Iin the borough of Queens, about 15 miles outside midtown Manhattan, JFK is the larger of two airports within New York City. Dozens of airlines fly in and out of this international facility, while American Airlines, JetBlue and Delta operate major hubs. In 2003, the Port Authority of New York unveiled the AirTrain, a monorail that connects all six airport terminals to the A subway line. Visitors can ride the A train directly to Times Square, a trip of about an hour. Public transportation is often faster and much cheaper than a cab ride, but taxis are available from designated stands for a flat rate.
LaGuardia Airport handles domestic flights and some flights to and from the Caribbean at its northern Queens facility. Delta is the major carrier with a hub on site. While LaGuardia is geographically closer to Times Square than JFK, public transportation options are few, and the best available method is time-consuming. No subway line reaches LaGuardia. Visitors can take the M60 city bus from any of the terminals to West 110th Street and Broadway in Upper Manhattan. From there, the 1 subway line runs directly to Times Square. A cab from LaGuardia to Times Square is generally faster.
Across the Hudson River in New Jersey, roughly 17 miles from Times Square, Newark is the area’s second-largest airport and convenient to the west side of Manhattan. The facility handles major airlines as well as cargo carriers such as FedEx. Arriving passengers can take the Newark AirTrain monorail from any terminal to connections with New Jersey Transit and Amtrak, which then travel the short distance to Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. From there, it’s a one-stop ride on the A subway line or a 10-block walk north to Times Square.
Four smaller area airports serve regional and charter flights. Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, is just 12 miles from Manhattan. MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, New York, is about 45 miles east of Manhattan and serves regional traffic on Long Island. Stewart Airport is about 60 miles north of New York City in Newburgh, New York. Also north of the city, Westchester County Airport, 30 miles from Manhattan, serves six passenger airlines. From all four complexes, a car is the best option for traveling the distance to Times Square.
