bennos

I think the more interesting number is rental cars, which really is a small fraction at just 2.6%, or less than 1/6 the number who arrive by public transit.

andymell

The only thing that works well in lga now is the Uber pickup on the parking garage at B. Id suggest taking the bus from C/D and meeting your party at the B garage.

Q70 bus is a good option if heading to midtown without too much luggage

godfreyb

Arriving late Saturday night last week at Terminal D Uber directed me to go up to a door number on the departure level. Did so and the Uber was parked by the kerb when we got there.

3Cforme

What's the bigger fraction? About 1/5th of travelers arriving by public transport, or the 4/5ths of people NOT arriving by public transport?

Repooc17

Really? An intelligence insult as a moderator?

Public transportation to/from most airports are low, even those with efficient rail service connections. About 20% for LGA, with at least one connection (for most) on public transport is generally considered as a high %.

ajggiant

I was curious to compare, so here are the mode splits reported for LGA, JFK and EWR by the Port Authority (all surveys from May to mid-June 2016). I also compared the Local Passenger Origin data:

No data on walking. As a commuter who travels light, I've walked to/from LGA on the rare occasion (usually when the traffic loop is utterly hopeless). There are also a few hotels across the Grand Central within walking distance. However, on my latest attempt to walk a couple of weeks ago, I was stopped by a friendly PANYNJ police officer at the 102nd Street bridge saying there is no pedestrian walkway. I then tried the pedestrian overpass over the Grand Central to the Flushing Bay Promenade, but that has signs posted "No Pedestrian Access to LGA" and I didn't go further. So, I'm not sure if it is currently possible to walk to LGA (particularly C/D).

If it can be done, Terminal D to Mets-Willets Point (7) is only a 1.5 miles, with nearly a mile of that on the Flushing Bay Promenade along the water. That would be a pleasant walk if the weather was nice (and baggage light). At the start of LGA construction when traffic loop was a long-term parking lot, I walked the 2.4 miles from Terminal B to Astoria Blvd (N-W) at night in the snow. That wasn't so pleasant.

tkey75

All experiences are anecdotal, so what works for you does not work for me. I drive. It's JFK for me any day. I do really like LGA. It's way closer and avoids the deep parts of the Van Wyck, but even with traffic, it's less time to park and Airtrain at JFK than negotiate the terminals at LGA.

TerryK

Walk to/from LGA? I am absolutely impressed. ^

MSPeconomist

DLdweeb

Agree. If you don't have much luggage this is definitely the way to go.

daloosh

Otherwise, Uber is my first choice. If you're local, parking shuttles have fairly good service. You used to be able to easily walk between terminals and across the highway, but traffic patterns have been efffed up.

bennos

Nassau and Suffolk counties (ie: the rest of "Long Island") collectively have about 3M in population, compared to 8M for NYC as a whole. LGA (and JFK) are the major airports for those doing business or visiting relatives there, as ISP is limited in its utility. And of course the northern suburbs into southwestern Connecticut also use LGA and JFK, not to mention eastern Queens. For all of these places I would have guessed that rental car is the primary mode of transportation for visitors, though taxi or car service are plausible as well.

I suspect relatively few people fly into LGA to go to the Hamptons.

monitor

Uber and Lyft have been doing this for a while. Last Thursday at about 6PM, I met my lyft at Terminal C departure level door 16 (which is the last door curb accessible on that level). I have not as yet come in at D but my next arrival is late, midnight next Monday and if it is into D, I would expect to use door 1 in accordance with the quoted post.

ijgordon

About a month ago, I proactively selected an upper level pickup at Terminal D in the late evening knowing it would be much quieter. Of course the driver didn't even look at the pickup info on his end and went downstairs. There is almost no way for a car to get from upstairs to downstairs without driving around the entire airport, so I had to schlep myself and my luggage back inside and downstairs and across all the arrivals area scrum.

Uber drivers not reading the pickup locations properly is a VERY common occurrence IME and one reason I rarely use the service here.

monitor

Which door number do you give them at D? I use Door 16 at C departures and am certain to call right away and speak to the driver before he gets to the terminal. I am not sure of which door would be the best at D.