Changing flight from JFK to LGA?
 

I seek advice from fellow FlyerTalkers.

I have a flight going from JFK to MCO on Friday night, departing at 6:50pm. For a variety of reasons, I will probably have to fly from DFW into LGA earlier in the day (Delta flight scheduled to arrive at LGA at 4:40pm). (I had paid for the NYC/MCO round-trip, but a sudden business meeting has come up requiring me to go to DFW the night before, and I'll be using points to fly the NYC/DFW route).

Rather than risk missing my flight despite a 2-hour transfer period, I was thinking of changing my outbound JFK/MCO flight to LGA/MCO. Right now, I'd need to pay an additional $260 (on account of fare difference plus $150 change penalty) for the privilege.

However, Delta reservation tells me that there is in fact Delta-provided ground transportation that can take me from LGA to JFK within the allotted time provided that I check into my flights the night before. Is this true? Is this shuttle reliable?

Or am I better off taking by chances with the NYC highway gods and avoid relying on Delta?

Or should I just suck it up and pay the change fee?

I don't plan on checking bags.

For what it's worth, I'm a GM.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice.

DL provided transportation is ONLY for international flights.

As a GM, you don't have the ability to co-terminal SDC, you could hope that the LGA employees take pity on you for showing up at the wrong airport by accident though. There is, however, a risk they re-fare you for that day's walkup.

Thanks. I'll probably just change the flight now instead, though I am still curious about whether others have made the trip from LGA to JFK in an hour during rush hour. (I've done it faster on a weekend, but it wasn't raining, and it was a weekend with baseball or tennis to slow traffic).

At what level can you co-terminal SDC? The reservation agent gave me the impression that this just couldn't be done. Ever. Of course, I trust the members of Flyertalk more....

I have attempted to do the LGA-JFK change and it always took over an hour just in transit. Then you have to deal with security at JFK, and that can be difficult. Two hours is very, very risky.

1. The taxi voucher is only for intl. But it's just money, not some special service.

2. Bad time of day. I would not rely on SDC for flights which are routinely oversold. Pay up.

3. Alternatively, why not check out flying DFW-MCO or thereabouts. Might it not be cheaper and less wear & tear?

I going to buck the previous advice given to you and say that you should keep what you have now on account on the following:

You have lots of opportunities to change your flights day of departure, all of which will be cheaper than the change now:

A) SDC your DFW-LGA in the event you can leave Dallas a bit early. (Free as GM)

B) Get the Fly Delta app if you don't have it. ATC, WX and many other "uncontrollable" delays trigger the ability to change your flights for free, even to co-terminals. Agents wont always do it but the app makes it very easy. I've had this option for even for 10-15 minute delays, and I've taken advantage almost every time.

C) As stated above, play dumb and an agent may take pity and change the flight. Shot to the ego, but every once in a while it will work.

C) Even if you don't get the option to change your flights day-of, a taxi from LGA-JFK should take about 30-40 minutes on a bad day, 20-25 if the driver is zippy. It's a straight shot down GC Parkway. Go to the Terminal 3 arrivals (right in front of the AirTrain and take the elevator that's just inside by baggage claim to the upper level. Use the security line there in T3 where you would be dropped off by the AirTrain. Rarely is there a line and never have I waited as SP (which as GM you will be).

D) If all hell breaks loose and there are Wx/Mx delays/Cxs etc, this will all be moot because agents will do whatever to get you to MCO.

My .02 as a NY based flyer.

The OP's flight leaves DFW at 12:21 PM. There's a DFW/JFK at 10:45 AM that's wide open right now - even F8 up front!

Is you ask nicely at the airport, they may let you on it!

I'm the OP, in case people have lost track of the thread.

Thanks for all of your thoughts--and keep them coming, especially if they're about traffic between LGA and JFK during Friday afternoon rush hour!

Just to make things clear, the reason why I have this emergency trip to DFW is for a job interview. I know that the interview will run until 10:30, and it may go on longer. So the only way I can make it to an outbound flight from JFK at 6:50 is to fly from DFW to LGA.

Despite having grown up in New York, I don't know if I have the same moxy that USFFlyer has to play it cool until the departure date. I will let you guys know what I end up doing....

What about showing at DFW and presenting both tickets and asking to get routed (somehow) to MCO and skipping NYC altogether?

Or, like suggested above, you will be at LGA anyway. Ask to be placed on an LGA-MCO flight and use the JFK-MCO flt coupon. Agents at the airport typically have more leeway than those on the phone. Worst they can do is say no, then you rush out and run your little heart out to JFK. This is an icky transfer with no consistent, quick option - so hopefully you get a nice aggressive cabbie that will do the drive in 15-20 minutes :)

oh wait... just read that you have TWO hours on the ground. No problem. The cab option is sound - or if you feel cheap, take the Q33 or Q47 bus to E train (Roosevelt ave/Jackson Heights) and then Air Train at Sutphin/Archer - this should take you about 45 minutes. Getting from air train to gate at JFK should be between 10 and 20 minutes depending on gate.

My instinct would be that this would be almost impossible with checked bags, but if you print the second boarding pass during OLCI and book a very reliable car service to go between the airports (so as to avoid waiting in the line for a taxi which IME can be bad at NYC airports), you should make it even during rush hour unless there are major problems such as a blizzard.

Whatever you do, don't rush out of the job interview if it's a position you might want. Not staying as long as they want you could be viewed as disinterest or lack of planning. Your priority should be the job possibility until it's over.

Concur with above ... Which has excellent advice on a few items -- especially not rushing the interview

I want to second the suggestion by MSP to line up a car service ahead of time. Many car services utilize a "standby" service where you call them once you land so you're not stuck paying a fee for them to wait on you for a late arriving flight.

Taxi stands @ LGA (I don't find JFK to be that bad) are horrific. easily expect a wait of 30+ minutes on a friday afternoon. And as much as 1hr. Since you're cutting it so close you can't take that risk.

Stay on the JFK flight as you'll bump me down on the UG list for the LGA to MCO this friday ;-) but in all seriousness if you game plan it, you might be able to snag a cab down to JFK if need. Otherwise agree with the above, and keep with what you have and try a change at LGA day of.

Actually, if I were you I would try to be really nice at DTW and to have them book you on DL 1905 or 1805 from DTW to MCO direct... I have seen this work in some cases if you can work it :-)

Unfortunately, it's DFW