New York City - Travel from Manhattan to JFK - How long?

I have a 7 p.m. flight tomorrow (Friday) out of JFK. I am staying on the Upper East side. What time should we leave Manhattan to allow adequate time for a 7:15 domestic flight. I am checking bags and flying F.

I have a 7 p.m. flight tomorrow (Friday) out of JFK. I am staying on the Upper East side. What time should we leave Manhattan to allow adequate time for a 7:15 domestic flight. I am checking bags and flying F.

Are you talking cab/car service or train? Domestic or International flight? One thing you are going at rush hour and Friday summer at that. If by car, I'd leave no later than 4:30 PM (assuming domestic flight).

Are you talking cab/car service or train? Domestic or International flight? One thing you are going at rush hour and Friday summer at that. If by car, I'd leave no later than 4:30 PM (assuming domestic flight).

We will be taking a taxi. Flying domestic-- DL 107 JFK-SLC. With it being the summer and traveling in Rush hour I wanted to get a few ideas.

4:30 sounds about right. At worst you should get in at 6pm and still have 1:15 until your flight.

We will be taking a taxi. Flying domestic-- DL 107 JFK-SLC. With it being the summer and traveling in Rush hour I wanted to get a few ideas.

Just be aware that even the priority lanes at DL get backed up, particularly if you are going out of the dump that is T2. Personally I'd head out by 4PM, particularly if you have a SC membership (which makes T2 bearable.)

As long as flight isn't departing from horrible T4 TSA you are good.

As others say get in cab - you can take Trib/RFK Bridge if 90s+ upper and let him fight it via highway or take the QB Bridge if 80s down and ask him to take Queens Blvd directly to Woodhaven. It is all local but lights should be sequence and get you there within 40 mins. of exiting the bridge.

BTW - If driver takes Woodhaven ask him NOT to turn on to the Belt Pkwy but instead continue onwards and turn on the Conduit to get to JFK.

Just be aware that even the priority lanes at DL get backed up, particularly if you are going out of the dump that is T2. Personally I'd head out by 4PM, particularly if you have a SC membership (which makes T2 bearable.)

+1 If you are the type that doesn't want to get stressed, I would leave at 4 pm to give yourself plenty of time. I also agree about taking the LIE (Long Island Expressway) to Woodhaven Blvd. to JFK as a poster further down suggests. The traffic will be horrible past Laguardia to the exit of the Van Wyck that's why I also recommend Woodhaven to steer clear of this.

Friday afternoon in the summer is the worst time to be on the roads. In a "bad" case scenario it could take 2 hours to get to JFK, I would say 75-90 minutes is most likely, but an accident somewhere could really make it bad.

I would leave at 4pm, or even better, take the train, assuming you don't have a ton of bags. From UES, 6 subway to 51st St. to E train to Jamaica is probably your best bet.

Friday afternoon in the summer is the worst time to be on the roads.

I would leave at 4pm, or even better, take the train, assuming you don't have a ton of bags. From UES, 6 subway to 51st St. to E train to Jamaica is probably your best bet.

+1 if you aren't adverse to it public transportaetion is your best choice as it will get you to JFK within 60 minues and can leave at 4:45. You can worry about car transport and driving in SLC

We will be taking a taxi. Flying domestic-- DL 107 JFK-SLC. With it being the summer and traveling in Rush hour I wanted to get a few ideas.Friday afternoon (today) in June with a SUPER weather forecast this weekend as well as Sunday being Father's Day. You would be crazy to take a taxi unless you do it early enough in which you will be waiting at JFK unless you like the stress of not moving as time ticks away.

Take the E train to the Airtrain if you want to make the flight. Taking a taxi at 4 or 4:30 won't make much of a difference. Traffic starts building up after lunch.

Have to agree with the 4.30.

If it were an airline that flew from a more civilized terminal, I'd probably say 4.45 or even 5, but with Delta, that's probably the right call.

Friday afternoon (today) in June with a SUPER weather forecast this weekend as well as Sunday being Father's Day. You would be crazy to take a taxi unless you do it early enough in which you will be waiting at JFK unless you like the stress of not moving as time ticks away.

Take the E train to the Airtrain if you want to make the flight. Taking a taxi at 4 or 4:30 won't make much of a difference. Traffic starts building up after lunch.

The Belt eastbound is doing well at this time. :)

Edited to Add: News 12 Traffic just said (1:10 PM), "A lot of get away traffic" so it looks like Analise's prediction was correct.

How about taking the shuttle for $21 that picks you up from hotel?

Will we hear from the OP again? Wonder what happened.

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.

The horrible to hear the good alternative of Queens Blvd to Woodhaven or LIE/Woodhaven out has become a normal route. Thanks for FYI.

Additional comments to this thread if starting from lower Manhattan via Williamsburgh (all local but guarantees arrival in less than an hour) -
Metropolitan Ave during rush hour is sequence lighting so it is LONG local but will get one to Woodhaven and roughly less than an hour to JFK.

Alternate to this - Williamsburgh to Bushwick Ave/Penn Ave to Atlantic/Conduit. There are multiple shortcuts in this method to get around the major intersections (e.g. Penn & Atlantic) - this last one during rush hour seems long (lots of pot holes and erratic driving) but actually quite speedy.

