If you want to get from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Manhattan and vice versa, you have plenty of options! Whether you prefer a fast transfer or cheap transfer, you’ll find it here! Below, I listed all transfer options between JFK and Manhattan, including shuttle, subway, taxi, and even helicopter.
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How to get from JFK to Manhattan
The JFK Airport is located in the borough of Queens and is the primary airport serving New York, meaning that most people flying into New York will land here. The airport is about 15 miles from Manhattan and therefore the second closest to the city, after LaGuardia Airport with eight miles, and before Newark Airport with 17 miles.
Landing at JFK will give you multiple transfer options from the airport to Manhattan. Having many options, however, can also be overwhelming, which is why I have created an overview of all your options, followed by detailed descriptions.
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* The sixth option to Manhattan from JFK would be a helicopter!
1. Book a Private Airport Transfer
Starting at $30 per person, you can also book a private JFK airport transfer to Manhattan. These private transfer services are available 24/7 making them a very convenient option. Once you arrive at JFK Airport, call the number provided on your booking confirmation and your car will arrive promptly. This is the family-friendliest and also fastest transfer from JFK to Manhattan.
JFK to Manhattan MANHATTAN TO JFK
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2. Use Public Transportation
If you are looking for the cheapest transfer from JFK to Manhattan, public transportation is the way to go! You can take choose from the subway or the NYC Airporter Bus.
Subway
To get to the subway, you first need to take the AirTrain. The AirTrain charges a fee upon exiting, meaning you can simply board the train. When changing into the subway, you will automatically be charged the fee for the AirTrain which is a whopping $8.50. A single subway ride then costs $2.90 with a pay-per-ride MetroCard. When taking the JFK Air Train, you have two options:
JFK AirTrain Red: Taking the red AirTrain to “Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer” will give you access to subway line . If your destination is in Midtown or Uptown Manhattan, this is the route for you! As an alternative to the subway, you could also take the LIRR (Long Island Railway) from Jamaica to New York Penn Station. It is faster, but also more expensive.
JFK AirTrain Green: Taking the green AirTrain to “Howard Beach JFK Airport” connects you to subway lines and . This is the ideal way from JFK to Lower Manhattan.
If you’re not exactly sure which route would be best for you, have a look at the MTA subway map.
- The total cost for this transfer is $11.40 per person ($8.50 for the AirTrain + $2.90 for the subway)
NYC Airporter Bus
The second option you have is the New York City Airporter Shuttle Bus. It leaves every half an hour between 11 am and 7 pm. The shuttle bus is a great way to save money due to the competitive price point per person and is an easy and non-complicated way to organize a New York airport transfer. This transfer is particularly useful if you wish to travel from JFK to Times Square, JFK to Port Authority Bus Terminal or JFK to Grand Central Terminal.
You can pre-book your tickets, so you won’t have to search for NYC Airporter sales agents or counters at JFK Airport. With a mobile ticket ready, you can head straight to the bus, departing from Terminals 1, 4 & 8.
You can get off at the following bus stops:
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- Grand Central Terminal
- Port Authority Bus Terminal
- Times Square
- The total cost for this transfer is $19 per person
3. Take a Taxi
Taxis between JFK and Manhattan offer a flat rate of $52 per ride. 50 cents are added in NY State tax and an additional $4.50 may be added if you are riding the cab during peak hours. Unfortunately, you will also have to pay for tolls and tip.
When taking a taxi from JFK to Manhattan, the screen should read “Rate #2- JFK Airport”.
- The total cost for this transfer is $52.50 (+ tolls, tip, and surcharge, if applicable)
4. Call an Uber or Lyft
Ordering or hailing a taxi to JFK is easy, however, it will cost quite a bit. A slightly cheaper alternative to get from JFK to Manhattan is Uber. We recommend checking the estimated fare of your journey before you order your Uber, as fares can fluctuate according to the time of the day. If you’ve used Uber before, you know it’s easy to order one. All you have to do is enter your information into the app and you can be sure that your Uber to Manhattan is only a few minutes away.
5. Take a helicopter
Something really luxurious is the combination of airport transfer and sightseeing flight – there are several providers that will take you by helicopter from the airports around New York City to Manhattan. Starting your New York vacation couldn’t be better!
Here you can find the best New York Helicopter Airport Transfers:
JFK to Manhattan
My personal pick
I am a big fan of public transportation and always use the subway or bus system where available. If this is your first time in New York or you are carrying a lot of luggage, however, I would not recommend taking the subway as you do have to change trains a couple of times. It can be intimidating and tiring.
My recommendations:
Traveling alone or as a couple? ➡️ Private Transfer
Traveling as a party of 3-5? ➡️ Private transfer
Traveling as a party > 5? ➡️ Multiple private transfers or a shuttle
Traveling with kids? ➡️ Private transfer
Getting from Manhattan to JFK
In order to transfer from Manhattan to JFK, you can just take one of the options listed above and reverse it! That means you can transfer from Manhattan to JFK by:
- taxi directly to the airport
- private transfer directly to the airport
- shuttle bus directly to the airport
- subway, followed by AirTrain
- bus from Grand Central Station, Port Authority, or Times Square, followed by AirTrain
- rideshares (like Uber or Lyft) directly to the airport
- helicopter ride by Uber Copter
Always allow extra time when traveling from Manhattan to the JFK as traffic can be unpredictable. It is recommended to be at the airport at least two hours before your departure when traveling domestically and three hours when flying internationally.