Travel22

Looking for some recommendations.

Flying into the NYC area for an event in Mahwah, NJ (northern NJ near the NY border). Early October timeframe.

Is it better to fly into EWR or LGA?

I am coming n/s from SDF (Louisville). Times/prices/RJs are all the same for either option. I am renting a car with either option.

On the map, it is closer to EWR, but I have had a string of bad luck with United lately. Would be United into EWR or AA into LGA.

Looking for suggestions on LGA or EWR.

Thanks.

guv1976

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Does cost matter to you? Tolls will be higher if you use LGA; rental car rates might or might not be higher.

themicah

LGA has the disadvantage of requiring two toll bridges (and the potential for traffic that they bring) to get to Mahwah. But I'd probably go with whichever has the better flight schedules/fares. As guv1976 suggested, if you're price sensitive you should also factor in rental car costs and about $25 more in tolls (roundtrip) if you use LGA.

st1575

I would choose EWR in heartbeat simply because it's already in Jersey with multiple, large-highway approach options to Mahwah. Crossing the East and Hudson rivers can add hours and aggravation to your trip (as can UA, but I digress).

guv1976

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"Would be United into EWR or AA into LGA."

Don't know if you're paying your own way for this event, but if you can find "SAAver" Coach award seats on the AA nonstops, the SDF-LGA-SDF roundtrip could be had for just 15,000 BA Avios.

RooseveltL

I'd prefer EWR for the following reasons:

• Probably cheaper rental car
• Less tolls as don't need to cross GW and RFK bridges
• Faster rental car rental (take AirTrain @ EWR vs. wait for shuttle bus at LGA)
• Probably slightly faster drive (see bullet #2)

OP removed the only advantage of LGA for this trip which would be a cheaper flight or better inbound aircraft or preferred elite program.

Travel22

Thank you all for your responses.

I am less concerned with ticket price. I had not considered the cost of tolls, bridges, etc.

I guess I am most concerned with airport delay, RJ canx, etc.

Sounds like EWR is the "least worst" option for my itinerary.

fred_perkins

It's hard to say whether you're more likely to avoid delays by choosing one airport over the other. LGA is smaller (fewer runways and less taxiway space) than EWR, so LGA tends to get more congested even with slight weather problems. On the other hand, EWR (like JFK) has a lot more big international flights that are usually given precedence, so smaller planes get bumped (i.e., have to wait an hour or more for a takeoff slot) when there are weather/visibility or other issues.

I agree with others who have recommended EWR given your particular situation. It's still possible to have problems or delays if you go via EWR, but the drive from EWR to Mahwah would generally be easier than the drive from LGA to EWR.

Car rental fleets also tend to be larger at EWR -- so, you may have a nicer selection of cars and greater likelihood of an upgrade if you have status with the rental agency. Rental rates are usually (but not always) slightly less expensive at EWR vs. LGA.

Apieinthesky

You can avoid the toll from LGA if you simply take the Queensboro Bridge to Manhattan, as opposed to the RFK bridge (or possibly Whitestone, depending on traffic). Of course you will still be hit by the GWB toll inbound if you are returning to LGA.

Agree with fred_perkins that it's very difficult to predict which airport will be more delay-prone. LGA tends to be a quicker in and out, although I don't know if the experience will be any different if renting a car.

stevenshev

So being from the area, the answer is that it is very time of day dependent. You don't want to be going to LGA during morning rush or coming back from LGA in evening rush. Other than that, LGA is faster and a more pleasant experience all around.

Travel22

Thanks. I am most concerned with airport delays, United canx flights because there is a cloud in the sky, etc.

The times of day are almost the same for either course of action (LGA or EWR).

I would arrive about 2-3 PM on a Thursday.
I would depart about 3 PM on Sunday.
I am renting a car with either option.

Give that general itinerary, and no way of predicting any potential bad weather, would you still recommend LGA?

Thanks.

stevenshev

Absolutely.