a distance from the main areas of New , I did a bit of research to find the best way from Manhattan to JFK. Here’s what I learned.
Getting to JFK airport from Manhattan by Uber or Lyft
shows an estimated price of $60-$75 to get from Manhattan to JFK, though that depends on your pick-up location in the and probably the time of day (how long it takes with traffic and ). It’s always a good idea to watch out for before you book your
Lyft is similarly priced from Manhattan to JFK, though both often run promotions in , so be sure to check with them before you go.
[The time my Lyft driver went the wrong way down a one-way street]
If you do sign up for Uber or Lyft, signing up through my referral code you will get you $10 off on your first ride.
Getting to JFK airport from Manhattan by taxi
You can take a classic from Manhattan to JFK, but it will be fairly expensive. The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission has set a flat for trips to / from from anywhere in Manhattan. The is $52.80 (plus a $4.50 surcharge from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays), in addition to tips and .
So if you really want to take a from Manhattan to JFK, you’ll save money by using a service like Carmel Limo — plus you can save $4 off using this link.
Another popular option is grabbing a seat on a shared express . A variety of express buses run from Manhattan to JFK and cost in the $15 to $20 (one-way) range. These are large buses designed for runs, so most of them have plenty of storage underneath the seats for luggage. GO Airlink Shuttle is one such bus – it costs about $21 one way.  It runs every half hour on the half hour and they will pick you up at a variety of hotels and NYC transportation hubs (Grand Central, Penn Station, etc). Try promo code SHUTTLE to save 5%.
And obviously you’ll be on the road, so you’re subject to New traffic, especially if you’re traveling during (which seems like every hour!).
The cheapest and best way to get to JFK airport from Manhattan: Go by train(s)!
While cabs, buses, Ubers, , , and even limos are all options to get from the to the , in my opinion the absolute best way to get from Manhattan to is by . You can either take the Railroad () or the . (Plus, taking makes you feel like a local.)
Getting to JFK airport from Manhattan by train on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR)
The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) has a large route map, but if you’re headed to the airport from Times Square (or really anywhere in Manhattan), you’ll probably want to take the LIRR to JFK from Penn Station, which is between 7th and 8th Avenues and 31st and 33rd streets in Manhattan. (The train also has stations in northern Queens and Brooklyn). To get to JFK, you’ll want to take the LIRR to the Jamaica station.
The LIRR costs $10.25 one way at peak times (westbound from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and eastbound from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and $7.50 in off-peak times. There’s a family fare of $1 each way (on off-peak and PM peak trains) for up to four children (age 5-11) per traveling adult (18 and over). There’s also a child fare (for AM peak trains) with a discount of 50% off full fare. So if you’re traveling with a family, the LIRR may be the cheapest way to get from Manhattan to JFK.
Another advantage of taking the train to Kennedy airport is that you’re not on the road (duh), so you don’t have to deal with traffic backups.
Once you get off at Jamaica station, you’ll take the AirTrain JFK the rest of the way to the airport (details below).
Getting to JFK from Manhattan by on the
If you are in lower or upper Manhattan, it’s probably easiest to take the A train (blue in the picture above) to the Howard Beach / JFK Airport subway station. If you’re in midtown, it’s probably slightly faster to take the E train to the Sutphin Boulevard / Archer Avenue / JFK Airport stop.
In either case, a subway ride from Manhattan to JFK will take 45 to 60 minutes.
Once you get off the subway (from either the A or E line), you will take the AirTrain JFK.
Real-life subway example
After my son and I had our fun layover (SEE: 5 awesome things I did in New York City), we took the to JFK. We were up near Rockefeller Center (in a blizzard) when we needed to make our way to the . That put us most convenient to the E , so we walked down to the Lexington Avenue / 53rd Street station and then boarded an outbound E . The to the Sutphin Boulevard / Archer Avenue / stop station took about 35 minutes.
That put us most convenient to the E train – we walked down to the Lexington Avenue / 53rd Street station and then boarded an outbound E train. The ride to the Sutphin Boulevard / Archer Avenue / JFK Airport stop station took about 35 minutes.
Step-by-step instructions for riding the AirTrain JFK
You can’t take the subway all the way to the airport. You need to use AirTrain JFK for this last part of your journey. Here’s how to do it.
If you’re arriving at the Jamaica station (from either the E train or the LIRR):
Just follow the signs for the JFK AirTrain. The subway comes in underground, so you’ll need to exit the subway fare control area and go upstairs via escalator or elevator. The LIRR tracks are elevated at Jamaica, and the AirTrain is accessible via a bridge over the tracks.
If you’re arriving at the Howard Beach station (from the A train):
The tracks run at ground level, and the AirTrain to JFK is elevated, so you need to go upstairs. Just follow the signs!
