flyinggreek

I have an international flight at 11pm on a Friday night and I have to leave New Haven no sooner than 8pm. I'm planning on taking a rental car since that seems like the fastest and most direct route at 1 hour 30 minutes with no traffic.

How is traffic to JFK on a Friday night after 8pm? I'm hoping to get there at least an hour before flight since I'm not checking baggage.

Thank you for any insights you may have. ^

Blumie

You're not leaving much margin for error. The traffic is unpredictable, but you should be ok that late on a Friday. Keep in mind, though, that you need to return the car and then take the AirTrain to the terminal.

joethekay

AA for JFK suggests check in 2 hours for International flights and be at gate 45 minutes before departure. Delta requires 60 minutes for check in and be at gate 45 minutes before departure.
So do some math here. The latest you can be at the gate is 10:15 pm. This is after check in and going thru security and walk to gate.
Google maps say this is a 1:30 min drive approx. 78 miles depending where you start.
You still have to drop off car and shuttle to airport. allow 30 minutes.
You ain't gonna make it if you leave at 8pm.
I will wait for your trip report and your rant about missing the flight!

Blumie

If I'm flying AA, I can check in on line and arrive at the gate 15 minutes prior and make my flight, the airline's recommendations notwithstanding. The car rental return and AirTrain process can take as little as 10 minutes (although it could take longer; and if the AirTrain is not operating, you're screwed).

So the OP's plan is doable, but there are lots of variables.

joethekay

OP says he is flying international. Time at gate is 45 minutes. (Doors often close before flight time by as much 15 + minutes)

flyinggreek

That's been my concern--I definitely don't want to cut it close but at this point it seems inevitable given my circumstances. Just weighing the pros and cons of all my options (which none of are looking simple or reliable).

Thanks for the feedback.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

If you used a car service, or had a friend or relative drive you (so that you did not have to drop the rental car at JFK -- not to mention stopping to fill up the tank), you would have a little more of a cushion.

But a car service from New Haven to JFK would be very expensive, I expect.

nrr

Assuming you are renting a car, the route via the Whitestone Expressway to the Van Wyck (even in the evening) is not the way to go--huge construction project. Taking the Throggs Neck bridge to the Cross Island to the belt pkway. would be better...after 7 pm that route has manageable traffic.
As others have noted, there are too many variables to be comfortable with your 3 hr. time frame.

Letitride3c

Evening/overnight traffic backup from CT's infamous 2 - 3 miles long road work - construction - road closure, even when I-95 South and/or I-15 South are accident-free to NY state line south of Greenwich, ALWAYS unpredictable - take my words for it.

Weather - if it's wet from Spring showers or rain, good luck & pray !

Hutchinson River Parkway - always heavy traffic south of I-287 merge and Cross County Parkway.

I-95 around Co-Op City / City Island in the Bronx - must use to get to Throggs Neck Bridge as alternate to WSB (narrow lanes, especially northbound)

Whitestone Bridge - overnight bridge work/repair & lane closure. Throggs Neck can be a life saver if you are on top of real-time traffic report on AM 880 and 1010 News, updated every 10 minutes.

Cross Island South around Belt Parkway to JFK could take extra 15 minutes depending on traffic as it is a longer loop - advantage being that it's easier to find gas stations to refill the rental car's gas tank, before dropoff - or just pay rental surcharged gas prices to save time, especially if running late already.

Still, leaving at 8 PM from mid-CT with 90 minutes virtually leave very, very little margins for delays and surprises, etc. Plus, if there is a backup at the rental car return dropoff AND/or JFK AirTrain (huh - ) You won't make it to your terminal before 10 PM - even if not checking luggage, still got to deal with TSA lines at the checkpoint before making your way to the boarding Gate.

There is no WAY to leave earlier, 7:30 PM would be much better - IMO.

stevenshev

As others have said, it's tight, but it is doable. Just not a ton of margin for error. As I've said a million times on this forum, Waze is your friend.

Letitride3c

OP, some additional feedbacks & questions for you - as I just drove back this evening from eastern CT shore (New London) to Queens (NE of LGA) with a few observations about traffic & road projections on I-95 - running with Google NAV, so Waze real-time guidance.

In short (others - feel free to SKIP the details below): it's too RISKY from my real-time calculations for it to work, almost ZERO margin for delays at all as you will be TOASTED.

How close are you to the closest *** I-95 entrance ramps (Exit 44S, 42S, etc.) as from your location to I-95 could be another 5 to 10 minutes easily? We left for NYC around 7:15 PM and made it to I-91/I-95 merge in New Haven by 8:25 PM (so our clock was running later than your scheduled time - with good ODDS of running into CT's numerous road work & construction projects: NONE this evening, maybe it's because of wet road/weather forecast from NH to NY State line) We're cruising closer to 70 MPH keeping with traffic flow/speed & road conditions, slower at times (65 MPH speed limit) along I-95.

If you are familiar with CT's I-95, the long-term highway construction between Exit 34 and Exit 32 *** with the narrow lanes should be a given, no problems & squeeze thru - there's supposed to be 2 or 3 work zones between Exits 25's and Exit 12,*** work crew wasn't out yet (around 9 PM now) and also between Exits 5 and Exit 3's ***. Traffic was light & flowing closer to routine 60-65 MPH (55 MPH being the legal limit AND mostly ignored & seldom enforced unless ...) On the NY side of I-95, everything was clear to the Bronx *** and we stayed on it (instead of taking the Hutchinson River Parkway just before Corner Street Exit to the Whitestone Bridge approach) and clear past Pelham Parkway/City Island exits *** (with frequent bottlenecks) and took the Whitestone Bridge, no delays at the Toll Plaza ***, EXCEPT for Cash Lanes *** - as that would cost you another 5 extra minutes.

