ORD - JFK or LGA?
Jun 14, 2016, 8:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 21
ORD - JFK or LGA?
I will have regular trips to Chicago from NYC for business. I live on Long Island so I don't care about traveling to Manhattan. The distances from my home to JFK and LGA are similar (LGA is only a few minutes closer). Which airport is better? I searched a little bit and found that LGA is smaller but older and more likely to have delays. My personal experience with JFK is sometimes the walking distance in the airport is quite long (terminal 4?). Thanks a lot!
Jun 14, 2016, 11:56 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New York
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Posts: 24
I'm doing this right now on AA, and generally there are far more flights going LGA-ORD than JFK-ORD. AA has much more frequency, and Delta has an hourly shuttle out of LGA. So in terms of flight times, you're far better going with LGA.
I live close to LGA, so I always fly from there. However, I prefer the AA terminal at JFK. When I flew to CLT I would go the extra distance to fly out of JFK. But that was because there were flights going out of LGA and JFK at the same time.
I live close to LGA, so I always fly from there. However, I prefer the AA terminal at JFK. When I flew to CLT I would go the extra distance to fly out of JFK. But that was because there were flights going out of LGA and JFK at the same time.
Jun 14, 2016, 12:23 pm
#5
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There is much more service LGA-ORD and thus more choice and more IRROPS recovery which is particularly important on a route where weather and ATC are issues on both ends.
Unless JFK is substantially more convenient than LGA, I would take LGA at any time.
Unless JFK is substantially more convenient than LGA, I would take LGA at any time.
Jun 14, 2016, 12:31 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
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LGA, hands-down, without question. Far more frequency, and you don't have to deal with JFK delay issues, where smaller planes (like JFK-ORD) are more vulnerable to getting cancelled.
For ORD, I'd particularly recommend DL out of LGA - you fly out of the Marine Air Terminal, which is tiny (just five gates), and just handles DL flights to ORD and DCA. Security has never taken me more than 10 minutes, and it's usually under five. I routinely show up at the airport 40 minutes before my flight departure time and am at the gate when they start boarding.
For ORD, I'd particularly recommend DL out of LGA - you fly out of the Marine Air Terminal, which is tiny (just five gates), and just handles DL flights to ORD and DCA. Security has never taken me more than 10 minutes, and it's usually under five. I routinely show up at the airport 40 minutes before my flight departure time and am at the gate when they start boarding.
Jun 14, 2016, 12:33 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 21
I'm doing this right now on AA, and generally there are far more flights going LGA-ORD than JFK-ORD. AA has much more frequency, and Delta has an hourly shuttle out of LGA. So in terms of flight times, you're far better going with LGA.
I live close to LGA, so I always fly from there. However, I prefer the AA terminal at JFK. When I flew to CLT I would go the extra distance to fly out of JFK. But that was because there were flights going out of LGA and JFK at the same time.
I live close to LGA, so I always fly from there. However, I prefer the AA terminal at JFK. When I flew to CLT I would go the extra distance to fly out of JFK. But that was because there were flights going out of LGA and JFK at the same time.
Jun 14, 2016, 12:45 pm
#8
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In some ways this will come down to the airline you choose to fly and the airplane type you prefer. AA, for example, has limited flights JFK-ORD and vice versa, but does offer a 745a and 505p departures from JFK that I find convenient. From ORD, there are departures to JFK at 1215p and 635. AA offers over a dozen frequencies ORD-LGA-ORD.
Jun 14, 2016, 1:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
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Both airports have flight delays, I find JFK to be worse than LGA in that respect.
If you're not going to go DL, then it might be a slightly closer comparison, since the LGA terminal that AA and UA use is kind of a pit (fast, but a pit).
Jun 14, 2016, 4:21 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 8,498
Definitely LGA.
The frequency at LGA is probably the only thing that matters if you'll be doing this regularly for business.
I think LGA flights are usually scheduled for less taxi time than JFK flights, too.
With AA, IME flights between LGA and ORD usually depart from a gate very close to an Admirals Club, whereas my last ORD-JFK flight departed from a gate in the ORD L concourse, which doesn't have a lounge. I haven't flown the route all that often, though. The LGA Admirals Club is quite nice.
With DL, you get to use the Marine Air Terminal, which is super convenient as others have said.
AA generally flies B738's and DL generally flies E175's on the route. The F seats on the 738 are a little bigger. But the 175 has 1-2 seating so you can get a single seat that's an aisle and a window if you like that.
The frequency at LGA is probably the only thing that matters if you'll be doing this regularly for business.
I think LGA flights are usually scheduled for less taxi time than JFK flights, too.
With AA, IME flights between LGA and ORD usually depart from a gate very close to an Admirals Club, whereas my last ORD-JFK flight departed from a gate in the ORD L concourse, which doesn't have a lounge. I haven't flown the route all that often, though. The LGA Admirals Club is quite nice.
With DL, you get to use the Marine Air Terminal, which is super convenient as others have said.
AA generally flies B738's and DL generally flies E175's on the route. The F seats on the 738 are a little bigger. But the 175 has 1-2 seating so you can get a single seat that's an aisle and a window if you like that.
Jun 15, 2016, 1:44 pm
#14
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,189
If you're taking DL, you've got the Marine Air Terminal at LGA which is a DREAM. I hate that DCA and BOS flights are gone from the MAT.
So with DL, this is a VERY EASY decision. LGA and the Marine Air Terminal!!
So with DL, this is a VERY EASY decision. LGA and the Marine Air Terminal!!
Jun 15, 2016, 2:35 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2006
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DCA's gone from the MAT too? I hadn't noticed. So it's just Chicago now?