How much does the AirTrain JFK cost?
The AirTrain JFK is free between the terminals, but there’s a $5 charge per person if you’re coming from Manhattan via either the Sutphin / Archer / JFK stop on the E line or the Howard Beach stop on the A line. Children under 5 free. You can use your pay-as-you-go (make sure is has enough money to cover the $8.50 fee) but unlimited Metrocards (like the 1-day or 3-day passes that you can buy) do NOT work for the AirTrain fee.
How often does the AirTrain JFK run?
Trains run to JFK every 7 minutes during peak times or 10 minutes at other times.
What are your tips for the cheapest and best way from Manhattan to JFK airport?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I am an ex NYC cab driver, subway fanatic and ultimate cheapskate. Yes, I have taken the subway countless times to either Howard Beach or Sutphin Blvd and then the AirTran. Although this method is not always feasible there is a cheaper way via the Q-10 bus.
There is a free transfer from the subway to the bus. To the airport, instead of Howard Beach, take the A train to the final stop Lefferts Blvd. (The A trains to Lefferts Blvd are more frequent than those to Howard Beach via Rockaway.) The Q-10 terminates at Terminal 4 and then the complimentary Airtran to your desired terminal. Total fare $2.75.
Instead of Sutphin Blvd. take the E or F train to the Kew Gardens station and then the Q-10 bus. Signs from the subway will direct you to the Q-10 bus.
From JFK you can take the Howard Beach Airtran to Lefferts Blvd (free) and pick up the Q-10 or the Airtran to terminal 4.
Thanks – that’s good advice!
Correction, it ends at Jetblue’s terminal 5, as well as the other four airlines which also depart out of terminal 5; (Aer Lingus/TAP Air Portugal/Hawaiian/Cape Air). For all other terminals (1/2/4/7/8), if people take specifically the Q10 *LIMITED* to the Lefferts Blvd-AirTrain stop which is the 1st drop-off within JFK; then passengers can enter the AirTrain station without needing a metrocard, and ride the AirTrain for free to any of the other terminals; *not including terminal 5 since the buses goes directly to there, and that is also last stop for all MTA buses (B15, Q3 and Q10/Q10 “LIMITED”) within JFK*.
Yup I’ve seen the Q10 bus but never actually rode it as I prefer the train. One thing to note is LIRR from Penn Station to Jamaica off-peak one-way in both directions is only $4.25 per person on Saturdays and Sundays (normally called CityTicket at the ticket window.)
If you are so lazy to repost stuff from 2018 just to generate clicks, at least update your info. Airtrain fare is $8.50 now. It’s not that hard to find out with some research. Tired of these lazy Boarding Area bloggers. Nothing wrong with make money here but at least put in some effort.
Thanks for the catch – I’ve updated the post
If I am paying my won way, I catch the local Chinese Chinatown shuttle. You are crammed in 8-12 seater van but it’s like $5-10 bucks and I top the driver $10 bucks (some people tip less), it probably helps to be able to speak Chinese. Takes no longer or shorter than an Uber/taxi and you do have to share but you can get out at any street corner before Chinatown if it’s where you want to go … no dropoff like Uber/taxi but just Chinatown. They also go in reverse. Pretty uch 8 to 9 everyday.
Uber and Lyft are the most expensive way to get to JFK and LaGuardia. Yellow taxi is the best they know where they’re going the professionals and it is the cheapest.
As a New Yorker I can’t understand why people take a taxi/Uber to JFK unless they have a lot of bags. The E Train to Jamaica or the A Train to Howard Beach are a much more reliable, much cheaper, and even more comfortable ride. If you’re near Penn Station the LIRR can be quicker for a few more bucks.
I’m not sure what the Chinatown Bus guy is talking about. It’s a good way to get from Chinatown, Main Street Flushing, or 8th Ave. Brooklyn for $5 and without intermediate stops, but whether or not you speak Chinese or tip the driver, it won’t take you to JFK or LGA.
I agree – I have taken the subway (E/A train depending on where I am in Manhattan) every time I need to get from Manhattan to JFK and I find it very easy to do
Just like others have mentioned about the Q10 bus option, there are other options using the subway/bus route and pay just one fare of $2.90 for the entire journey. You can take the F train to the last stop, 179th St in Queens, then transfer upstairs for free (with your OMNY or Metrocard) to the Q3 bus which will take you right to JFK, to the free AirTran stop at Lefferts Blvd. Also, you can take the 3 train to the last stop, New Lots Avenue in Brooklyn, and then transfer for free to the B15 bus which also goes to the JFK AirTran station at Lefferts. Wouldn’t recommend these options if you are in a rush or traveling during rush hours and have large suitcases because you are on a public bus. But if cost is the only thing important to you, then these are two additional options to get to JFK for less than 3 bucks.