I think all 29 posts can be summed up as

"There is never a right, wrong or easy way of getting from Manhattan to JFK in the weekday rush."

Except the advice not to take a car / cab...!

Apart from the additional comfort (of a Lincoln Town Car), that's why I always order a car service in advance when going to JFK and never try to pick up a cab on the street for that. It doesn't cost significantly more.

But for this trip I guess I'd be leaving Manhattan around 5pm, when the traffic is getting really bad. If I'd have to leave at 4.30 anyway, I think I may as well order a car as usual and just tolerate spending more time at the airport. Some on here would love the prospect of well over two hours in the lounge.

Having said that, since I've taken a car on at least my last 30 trips, I think it's about time I tried another way to get to JFK.

I agree :p

Unless you want an adrenalin Rush from the crazy drivers here....

I cant count how many times ive been cut up on the BQE

If I'm on business I always get a Lincoln. I don't know exactly how much it costs, but I think it's significantly more than the $45+tip a cab costs to JFK.

When I used to live at 6th and 27th, I would frequently take the LIRR from Penn Station. When traffic might be bad, I genuinely preferred it to a car service or taxi. The fact that it was about $50 cheaper was icing on the cake, so to speak. I think it's much faster than the subway (generally a nonstop journey - I think about 15 or 20 minutes to Jamaica). From there it's basically up an escalator (as long as it's working...) to the level that the Airtrain departs from, and away you go. If it's not actually much faster, to me it still seems that way (since you're not making any stops, and you're not wiggling around as people try to get on and off around you and your bags).

In your case, given that you also don't really want to schlep your luggage to a Metro station, I'd say a cab to Penn Station would be the way to do it.

If you've ever taken the RER to/from CDG in Paris (particularly one of the trains that is nonstop from Gare du Nord), I would say it's a similar experience in terms of time, effort and cost.

Book the car for 1600, the extra half an hour makes a big difference in terms of being on early side of rush hour. If you make it out of Manhattan by 1630, LIE and the Van Wyck should be OK, expect to be pulling up to T7 by 1715 or so.

Try to find a local car service in your neighborhood instead of an "executive" type car service. The local guys all keep in touch by radio with traffic updates, they'll know the quickest route at any time of day.

Was never sure how they got their licences...until I saw the driving test...crickey!

I got stoppeed the other day (driving the Gfs car - nothing sinister - just a random check in my neighbourhood) and they wernt too happy about me still using my UK licence.

They suggest I get a NY State one but that means handing my UK one in and having to take both a written and actual driving test again - probably on the streets of Brooklyn.

If you book with the right local company you can get a Lincoln Town Car for around $55 + tip. The market is extremely competitive. Some companies charge more of course. If you get a driver with white gloves or complimentary water bottles in the back of the car, it's probably closer to $80.

Interesting. I never really thought about it, but I do remember water.

A further suggestion - change your flight from JFK to EWR. Getting to EWR is simplicity itself from NYC Penn Station at any time of the day. All the way to EWR and then just get on the inter-terminal Airtrain monorail thing.

I never bother with JFK now if I'm going into Manhattan :)

You don't have to hand your UK one in at all, I still have mine. As far as they are concerned, you don't even have a UK licence unless you tell them you do.

You are risking something greater by driving on your UK licence, ask my friend who ended up in court doing the same!!

As for the OP, E train then Airtrain :)

Not quite TSS -JFK, but The Other Half and I took the US Helicopter service from JRB-EWR in October 2008. Great service - we were the only two pax (and as the chopper was included in the CO F ticket to PHX, at no cost to us!). I'd love to give you a detailed trip report on the sights etc, but I was slightly distracted with proposing to the Other Half in the journey - fortunately he said yes!