So, please make sure that your rental car has the electronic Toll Tags activated as offered (or, use your own/just remember to take it before dropping the car off at JFK)

No southbound constructions on the WSB *** itself, except for narrowed/lanes shifting on the Queens side, but traffic was moving nicely and then according to NAV/Waze - it's clear/good to stay on I-678 *** direct to JFK (as I plotted the airport as the destination) but we exited after the bridge at 20th Ave/Linden Place @ Flushing North.

To answer your questions, last night (Tuesday evening) the run similiar to yours WOULD most likely work in about 90 minutes to JFK, but you will need to add 10 minutes to re-fuel *** the rental car (I would suggest exiting I-678 at Liberty Avenue or Linden Blvd. as there are 24/7 gas stations right along the Service Road, and you can get right back onto I-678 to continue to JFK Expwy for Federal Circle *** for rental car return.

Are you flying INT'L out of T4 or T8 for the 11 PM departure - TSA lines *** will be shorter at T8 but T4 could be hectic as there are several overseas departure in the late evening hours from what I can see. Assumed that you get to JFK Rental Dropoff at 9:40 PM and on the AirTrain *** by 9:50 PM - you will make it inside the Terminal by 10 PM and have 15 minutes to make it to the Boarding Gate before the cutoff time.

If it's me in similar situation, I would skip the idea of a rental car - and see if there is a colleague, friend, neighbor, etc. willing to DRIVE you to JFK, for a fee - covering her/his time and round-trip tolls. OR, bit nails & book a car service direct to JFK - yes, it will cost you $$$ and still be a close one, but it sure beat missing your FINAL boarding call & trying to fly out the next day, assuming that it is an acceptable solution or option for your trip. That would release at least 30 minutes of critical time from the curb to the gate.

All of the other variables and factors *** will need to be aligned for this to work in your favor. The Cross Island Parkway to Belt Parkway loop will easily add an extra 15 minutes of drive time, so I don't feel it's going to work as by the time you get to Federal Circle, it will be 9:45 PM at the earliest - well, you do the math and Re-Calcuate the time & add it up.

Or, consider flying out on Saturday instead but I'm guessing that you cannot re-book or reschedule your flight without a penalty, or doing so to make other oversea connections, etc. We had another FT'rs doing something similar recently from White Plains, NY on a Friday afternoon to JFK but at least, s/he had about 30+ minutes cushion and actually started out later than scheduled and ran into heavier traffic than usual, but managed to pull it off. Don't feel that you have any time in this case to buffer against the unexpected at all. In any event - good luck & do let us know when you are traveling and please updated us afterward, if you could.

stevenshev

Not sure why you would take I-95 at all if the construction is up then. The Merritt is a straight shot and a much more efficient drive when you adjust for traffic risk.

thebat

No, at this time of day the Turnpike is a far better choice. More lanes. But I would definitely listen to the traffic reports on WICC, AM 600 from Bridgeport and than AM 880 from NY.
Still, OP is cutting it very close.

Letitride3c

The Merritt Pkwy is usually my preferred run between NY, CT and MA - however, not lately due to several long term construction projects, both midday and overnight, starting as early as 6 PM backing up traffic for several miles in that direction - since DOT started lane closures at least 1 mile before the actual work zone to slow everything and everybody down zooming at 70 MPH otherwise, yelp. I've been caught at those twice this Spring so far (not in a hurry & NAV turned off, and, had to bail out.)

From CT-DOW website: http://www.dotdata.ct.gov/iti/master_iti.html
LANE CLOSURE INFO Route 15 NB: Sun - Thurs 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Friday 8 p.m. to 11 a.m., Sat 7 p.m. to 10 a.m.; Route 15 SB: Mon - Fri from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Fri from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., Sat from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m., Sun from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.; Ramps: Mon - Fri from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.; Other Roadways: Mon - Fri from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sat and Sun from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Project #0135-0270 The project consists of roadway resurfacing, safety improvements, and landscaping enhancement on Route 15 from Greenwich town line to Route 124/South Avenue in New Canaan. The work also includes rehabilitation of five historic bridges that are over Route 15 ...

It also depends on whether OP is closer to the Parkway or I-95, and, of course, s/he can jump on/off at Milford for the interchange - Waze can and do ALERT the driver of incidents ahead but it CANNOT bail you out of a last minute accident that virtually shut down the roadways until emergency services can clear & reopen the road. As such, I-95 has 3 lanes vs. parkway's 2 lanes and less likely to be 100% closed unless it's a major MVA.

From the Merritt @ Exit 54S / I-95 Exit 38 area, it will take 90 minutes to get down south to JFK with smooth road traffic moving above the speed limit and zero road closure or highway construction - we travel locally enough on both routes for the past 35+ years to know, back in the days when CT had the toll plazas before EZ-Pass was invented (plus the ones on the Hutch outside the NYC line.)

RooseveltL

OP - In general your trip will work and the opinions here are folks trying to prevent the stress of a bus/truck turnover or fender bender or mishaps. I think the advantage of tri-State is alternate routes do exist and abundant traffic updates can allow workaround for everything besides fender bender or flat tire.
I generally would say check-in online (if possible with your carrier). You can't predict mishaps but you need a Plan B, Plan C if you encounter them! And diligently listen to traffic reports all afternoon if a major hiccup on any of the roadways (assuming no BridgeGate) you must leave sooner/earlier and choose different routes.

If traveling with other passengers, drop them off at the gate (with bags for check-in) and go return the car. There is a gas station at 150th St and N Conduit, otherwise, suck up the cost and pay premium rental refuel cost (as 78 miles is probably 3 gallons plus service charge). IF you can depart 20 minutes earlier I would do it as AirTrain is probably 10 minutes to terminal after drop off.