New York City - What to do at JFK for a few hours overnight?

Hello I am new here and I am not exactly sure if I am posting in the right section, so my apologies ahead of time!

I am a college student flying out to East Coast. I arrive at JFK at 9:00 pm, and have a bus the next morning at 6:00 AM. Is there some place where I can spend those few hours? Also, when do you guys recommend I get a taxi - as in what time? The bus departs from a place that's about 30 miles away from JFK, according to google maps.

If anybody can help, I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Welcome to Flyertalk, chromedydx. There is a NYC Forum on Flyertalk and I am sure that there are folks in that forum who will give you some good advice.
Please continue to follow this thread in the NYC Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Thanks Obscure!

Welcome to FT! That's more than a few hours. This is a thread on what to do during an overnight layover at JFK.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/new-york-city/945988-what-do-overnight-layover-jfk-consolidated.html

There really isn't that much to do in the airport itself. Where exactly does your bus depart?

I would go to manhattan and times square. You can use the air train to train and get into the city.

The OP needs to be a little more specific where the bus leaves from (30 minutes away from JFK can be anywhere). It looks as though the OP will be overnight. He won't be able to stay at JFK landside after the terminal closes. And of course schleping around Manhattan with bags will be no fun and may be an issue depending on where he is getting his bus.

OP, give us more information. A 30 minute cab ride, assuming your bus pick up is not in Manhattan, will not be cheap.

Rent a Jet Ski! (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/demand_for_probe_in_jet_ski_jfk_UFuNAhuG9hmJDnXlO3 UbGM)

My bus will be leaving from Weill Cornell Medical College, which is the intersection of York Avenue and 69th Street. I don't think going into a city is really an option for me, as I will have two big suitcases full of my stuff with me. Anybody else have any suggestions? Thank you everyone!

@newyorkgeorge: Yeah, I realize that the cab ride won't be cheap. Would you suggest anything else? I know that subway is probably an option, but the last thing I want is to get lost on a subway in a city that I have never been to.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"My bus will be leaving from Weill Cornell Medical College, which is the intersection of York Avenue and 69th Street."

Are you taking the (expensive) Campus 2 Campus bus to Ithaca? There are cheaper bus options, including one that leaves from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 11:00 PM nightly. Unless you're arriving on an international flight, you should be able to catch the 11:00 PM bus, as long as you do not have to wait too long for your checked baggage at JFK.

My bus will be leaving from Weill Cornell Medical College, which is the intersection of York Avenue and 69th Street. I don't think going into a city is really an option for me, as I will have two big suitcases full of my stuff with me. Anybody else have any suggestions? Thank you everyone!

@newyorkgeorge: Yeah, I realize that the cab ride won't be cheap. Would you suggest anything else? I know that subway is probably an option, but the last thing I want is to get lost on a subway in a city that I have never been to.

Terminal 4 has some concessions (landside) open all night. I'd hang there for awhile and then head to get your bus. I would do the Airtrain to Jamaica Station and then at Jamaica station follow signs to the E train. I'd get off at the first stop in Manhattan, Lexington Avenue, and cab it from there. You can transfer at that stop and take the 6 train uptown (follow signs for transfer) to 68th Street but you would need to go up and down two very long escalators (no fun with two large bags), plus walk from 68th and Lexington over to York Avenue (or cab it from the 68th street station). Check mta.info for E/6 train schedules and also closures/construction which is done during the overnight hours.

T4 also has an all night landside lounge (Oasis) which IIRC you can buy a day pass from. Others can probably tell you of amenities in the Oasis lounge, particularly access to showers.

The other option is to look on Priceline or Hotwire for a JFK hotel deal (make sure its not too far out from the airport and/or has a shuttle) to shower, change clothes and relax/sleep for a bit.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"My bus will be leaving from Weill Cornell Medical College, which is the intersection of York Avenue and 69th Street."

Are you taking the (expensive) Campus 2 Campus bus to Ithaca? There are cheaper bus options, including one that leaves from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 11:00 PM nightly. Unless you're arriving on an international flight, you should be able to catch the 11:00 PM bus, as long as you do not have to wait too long for your checked baggage at JFK.

Yeah, I am taking that expensive C2C bus to Ithaca! If you have the website for that cheaper bus it would be great! My flight is intended to arrive at 9:00 PM, so I have those two hours to make it. It would be a very good alternative. Oh, and no, I am not international, I am from the West Coast.

Thanks newyorkgeorge! I definitely appreciate your advice.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

The 11:00 PM departure from the Port Authority Bus Terminal is operated by Short Line/Coach USA. The trip takes about 5 hours, and makes stops at Monticello and Binghamton before arriving in Ithaca. The bus will stop on the Cornell Campus, and in downtown Ithaca. Website is: http:/:www.coachusa.com

But, you might be able to ride the Short Line Bus for even less than the regular NYC-Ithaca fare. The NYC-Binghamton portion of the trip is also sold by Megabus, and Megabus trips can cost as little as $1.50 one-way. You can check the Megabus price from NYC to Binghamton at http://www.megabus.com. If you end up buying a Megabus ticket to Binghamton, you would then buy a Binghamton-Ithaca one-way from the bus driver for an additional $12.50. (It's the same bus all the way through to Ithaca.) So check the Megabus price for the NYC-Binghamton portion before deciding how to purchase the trip.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Oops! Correct URL for Coach USA is: http://www.coachusa.com

Yeah, I am taking that expensive C2C bus to Ithaca! If you have the website for that cheaper bus it would be great! My flight is intended to arrive at 9:00 PM, so I have those two hours to make it. It would be a very good alternative. Oh, and no, I am not international, I am from the West Coast.Start at Cornell's website that lists bus companies: http://www.cornell.edu/visiting/ithaca/directions_bus_train.cfm

Short Line is $53.50
Greyhound fares vary. Some fares are more, others are less.

You can check the rest. Good luck.

Since this thread is about the OP's individual itinerary, a related question and the response below have been moved to the main thread on that topic to help keep things organized:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/new-york-city/1290926-jfk-question-terminals-open-all-night.html

/Moderator

I have a "crazy colleague" that is planning on flying into JFK around 12:35 am on AA then flying OW internationally the next am. He is an EXP.

Is it possible for him to arrive in Terminal 8 stay airside and wait until the Flagship lounge opens at 5am before going to the other terminal for his flight?

He can't justify a 4 hour or so leaving the terminal and just get some work done instead....

Thanks....

No, he cannot stay airside, and the Flagship Lounge closes by 11:45pm (right after the last departure to LHR). Thereafter, the Terminal 8 secure area shuts down until about 4:30am (or whenever the TSA checkpoint re-opens). Security patrols are regular, and any passenger who loiters airside after the last flight departure will be asked to leave the area by contract security personnel.

However, Terminal 4 has 24-hour passenger facilities located landside that include restaurants.