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We are two seniors who will be staying in an apartment in Lenox Hill. Light carry on luggage only.
I know these are NOT necessarily the same answer, so two questions:
Which airport is the most convenient for us to use?
Which airport would be the cheapest for us to get to from Lenox Hill?
LaGuardia is closest, just a short ride from the Triborough bridge which in turn is less than about thirty or so minutes from UES via the FDR Drive. However much will depend upon traffic which itself varies by time of day.
Kennedy would be my next choice being in Queens means in theory will be easier to reach UES (via TBB, Queensborough bridge or Mid-Town Tunnel. Newark means not only having to get into Manhattan from New Jersey, but unless you take the George Washington Bridge, then Henry Hudson to FDR you'll have to come into Manhattan either way downtown (Holland Tunnel) or Mid-Town (Lincoln Tunnel) and make your way across Manhattan and up to the UES.
LaGuardia is closest, just a short ride from the Triborough bridge which in turn is less than about thirty or so minutes from UES via the FDR Drive. However much will depend upon traffic which itself varies by time of day.
Kennedy would be my next choice being in Queens means in theory will be easier to reach UES (via TBB, Queensborough bridge or Mid-Town Tunnel. Newark means not only having to get into Manhattan from New Jersey, but unless you take the George Washington Bridge, then Henry Hudson to FDR you'll have to come into Manhattan either way downtown (Holland Tunnel) or Mid-Town (Lincoln Tunnel) and make your way across Manhattan and up to the UES.
I'm not trying to be a pain, but is UES = Upper East Side?
I'm gathering from your response that LGA and JFK are about the same in terms of convenience and cost to get there, correct? (and I should forget about Newark).
And thank you for the quick reply!
I'm not trying to be a pain, but is UES = Upper East Side?
I'm gathering from your response that LGA and JFK are about the same in terms of convenience and cost to get there, correct? (and I should forget about Newark).
And thank you for the quick reply!
Yes, "UES" = Upper East Side
JFK is further away from Manhattan out in Queens on Jamaica Bay. LaGuardia is closer to Manhattan and as such travel times are shorter.
Expense to get between either an Manhattan will vary by method chosen. By law NYC taxis have a flat rate to JFK, but not LGA. Then you have private car services, public transit and so forth.
If you go to Google maps and enter either JFK or LGA and then click "directions" you can then enter the address you'll be staying. From there Google will provide mass transit, driving and other options.
Just so you know LGA in undergoing a massive construction project ATM, so you may want to see if it will impact how you get to and from, especially if mobility is an issue At times people have gotten out of their taxis or whatever and walked because things were so bad and they needed to catch their flights.
LaGuardia is by far closer to Manhattan and the Upper East Side (UES) than JFK, and its a much cheaper cab ride into the city. You could even do public transit from LGA if you wanted to. Of course with surface transportation, it does depend on traffic. Get caught in rush hour and all bets are off.
No one is mentioning Newark? Newark is almost as close, and if you take the shuttle bus into Manhattan, the difference in price is negligible. Even as seniors, you might find it easiest to take the shuttle to midtown, and then a taxi to the UES.
The bigger factor will really be, does your airline allow you the option of choosing airports?
No one is mentioning Newark? Newark is almost as close, and if you take the shuttle bus into Manhattan, the difference in price is negligible. Even as seniors, you might find it easiest to take the shuttle to midtown, and then a taxi to the UES.
The bigger factor will really be, does your airline allow you the option of choosing airports?
Mentioned Newark, and stated my opinion; it is no way "convenient" or "fast" to reach from UES. I live on the Upper East Side and drive through/to New Jersey (usually via the Lincoln Tunnel) all the time. Unless you are coming into or leaving Manhattan late/off hours or maybe a good part of the weekend or a holiday just getting to and from the tunnel can take twenty or more minutes. Then you have to get through it and deal with traffic on either side coming from or getting to Newark.
