rucksack

Abysmal for anything domestic, but great for international, especially partner awards.

axpmaluga

So we just rented a place right by Penn Station. Think that makes me lean towards EWR/United but let me know if I'm missing something.

MikeNYC1

From Penn it's fairly quick on LIRR->AirTrain to JFK, as far as the commute is concerned. Or at least just slightly longer than the public transit route to EWR.

bgriff

Penn Station is the best place you can be for public transit to either JFK (LIRR to AirTrain) or EWR (NJ Transit to AirTrain), though at off-peak times the transit options to EWR are not very good (there are only 2 NJT trains an hour, and they tend to be like 7 minutes apart for some stupid reason, so there can be a very long wait if you arrive on the 53 minute side). By car EWR would be easier, but JFK wouldn't be terrible either given you're close to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and there is somewhat less crosstown traffic in the 30s than there is in the 40s or 50s.

ajggiant

"103 Airports and I've still never been to ATL. That has to be some sort of record." After six pages of pros and cons, I think this may be the deciding factor NOT to choose DL. Keep the streak alive!

guv1976

Note that on Sundays and Mondays, Avis and Budget each offer a one-way rental from Manhattan to EWR or JFK (or LGA, for that matter), for about $12, taxes and first tank of gas included. You get 12 hours and 150 free miles included at that rate.

If you're willing to prepay for the rental, the total drops to around $10.

jdrtravel

Unless you literally live right next door to the car rental facility, this sounds like a complete PITA, and certain to add another 30 minutes (or more) to your commute.

guv1976

Given that there's an Avis location at 220 West 31st Street, it's probably as convenient as picking up a commuter train at Penn Station. But the real value of the rate comes when one can make use of the rental car before heading to the airport: to go shopping, see friends in New Jersey or Long Island, etc.

And on Sundays especially, the NJTransit schedule from Manhattan to EWR is oddly spaced -- as noted upthread.

guv1976

This is very much a YMMV situation. Price award travel on AA and DL for next week from JFK to SAN, for example -- in both classes of service.

axpmaluga

Don't think this hasn't crossed my mind.

rucksack

guv1976

All very true, but:

1. Given the OP's expected international Business Class travel, I expect that the OP would achieve AA Gold status very quickly, so no close-in award-booking fees;

2. AA's AAnytime award rates can be lower than DL's rates on a given redemption;

3. Without knowing for what routes and class of service the OP would redeem miles, it can be tough to make a specific recommendation. If redeeming miles for award travel is an important factor for the OP, I would encourage the OP to think about intended destinations and class of service, and then price some dummy award bookings on both aa.com and delta.com -- no log-in required.

NYC Flyer

In theory, it should be about the same (LIRR>Airtrain vs NJT>EWR monorail), but JFK will be much easier/efficient in reality. It is a myth that EWR is appreciably more convenient for anyone living in Manhattan (I lived on the UWS for 17 years and avoided EWR at all costs). Plus, EWR is miserable once you are there...its cheerleaders are either NJ residents or captive CO/UA flyers trying to rationalize their decision to maintain status on UA.

Duke787

No chance of finding yourself on a 737 Max now or in the foreseeable future (no orders placed as of today) if you go with DL if that is of any concern though DL is also continuing to take a hammer to their unpublished award chart.

Penn Station to JFK is a pretty consistent 1 - 1.25 hours of travel door to door (LIRR ---> AirTran ---> Terminal). If you have an AMEX Plat, a big Centurion lounge is supposed to open at JFK in T4/DL terminal sometime this year while EWR has no similar arrangement. On the flip side EWR has a Polaris lounge for the times you fly J.

At the end of the day, I think DL is a better airline but if you think you can get to GS on UA there are a number of benefits as it stands for GS that no one else matches including companion benefits when traveling in paid J that make it easier to bring along a companion for reasonable cash or miles outlay -- see thread/wiki here: Consolidated Global Services Thread: Benefits, Questions, Experiences [2019]

axpmaluga

Guilty. Originally from NJ but haven't lived there in over a decade. Although I think terminal C is pretty awesome but obviously A & B leave something to be desired. Also long for the old CO days.