Originally Posted by themicah
Do NOT rent a car if you are going to Manhattan, unless you absolutely need it to get somewhere in the suburbs or boonies during the course of your trip.
A rental car will cost you $60-100/day for the car, plus $20-50/day for parking, plus gas, plus the associated hassles of having a car in the city.
Public transit:
- LGA = $2 (~60 minutes)
- JFK = $7 (~90 minutes)
- EWR = <$5 (~90 minutes) OR $13 (~45 minutes)
Taxis:
- LGA = ~$25-30 (15-45 minutes, depending on traffic)
- EWR = $50++ (20-60 minutes, depending on traffic)
- JFK = $45++ (30-90 minutes, depending on traffic)
Assuming you'll probably take a taxi, I'd probably go with LGA unless EWR was at least $50 cheaper, in which case it's a toss-up.
I forgot to address the car rental issue. I agree with
themicah 100% on that issue, and on the rest of his post.
Note that if you do take AA to LGA and decide to catch a cab, there are two cab stands, one that often has a line and one that rarely does. To get to the "secret" cab stand with no line, instead of exiting the baggage claim area through the main doors, turn to the right (as you are facing the main doors leading outside) and exit the terminal using the side door at the very end of the terminal. There is a cab stand right there where you are unlikely to find a line.