LGA to JFK - Airporter bus or Lyft?
 

I am flying into LGA, and leaving from JFK (both domestic flights). My flight gets into LGA at 12:20pm, and my flight from JFK departs 3:59 (but it is a 777 to MIA, so will take a little longer boarding).

I can either take the airporter between the two, or Lyft. Obviously Airporter is cheaper, but also slower and only leaves every hour. In any case, I also need to stop and grab something to eat, either in one of the terminals, or somewhere along the way.

Does anyone have some good suggestions for a place along the way that would justify taking a Lyft from LGA to the lunch spot and then from there to JFK? Or am I just asking for too much with luggage and all and should I just go directly between the two airports and eat there?

If you will be traveling with checked baggage, you must allow time to claim it at LGA, and re-check it at JFK. In that case, I would take a taxi or Lyft from LGA directly to JFK.

Do you have Priority Pass lounge access? If so, the Bobby Van's Steakhouse inside JFK T8 is a participating restaurant.

If there's an Airporter that you can take at 1PM, which should allow you time to grab a sandwich, you should be fine. At most you're looking at 90 minutes from LGA to JFK. Otherwise grab an Uber/Lyft.

If you have bags you should definitely go directly to JFK via Lyft or Uber. Once you've got rid of your bags you should then have time to grab something at the airport - Terminal 8 has quite a few places to eat after security. Regardless of the time of day the traffic between the two airports can be extremely slow and unpredictable.

If I need to transfer from LGA to JFK or vice versa I always go for Lyft regardless if I have checked bags.

While there are a few good places in Jackson Heights since your connection is tight enough go straight to JFK.

If traffic is light and you're feeling somewhat adventurous, I can recommend a pitstop at Sizzle Falafel & Shawarma near St. John's University -- 186-15 Union Tpke Fresh Meadows, NY 11366... the chicken schnitzel, the falafel, and the lamb shawarma are all amazing.

After going there once before a meeting at St. John's, I've managed to sneak in two returns during LGA-JFK jaunts similar to yours (uber there, eat, then uber to JFK)... all thanks to AA's cancellation of the nonstop DCA-JFK flights...

And consider construction at LGA. It recently took me 40 minutes to get from the Lyft pick-up spot to get onto the highway due to traffic back-ups (Delta Terminal C, 4 pm-ish).

That is my big fear. Traffic.

It's a pretty far detour but their burnt ends are top notch. To stay close to on coarse, I would stop at Pahal Zan in Forest Hills. Get a lamb platter, heavy on the eggplant salad.

No question about it, especially if you'll need to wait for baggage.

First, just *get* to JFK, and then promptly get checked in, including luggage, and then get through security.
You have no way to know in advance what delays there might be at any of these stages.

Then, past security, get something to eat, either while waiting or to nibble on on board.

GC

And they still get your business. Maybe all the JFK cuts aren't hurting them.

OP does not have 3 hrs 40 minutes they have that LESS the bag drop close time for what ever airline they are flying with so they have closer to 3 hours

But I agree with the general advice is to get from LGA to JFK as that is the priority even if the food options are less than optimal.