New York Airports: A Guide For Aleagentsir Travellers

Allegiant Air offers flights to New York, with John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and New York LaGuardia Airport being the main airports in the state that they fly to. Allegiant Airlines provides non-stop flights and low airfares to New York City/Newark, with flights from Destin/Ft. Walton Beach to New York/Newark starting at $39.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

The airport opened in 1948 as New York International Airport, commonly known as Idlewild Airport, and was renamed in tribute to President John F. Kennedy following his assassination in 1963. JFK has undergone various developments over the years, including terminal openings and demolitions, and the construction of the air traffic control tower, which began full operations in October 1994. The tower, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, stands at 320 feet and was the world's tallest control tower at the time of its completion.

JFK is accessible primarily by road, with the JFK Expressway and Interstate 678 providing connections to the airport. The airport is supplied with electricity by the Kennedy International Airport Power Plant, owned and operated by the Calpine Corporation.

While it is a major hub for many airlines, there is no specific mention of Allegiant Air serving JFK Airport. Allegiant Air operates out of over 100 airports across the United States, but it is not clear if JFK is one of them.

Skyport Seaplane Base

The New York Skyports Seaplane Base (IATA: NYS, FAA LID: 6N7) is a seaplane base in the East River VFR corridor in New York City. It is located at the foot of East 23rd Street between Waterside Plaza and Stuyvesant Cove Park. The base opened in 1939 and was later incorporated into the Skyport Marina, which opened in 1962. It is the only seaplane base in New York City.

The idea for a seaplane base at East 23rd Street was first promoted in the mid-1930s by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, who wanted to renovate an abandoned pier on the East River that had previously been used as a terminal for ferries to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. One of the original objectives of the seaplane base was to provide a faster airmail link to Manhattan.

Construction on the seaplane base began in 1936, and by March 1936, two airlines had bid for its use for regular service to Boston. However, the base did not open until 1939. During this time, another seaplane base at East 31st Street was in operation, with Keystone Airlines providing intercity service to Philadelphia from 1936 to 1940. The East 31st Street base closed by 1941 due to the construction of a new highway, and the East 23rd Street base became part of the Skyport Marina, a multipurpose waterfront facility that included a parking garage and a marina.

The seaplane base has faced several closures over the years due to noise complaints and safety concerns. In 1983, the base was shut down for six months when the city refused to renew its permit. After negotiations and court proceedings, the city was ordered to renew the permit. However, commercial air tours were later banned from using the pier due to noise concerns. Despite these challenges, the seaplane base continues to operate, with Tailwind Air providing scheduled service from the base to Boston Harbor as recently as 2021.

Stewart Airport

New York Stewart International Airport, colloquially known as Stewart International Airport, is a civil-military airport in Orange County, New York. It is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, south of Kingston, and southwest of Poughkeepsie, approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of Manhattan, New York City.

The airport is located within the towns of Newburgh and New Windsor. It was included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, where it was categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.

The airport continues to serve as a military airfield, housing the 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard and the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron.

Newark Liberty International Airport

The airport was constructed on 68 acres of marshland in 1928, and the Army Air Corps operated the facility during World War II. After the Port Authority took over in 1948, an instrument runway, a terminal building, a control tower, and an air cargo centre were constructed. The airport's original terminal, Building 51, also known as the Administration Building, housed the airport's first air traffic control tower and was designed by John Homlish in the 1930s. A new, taller control tower was built in 2002, and the current tower, located next to a Marriott hotel, is 325 feet tall (99 m).

The airport's name was changed from Newark International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in 2002, paying tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks and the Statue of Liberty, lying 7 miles (11 km) east of the airport. A new 9/11 memorial was dedicated at the former administration building in September 2011, featuring a steel base plate with a small piece of an exterior column from the former World Trade Center's South Tower.

New York LaGuardia Airport

The development of LaGuardia Airport was a result of La Guardia's push for a central "express" airport to complement the existing Floyd Bennett Field, which was completed in 1930 and located farther away from the city centre. La Guardia's enthusiasm for the project was not universally shared, with some critics calling it a waste of money. Despite this, the airport was dedicated on October 15, 1939, as the New York Municipal Airport, and commenced operations on December 2, 1939.

LaGuardia Airport has been a hub for both American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, with American Airlines playing a pivotal role in the airport's early development. The airline was granted extra real estate during the airport's first year, including four hangars, which was an unprecedented amount of space at the time. American Airlines also established the first Admirals Club, the first private airline club in the world, at LaGuardia Airport in 1939.

In the 2000s and 2010s, LaGuardia Airport faced criticism for its outdated facilities, inefficient operations, and poor customer service. As a response, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced a multibillion-dollar reconstruction project in 2015, which aimed to modernise the airport's passenger infrastructure. The reconstruction was completed in January 2025, bringing LaGuardia Airport into a new era of improved facilities and enhanced customer experience.

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