Ditto on being nice to hear/feedback from OP -
This is more FYI for future reference - highway approach in PM hours: both GCP and VWE approach coming from LGA to JFK had been really horrible this past week (as always, really,) I had several runs this past week between home office in Queens and JFK - Howard Beach area, near Conduit Ave. & Woodheaven in the afternoon.
There is ongoing midday/long term highway reconstructions around LGA, lane closure began as the morning rush hour level off thru the afternoon (3 pm) - smack into the PM rush. Long term reconstructions/widening of the VWE around Main Street/Union Turnpike/Kew Gardens interchange area "mushroomed" out the delays in all directions except late night/predawn hours - the backup southbound on VWE and GCP began south of Long Island (Ex)pwy even before Jewel Ave. ramps (coming back from JFK, it began shortly after exiting the Belt Pkwy onto VWE northbound - with local streets/service roads equally jammed.
The only practical alternative has been the Woodheaven Blvd, which apparently everybody else has been discovering & using, including yellow taxis, car services - even Golden Touch coaches (favorite of airline crews for transport) - just haven't run into a blue "Super Shuttle" van, yet - traffic has been heavier than usual/in the past, taking an average of 30 minutes from the LIE Service Road/Queens Blvd. exit to Conduit Ave (plus another 10 minutes to reach JFK's various terminals.) "Smart" drivers leaving JFK toward midtown apparently are using WB to bypass the VWE mess, so you got it - tons of vehicles across 4+ lanes northbound toward the LIE.
Coming from UES/Manhattan, the RFK (a/k/a formerly Triborogh Bridge) is probably a "safer" bet - via 1st. or 3rd. Avenue (should the FDR Drive be jammed or shut down for whatever reasons) unless one is closer to the Queensborough Bridge, with easy "run" down Queens Blvd. & then straight down Woodheaven Blvd. Regardless, I'm leaning more toward allowing 90 minutes to get to JFK to be on the safe side, 75 minutes is only possible on a "dream" Friday (summer traffic hasn't been that might "lighter" in the past few years, now with lower gasoline prices - folks are hitting the roads again to get out of town or come into the city ...)
To stay ahead of mad traffic around the city by half a step, it's listening to 3 AM radio stations on the :08, :11, and :05 - plus Google NAV with traffic, and up to 6 traffic cam on Android to keep tabs on key bridges/city crossings ...
Travelers with light luggage/carryons and can navigate stairs & steps, the E Train to the AirTrain at Jamaica to JFK is really a practical option for any afternoon rush hour - traffic begin picking up the paces around 2:30 or 3 pm.