Airports In New York: Location And Accessibility

where are airports in new york

New York City is served by three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). JFK is the largest and busiest of the three, seeing over 62 million passengers per year. It is followed by LaGuardia, the second-largest airport in New York State and one of the top 20 busiest US airports, serving over 30 million passengers annually. Newark is the only one of the three located in New Jersey, but it still serves the New York City area. In addition to these major airports, New York City and the surrounding area are also served by several smaller airports, such as Teterboro Airport, the oldest operating airport in the New York metropolitan area, and Floyd Bennett Field, the city's first municipal airport.

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John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

JFK is a hub for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue. It is also a former hub for Braniff, Eastern, Flying Tigers, National, Northeast, Northwest, Pan Am, Seaboard World, Tower Air, and TWA. The airport first opened in 1948 as New York International Airport, but was commonly known as Idlewild Airport, named after the Idlewild Beach Golf Course that it displaced. In 1963, following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport.

JFK is served by more than 90 airlines, with nonstop or direct flights to destinations on all six inhabited continents. Some of the top international destinations from JFK include London Heathrow, Paris, Seoul, Madrid, Tel Aviv, and Frankfurt. The airport is connected to the New York City Subway and the Long Island Rail Road via the AirTrain JFK people mover system.

JFK is known for its variety of dining options, including Shake Shack, Bubby's, Dos Toros Taqueria, and Talde. Terminal A, also known as the Marine Air Terminal, is a notable piece of architecture, featuring a spectacular WPA mural in its rotunda. The airport's air traffic control tower, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, began full FAA operations in October 1994 and, at 320 feet (98 m), was the world's tallest control tower at the time of its completion.

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LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA, ICAO: KLGA, FAA LID: LGA), commonly referred to as LaGuardia or simply LGA, is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. It is situated on the northwestern shore of Long Island, bordering Flushing Bay. The airport was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City.

LaGuardia Airport covers 680 acres (280 hectares) as of January 1, 2025, and is one of the three major airports serving New York City, along with John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). LaGuardia primarily accommodates airline service to domestic destinations, but also offers limited international flights. In 2023, it was the third-busiest airport in the New York metropolitan area and the 19th-busiest in the United States by passenger volume.

LaGuardia Airport is not directly accessible by subway or train, so public transportation to the airport includes a bus leg. To reach the airport by public transit, you can take the E, F, M, or R train to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue or the 7 train to 74th St-Broadway, and then transfer to the free Q70-SBS LaGuardia Link bus, which stops at terminals B and C.

LaGuardia Airport has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years. The airport originally opened with four runways at 45-degree angles to each other, with the longest being 6,000 feet (1,800 metres). In 1947, runway 18/36 was closed after a United DC-4 ran off the south end. Runway 9/27 was closed around 1958, allowing the terminal to expand northward. In the early 1960s, runway 13/31 was shifted northeastward to accommodate the construction of a parallel taxiway. In the mid-1960s, the remaining runways were extended to their current length of 7,000 feet (2,100 metres).

In 2016, comprehensive plans for the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport were approved, with construction costs estimated between $4 billion and $5.3 billion. The project included the reconstruction of terminals and the implementation of an island gate system, where passengers would connect between the terminal building and the gates via bridges.

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Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

EWR is a major gateway to destinations in Europe, South America, Asia, and Oceania, serving more than 45 carriers and handling nearly 1,200 daily arrivals and departures. In 2022, the airport served 43.4 million passengers, making it the 13th busiest airport in the United States and the 23rd busiest in the world. The following year, in 2023, the airport had its busiest year to date, serving 49.1 million passengers. United Airlines is the largest tenant at the airport, serving about 63% of passengers.

EWR is accessible by road, with the airport located near the Newark Airport Interchange, the junction between Interstate 95 and Interstate 78. The Coach USA Newark Airport Express bus service runs between Midtown Manhattan and all EWR terminals, with a round-trip fare of $38.50 and a one-way ticket costing $22.50. Taxi rides between EWR and NYC can vary between 30 minutes to two hours, depending on traffic. A taxi to Manhattan starts from around $60, while a taxi from Manhattan to EWR typically costs a minimum of $70. Rideshare services like Uber or Lyft are also available but may have surge pricing.

Newark Liberty International Airport consists of multiple terminals, including Terminals A, B, and C, as well as the former North Terminal, which was torn down in 1997 to make way for a new air cargo facility. Terminal C, in particular, has received recognition for its culinary offerings, winning the 'Best for Foodies' award by Fodor's Travel Awards in 2019. The terminal features 55 restaurants headed by celebrity chefs, along with 6,000 iPads installed throughout.

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Teterboro Airport

In terms of transportation, Teterboro Airport can be reached via bus or rail. From the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, bus routes 161 (regular service), 165 (limited weekday service), and 144 (peak periods on weekdays) are available. For rail, the closest train station is Teterboro station, along the NJ Transit's Pascack Valley Line. Wood-Ridge station, on the same route, is also located close to the airport.

The Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey is located on the airport grounds. Established in 1972, it is the first state aviation hall of fame in the nation, honouring individuals who have made significant contributions to aeronautical achievements in the state. The museum showcases historical air and space equipment, artefacts, photographs, fine art, and an extensive model collection. The library boasts a vast collection of over 4,000 volumes and hundreds of aviation video tapes.

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Floyd Bennett Field

The New York metropolitan area has three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). However, Floyd Bennett Field, located in the Marine Park neighbourhood of southeast Brooklyn, was historically New York City's first municipal airport.

During the 1920s, air travel in Europe was more popular than in the United States due to the surplus of airplanes in Europe and the well-established national railroad system in the US. Despite this, New York City recognised the need for a municipal airport, and in 1930, Floyd Bennett Field was opened. The airport was formally dedicated on May 23, 1931, and quickly became the second-busiest airport in the United States, with 51,828 annual takeoffs and landings. However, few of these were commercial operations, and the airport mainly served general aviation.

During World War II, Floyd Bennett Field became part of the Naval Air Station New York and was a hub for naval activities. After the war, the airfield remained a naval air station until 1970, when the Navy stopped using it. The Coast Guard continued to maintain a helicopter base at the field until 1998. Today, Floyd Bennett Field is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area's Jamaica Bay Unit, managed by the National Park Service. While no longer a functioning commercial or military airfield, a section is still used as a helicopter base by the New York City Police Department, and one runway is reserved for hobbyists flying radio-controlled aircraft.

Frequently asked questions

There are two airports in New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). There is also one airport nearby in New Jersey: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

John F. Kennedy International Airport is the largest and busiest of the three major airports serving New York City, seeing more than 62 million passengers per year.

LaGuardia Airport is the closest airport to Manhattan, located about 8 miles away in Queens.

JFK Airport has a variety of dining options, including Shake Shack, Blue Point Brewery, Deep Blue Sushi, La Vie, AeroNuova, True Burger, and New York Deli.

Teterboro Airport is the oldest operating airport in the New York metropolitan area.

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