OTOH it is under twenty minutes or so to reach UES from LGA as it is right off the TBB/FDR. Also it can be a "one seat" ride that may be cheaper than shuttle buses and transferring because it is so close. Heck if you take the 125th Street bus then transfer to subway or bus along an UES route it is faster and cheaper than anything from Newark.
Mentioned Newark, and stated my opinion; it is no way "convenient" or "fast" to reach from UES. I live on the Upper East Side and drive through/to New Jersey (usually via the Lincoln Tunnel) all the time. Unless you are coming into or leaving Manhattan late/off hours or maybe a good part of the weekend or a holiday just getting to and from the tunnel can take twenty or more minutes. Then you have to get through it and deal with traffic on either side coming from or getting to Newark.
OTOH it is under twenty minutes or so to reach UES from LGA as it is right off the TBB/FDR. Also it can be a "one seat" ride that may be cheaper than shuttle buses and transferring because it is so close. Heck if you take the 125th Street bus then transfer to subway or bus along an UES route it is faster and cheaper than anything from Newark.
Our location will be 1st Avenue and 63rd Street. (This is a home exchange - they will be in our home in Raleigh, while we are staying in their pierre de tête in Manhattan. Yes, we've done these before and it's worked out beautifully. Getting an exchange in NYC is the unicorn of exchanges, along with Paris and SF, so we're very, very lucky.)
Bugsy Pal, you seem to get exactly what my question intended to learn. Thank you. If I may, I have another:
As said, we are seniors. We do consider budget, but comfort and convenience matters, too. We don't need luxury, but we're not dirt broke either. While in the city, we will do public transport and Uber or taxi. We travel light.
So - assuming we depart from LGA, which makes sense - car service, taxi or Uber? (I sense that public transport is a PITA to LGA).
And one slightly OT question: We've used Uber in many cities, internationally and domestically. It's ALWAYS been cheaper than taxi. Some are telling me that the price difference in NYC for most shorter rides is negligible. Is that accurate?
(PS - love your member name. One of my favorite films. If you look like Warren Beatty. . . or Annette Bening, for that matter. )
Public transport to any of the airports is a PitA. A taxi would probably be easiest since you can walk out of the terminal and grab one. On your way back, you may feel comfortable another way since you sound like good travelers.
Our location will be 1st Avenue and 63rd Street. (This is a home exchange - they will be in our home in Raleigh, while we are staying in their pierre de tête in Manhattan. Yes, we've done these before and it's worked out beautifully. Getting an exchange in NYC is the unicorn of exchanges, along with Paris and SF, so we're very, very lucky.)
Bugsy Pal, you seem to get exactly what my question intended to learn. Thank you. If I may, I have another:
As said, we are seniors. We do consider budget, but comfort and convenience matters, too. We don't need luxury, but we're not dirt broke either. While in the city, we will do public transport and Uber or taxi. We travel light.
So - assuming we depart from LGA, which makes sense - car service, taxi or Uber? (I sense that public transport is a PITA to LGA).
And one slightly OT question: We've used Uber in many cities, internationally and domestically. It's ALWAYS been cheaper than taxi. Some are telling me that the price difference in NYC for most shorter rides is negligible. Is that accurate?
(PS - love your member name. One of my favorite films. If you look like Warren Beatty. . . or Annette Bening, for that matter. )
Have never used Uber or other such services but IIRC they are not allowed to use the taxi area of NYC area airports. Know they do pick up and drop off customers, but how this is managed cannot say. Am sure others who do used Uber or whatever can fill you in on that score.
If choice of vehicle is important, that is you want to be sure of something more than a cramped Crown Victoria sedan then I'd go with a car service. While there are various SUV or other types of taxis these days there is no promise that is what you'll get upon arrival.
Thank you for the compliments regarding my screen name. Get so many queries over origin. Comes from not Warren Beatty but someone far more fun:
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or Annette Bening, for that matter. 
)
