[QUOTE=AMflier;27455213]As mentioned earlier, if you are near the Nostrand Ave LIRR stop, the LIRR to the AirTrain at Jamaica that will be the quickest and costliest. but it does not run as often as the others. The Nostrand Ave. stop is not well populated so I wouldn't recommend it in the wee hours. That said, Ms AMflier uses that station occasionally on weekday mornings and evenings without issue.QUOTE]

Turns out she lives near the Children's Museum, so it is less than 10 mins. to the Nostrand LIRR stop and then about 15 or so mins. to the A Train stop at Nostrand.

So looks like a tossup between the LIRR->AirTrain and walk->Nostrand A->Howard Beach depending on exact timings and all that. Per the above comments and my very cursory review of the fares and schedules, sounds like the LIRR option will indeed be faster door-to-door IF the timings work well. If not, the simplicity of the A train ride (albeit long, and with the longer walk at the end) seems like a very reasonable option.