New York City - Wind Delays at NYC Airports

From anecdotal experience are the delays at LGA or EWR worse when there are high winds?

From anecdotal experience are the delays at LGA or EWR worse when there are high winds?

Honestly, no real difference. Are you going to NYC or NJ? You'll likely save a lot more time by seriously considering the airport based on that.

glx has it right, but getting into NYC from EWR is easier now with the AirTrain if you are headed to midtown.

I live in NY, I'm just trying to see if I should switch from one to the other to reduce or enhance misconnect chances down the line.

If you want to get kicked in the left nut by delays book to EWR. If you want to get kicked in the right nut by delays book LGA. :D

EWR is a better bet to avoid wind delays if you're inbound aircraft is scheduled to arrive before 10:00am. Before 10:00 am there are only about 30 arrivals an hour scheduled, and EWR can handle that with pretty much any wind configuration. LGA is scheduled at its maximum optimum weather capacity pretty much every single hour of the day.

You can play with the FAA's arrival demand charts. (http://www.fly.faa.gov/Products/AADC/aadc.html)
Times on those are GMT (4 hours ahead of new york now).

You can see the arrival rates for each airport depending on the configuration at http://fly.faa.gov/ois.

You'll notice that EWR has a nice lull in the morning before the first European arrival bank, and then it starts to get busy. LGA is busy and you can count on delays in less-than-optimal wind conditions unless you take flights where the aircraft has remained over night.

For afternoon flights they're both about equal, I'd say.

This thread has now been moved from the UA Forum here to the NYC Forum.

/Moderator

From my experience EWR is the worse of the three airport. Maybe, because lga has maximum flight slots and flies similar equipment (regionals, m80, 320s, 757) vs. much bigger range at EWR. I find ATC quickly will introduce wind/low ceiling inbound for EWR earlier in the day and keep it until late evening.

The other comment on this is the carriers pad so much cushion into NYC that what might be an inbound hold of an hour+ may still result in on time arrival.

If flying in on propeller all bets are off.

... getting into NYC from EWR is easier now with the AirTrain if you are headed to midtown.Have nothing to add on the wind issue, but do want to point out that this statement, if it's meant to say that public transportation to midtown Manhattan is easier from EWR than it is from LGA or JFK, is not true.

Have nothing to add on the wind issue, but do want to point out that this statement, if it's meant to say that public transportation to midtown Manhattan is easier from EWR than it is from LGA or JFK, is not true.

Add to the thread -
10:41AM via FAA.GOV
Delays by Destination:
Due to WEATHER / WIND, departure traffic destined to Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ (EWR) is currently experiencing delays averaging 42 minutes.

No other airport has delays except for SFO due to low visibility.

Regarding public transportation - ALL three airports offer direct bus to midtown at a reasonable price. This is a scheduled service and point to point.
Via Train service
1. JFK or EWR - Easiest (AirTran to LIRR or NJ Transit to midtown)
3. LGA - Hardest (City Bus to Subway line)
4. HPN - Longest - Bus to Metro North

Regarding public transportation - ALL three airports offer direct bus to midtown at a reasonable price. This is a scheduled service and point to point.
Via Train service
1. JFK or EWR - Easiest (AirTran to LIRR or NJ Transit to midtown)
3. LGA - Hardest (City Bus to Subway line)
4. HPN - Longest - Bus to Metro North
Disagree with your characterization of public transportation from LGA as being the hardest. Public transportation from LGA generally requires two seats (bus to subway), whereas public transportation from EWR and JFK generally requires at least two, but often three seats (AirTrain to commuter train to subway). Public transportation to Manhattan from LGA also is usually faster than public transportation from JFK and EWR. (These all are, of course, generalizations. The number of seats and the time required will always depend on the ultimate destination and how long one has to wait for trains, buses and subways.)

I fully recognize the people generally prefer riding trains over buses -- as do I -- but as someone who regularly rides the M60 and Q33 buses to and from LGA (as well as the AirTrain and LIRR to and from JFK), I can report that public transportation to and from LGA is very easy and very reliable.

I understand disagreement (as someone familiar with the process) - I categorize hardest (not for a local NY'ers) for a tourist.

JFK to Penn Station = AirTran to Jamaica > find LIRR (maybe 1-2 stops) > you are in midtown Manhattan. Can't get lost with all the assistance available and last stops for each.
EWR to Penn Station = AirTran to NJ Transit > exit turnstile and get to Track # and board ANY train for 2-3 stops (Newark-Penn, Secaucus and you are in midtown Manhattan) Can't get lost with all the assistance available.

LGA - If you are on the M60 (must figure out the stop for the desired train and announcements may or may not happen), if on Q33 (must know it is the LAST stop), and next board the subway and know the difference between the 7, E, F, R, M lines. Or when to take N vs. trains in Harlem. Plus, it doesn't take dollar bills and the driver might want to help you with directions but the 20 people waiting to board behind you with bags want you to get out of their way. Can be overwhelming and intimidating for a tourist is why I define hardest without instructions.

Sorry everyone else as hijack this thread to PANYNJ Airport public transportation options vs. the original topic on WIND delays.

At 4:51 PM ET - NYC area airport status via FAA.GOV
Delays by Destination:
Due to WX / WIND, departure traffic destined to Newark International Airport, Newark, NJ (EWR) is currently experiencing delays averaging 42 minutes.

Due to WX / WIND, departure traffic destined to Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA (PHL) is currently experiencing delays averaging 23 minutes.

JFK/LGA reports no delays.