These work best during evening rush hour M-F and wouldn't suggest any other time as without the time streetlights for traffic flow it is too inefficient.

We got in the taxi at Lexington and 48th at 4:00. We asked the driver to take the Queens Blvd to Woodhaven route. Traffic was the worst I have seen it in NYC in some time. We arrived at the airport 5:55. We arrived at the SkyPriority check-in desk at 6:10... Just in time to beat the 60 minute window. It was a little to close for comfort, but thank you all for the advice.

Estimate of most of your time wasted (worse than anticipated) in Manhattan, Queens Blvd or Woodhaven or it was all a cluster? Public Trans the way to go based on your testimony!

We got in the taxi at Lexington and 48th at 4:00. We asked the driver to take the Queens Blvd to Woodhaven route. Traffic was the worst I have seen it in NYC in some time.That's why you were advised to take the subway. ;) Who needs the stress?

We arrived at the airport 5:55. We arrived at the SkyPriority check-in desk at 6:10... Just in time to beat the 60 minute window. It was a little to close for comfort, but thank you all for the advice.:)

How do you guys feel about taking a shuttle service van from the hotel to JFK? I've seen they are for $21, a shared one. You put in the time of the flight, so I guess they won't be late, as they are specifically going to the airport for that particular flight time. And it's cheaper than a taxi, with a pickup from hotel also. Any thoughts?

How do you guys feel about taking a shuttle service van from the hotel to JFK? I've seen they are for $21, a shared one. You put in the time of the flight, so I guess they won't be late, as they are specifically going to the airport for that particular flight time. And it's cheaper than a taxi, with a pickup from hotel also. Any thoughts?Hate it. You might be stopping at hotel after hotel after hotel before they head to JFK. They will probably pick you up early to do that. Then if you're going to Terminal 7, the driver might do the terminals in numerical order. That said, if you're traveling on a Friday after lunch, the shuttle will be stuck just as car service will be stuck in traffic.

Hate it. You might be stopping at hotel after hotel after hotel before they head to JFK. They will probably pick you up early to do that. Then if you're going to Terminal 7, the driver might do the terminals in numerical order. That said, if you're traveling on a Friday after lunch, the shuttle will be stuck just as car service will be stuck in traffic.

Well I don't really mind stopping a lot if they get there on time. I assume they always get on time if they do this on a daily basis many times a day. What do you think? It's cheaper than taxi, and it's less hassle then going by bus/train/metro/etc.

How do you guys feel about taking a shuttle service van from the hotel to JFK? I've seen they are for $21, a shared one. You put in the time of the flight, so I guess they won't be late, as they are specifically going to the airport for that particular flight time. And it's cheaper than a taxi, with a pickup from hotel also. Any thoughts?

Where are you staying? These services can also be gamed. For instance, anecdotal evidence suggests that for trips to LGA they tend to do west-side pickups first and then east-side pickups on their way East to the airport. This would make sense so they don't have to criss-cross Manhattan multiple times. So, if you happen to be staying on the east side, you may want to gamble that you'll be one of the last pickups.

Well I don't really mind stopping a lot if they get there on time. I assume they always get on time if they do this on a daily basis many times a day. What do you think? It's cheaper than taxi, and it's less hassle then going by bus/train/metro/etc.The subway and Airtrain to me aren't hassles; they are easy and inexpensive. Best combination IMHO. Whenever I travel to major cities, I use their public transportation. Being stuck on a van sitting in traffic as it goes from one hotel to another is a hassle.

Well I don't really mind stopping a lot if they get there on time. I assume they always get on time if they do this on a daily basis many times a day. What do you think? It's cheaper than taxi, and it's less hassle then going by bus/train/metro/etc.

The problem with the shuttle service is the inordinate amount of additional time they tack on for being sure they get you there on time. For instance, if the OP had requested a shuttle pick up it probably would have recommended a pick up time of 2:00 pm. When I tried once it estimated a 3:00 am pick up for a 7:00 am flight out of JFK which is ridiculous. You can probably save an our on that estimate if you're close to midtown on hop on the NYC Airporter.

It is definitely less of a hassle than public transit if you have many bags or just don't like carry suitcases around the subway which is a major pain, especially on the east side E trains which are deep underground. The OP probably just wanted to get his luggage in a car and not have to lug it around everywhere with him. The problem with taking the Woodhaven/Queens Blvd route is that its a major surface street. Usually it's a little quicker to take the 495 out to the GCP and then the service road/Linden Blvd.

If you have carry on and are fairly able bodied the Subway/AirTrain is convenient and timely but if not there are a number of alternatives which just take extra time. Unless of course its a Saturday afternoon in which case traffic is almost non-existent. Midtown to T7 in 20 minutes last weekend.

We got in the taxi at Lexington and 48th at 4:00. We asked the driver to take the Queens Blvd to Woodhaven route. Traffic was the worst I have seen it in NYC in some time. We arrived at the airport 5:55. We arrived at the SkyPriority check-in desk at 6:10... Just in time to beat the 60 minute window. It was a little to close for comfort, but thank you all for the advice.ok, so that was my "bad" case scenario. At least you took my advice and left at 4. :)