DC to JFK advice needed
 

We fly out of JFK to HKG on New Years Day departing 1:05PM for our honeymoon. We live in DC and I was wondering would you fly/take train up a night early? Were in F on CX, so if we miss our flight....we're hosed.

We can fly out of DCA on AA the night before and stay at an airport hotel. We can fly out DCA the next morning and arrive at 10:30am(leaning this way). Or we could take the train up the night before and stay in Manhattan. Or take the train on the first. I'm leaning towards avoiding going into NY b/c it's NYE.

We have points for everything so cost isn't the big factor.

What would you do?

I would not chance connecting the same day on separate tickets. I would come up the day before, via train, and either stay in the city at a non Times Square hotel or a B&B near JFK.
Start the romance a night early with a nice meal or a small party.

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Separate tickets should not be an issue. When connecting between AA and another oneworld carrier, AA will protect you, even on separate tickets.

That said, if you miss your CX flight and F is sold out on CX's other flights that day, I'm not sure how much AA could do for you.

If I were coming up the day before, I would just stay over at a JFK hotel.

holiday train schedules are not the same as regular train schedule. nyc on nye is nice. train evening before, & stay in middle of nyc.

Another option, if you have interest is a one way car rental. We have gotten some pretty great rates from DC to JFK for international flights. Its about a 3 1/2 hour drive.

I would take the train. While both train and planes can have weather issues if there's a snowstorm, the chance of the trains making it through are probably better than planes.

It would be hard to miss New Years Eve if you were up in the area, I would stay in Manhattan if you can get a space and head to the airport the next day.

I'd take the 5am train from DC to Penn, or a 6am flight. You would have plenty of cushion. NYE in manhattan is abominable unless you're a fan of drunk crowds of tourists and suburbanites, and you'll pay through the roof for a hotel on NYE.

Remember that you're doing this in winter weather, where the DC area tends to be especially unable to cope with much snow. This applies to planes, trains, and cars. I would arrive the afternoon before. An airport hotel would be a bit safer, but NYE in NYC could be a special but expensive experience versus staying in a rather depressing place at the airport.

WAS-JFK and other mini-hauls are the first flights to go when ATC reduceds flow. Bad weather can mean cancellations.

AA will not "protect" you, OW will rebook you on the next available flight. At that time of year, the chances of additional F award space are slim and nil, so yes, you will get to HKG, but not likely in any style you would choose.

If money isn't a factor, why not take the train and have fun in Manhattan. I would avoid flying that route. Small planes, lots of cancellations & delays.

I would not take train if you have lots of luggages. I use to commute between DC and NY and taken both flights and train. Although snow storm would knock this option off, It is much easier with plane especially if you need to think about moving from Manhattan to JFK.

I appreciate the responses. We have 3 weeks worth of luggage(2 tumi med cases and maybe an air boss). So I am concerned about lugging that on the subway out to Jfk if we take the train. I definitely think we will go up the day before just to ensure we get there in first.

Remember that the LIRR also goes to the JFK airtrain from Penn Station so you can limit the subway luggage issue.

There are some decently nice hotels near Penn Station that will keep you far enough away from the Time Square crap but near some nice restaurants.

Since Penn Station is 8 blocks from Times Square, I do not recommend this option. Penn Station will be a zoo from around 12pm on 12/31, and many of the streets around it will be closed to pedestrian traffic starting around 4.

If you don't want to deal with the luggage and trains or subway and airtrain, you can take a cab to the airport, they will pick you up at the hotel and drop you off at the terminal.

The decision to visit for New Years Eve of course depends on if you want to be part of the crowd and think that's a cool thing, or if you don't want to be anywhere near the masses of people because you think it's a dumb thing. It's totally up to you.

Street closures, in the past, have been as listed below.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 31st, the following streets will be closed to all vehicular traffic:

Seventh Avenue, from 41st to 59th Streets;
Broadway, from 47th to 59th Streets;
43rd to 47th Streets, from Sixth to Eighth Avenue.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, December 31st,
42nd Street from 6th to Eight Avenue will be closed to traffic.

After 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 31st, the remainder of the traffic closures will be instituted as crowd conditions warrant:
All cross-town streets from 37th to 41st Streets - Sixth to Eighth Avenues;
All cross-town streets from 49th to 59th Streets - Sixth to Eighth Avenues;
48th Street, from Fifth to Ninth Avenues;
Cross-town access for emergency vehicles will be available on 42nd, 48th, and 59th Streets.

I don't believe any streets in the area of Penn Station, until you get very close to Times Square, are closed to pedestrians, and certainly nothing as early as 4. Subways usually don't start skipping the Times Square Stations until 7.

Indeed, there's usually a New Years Eve concert at the Garden, and those people certainly don't have to be in by 4 to get to it.

i have forgotten. i have only been to two of the nyc shutdowns. one was st day parade. other some bike thing. get where you are going within walking distance a day in in advance. and, when they have a shutdown, one cannot go anywhere