New York - Airports

[clazman]

Researching Air Canada flights from New York to Ottawa and have the choice of LGA, JFK or EWR. I have always flown in/out of JFK and thought why not try LGA or EWR, wow in reading reviews all three airports really get slammed.

Any advice or direction on the better airport... will have lounge access

If relevant will be staying near Central Park and taking a mid-morning / lunch time flight

 

[knasty]

I go with what's closest - LGA. Nice view of the water and city too. I wouldn't want to spend a lot of time in any of them.

 

[defurax]

Researching Air Canada flights from New York to Ottawa and have the choice of LGA, JFK or EWR. I have always flown in/out of JFK and thought why not try LGA or EWR, wow in reading reviews all three airports really get slammed.

Any advice or direction on the better airport... will have lounge access

If relevant will be staying near Central Park and taking a mid-morning / lunch time flight

LGA is a complete dump. AC boarding gate area is like a bus stop in Kyrgyzstan...
Of course LGA is closer to Midtown than JFK and EWR.
The traffic is always unpredictable on the way to JFK, so if you are time constrained I would suggest LGA.
EWR is too far...

So I would say LGA>JFK>EWR

 

[wingspan]

EWR is probably my choice. Particularly if you're heading out in the morning. This is because you can get there early and watch the sun rise over Manhattan beyond the runways and the water. It's gorgeous. Plus it's very easy to get to.

 

[c814875]

Easy train out to EWR and nice manhattan views makes it hard to top. They are all busy though but in my experience is JFK can least handle the inbound load. Once took me 2 hours to LEAVE the airport.

 

[docjames]

LGA for mine for arriving - you're not hanging around the airport after arrival, and it's the closest to manhattan. Departure it's a coin toss - LGA is good that it's close but agree it's a bit of a dump!

Why not go into one and out of the other and try both?

 

[Baysider]

LGA for mine for arriving - you're not hanging around the airport after arrival, and it's the closest to manhattan. Departure it's a coin toss - LGA is good that it's close but agree it's a bit of a dump!

Why not go into one and out of the other and try both?

Agree, LGA was very easy to arrive into. Very easy cab ride into Manhattan, and did not experience any negatives.

 

[MelUser]

LGA closest but airline lounges very basic.

 

[dajop]

If planning taxi or private transport definitely LGA, closer and quicker. If doing public transport LGA will be bus ride which can be an issue with larger luggage, and also may depend on where you are specifically staying- how easy that is vs getting to Penn Station for train to EWR or JFK (or taking E train to JFK).

 

[SamR]

LGA is an absolute sh!thole for flying out, but for flying in would be ok for the reasons already given. I don't know JFK well, but I'd be prepared to fly out of there if I allowed enough time to get there.

I kinda like coming in from ERW. It's like being in the opening credits for The Sopranos.

 

[Himeno]

Only buses, shared ride shuttles and taxis for LGA. Trains into Manhattan from JFK and ERW. Very easy to get from Jamaica station (JFK) into Manhattan. Either the E train (loops through Brooklyn and south through Manhattan ~1 hour from Jamaica to Penn station via midtown) or the LIRR (~20 mins to Penn Station).

I'd avoid LGA if possible. No way I'd ever pay for a taxi from a NYC airport into Manhattan.

 

[dajop]

Only buses, shared ride shuttles and taxis for LGA.

If luggage isn't too onerous, can catch the N or Q to Astoria and changed to the M60 bus, and is probably still quicker than getting to either JFK or EWR if staying around upper east side or eastern side of Central Park. When I've done it (both to/from LGA), the wait for the bus and bus ride really wasn't much longer (if at all) than the airtrain rides at EWR or JFK.

 

[clazman]

thx for the responses so far, hotel to airport will be by Taxi.....