No — JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty are three separate airports in three different places, and mixing them up is the most expensive simple mistake a New York traveller can make. All three are run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is exactly why the confusion happens. JFK sits on Jamaica Bay in southeastern Queens, LaGuardia on Flushing Bay in northern Queens, and Newark Liberty across the Hudson River in New Jersey. There is no walkway, shuttle or train between them, and a flight from the wrong one does not wait while you cross the city.
One honest note first: the logged search phrase ends mid-sentence — “are JFK and ___ the same airport” — with the second airport missing. No single airport can be recovered from that, so this article does not guess one.
Written by Emily Davis · Fact-checked by Alex Freeman, Editor-in-Chief · Last verified November 2026
Key Takeaways
- JFK, LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark (EWR) are three separate airports, all operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
- LaGuardia is closest to Midtown at about 8 miles, JFK is about 15 miles away, and Newark is about 16 to 17 miles away in New Jersey
- The $70 yellow-taxi flat fare exists only between JFK and Manhattan — LaGuardia taxis run the meter plus $5.00, Newark taxis the meter plus $20.00
- LaGuardia Terminal A is closed with no scheduled flights since Spirit ceased operations on May 2, 2026 — every LaGuardia flight leaves from Terminal B or C
Summary in Questions
- Are JFK and LaGuardia the same airport? No — JFK is in southeastern Queens and LaGuardia is in northern Queens
- Are JFK and Newark the same airport? No — Newark Liberty is in New Jersey, with its own terminals A, B and C
- Which New York airport is closest to Manhattan? LaGuardia, at about 8 miles, against about 15 for JFK and 16 to 17 for Newark
- What should I check before I leave? The three-letter code on your booking (JFK, LGA or EWR), your terminal, and your airline
Good to Know
- Airlines sell all three airports as “New York” — the code on your ticket is the only reliable check
- LaGuardia has no rail link, so the free Q70 bus to the subway is the cheap way in — and Terminal A is closed
- JFK’s terminals do not connect after security, so a terminal change means clearing security again
Three airports, one operator, three different places
One agency runs all three, which is why the question keeps getting asked: the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty. Shared management is not a shared building — picture a triangle around the harbour, JFK southeast on Jamaica Bay, LaGuardia north on Flushing Bay, Newark west across the Hudson.
Distance is the first practical difference. LaGuardia is closest to Midtown Manhattan, at about 8 miles. JFK is about 15 miles by highway from Midtown. Newark Liberty is about 16 to 17 miles from Midtown, in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. Those miles are the facts before traffic: the same 8-mile LaGuardia run can take 25 minutes at dawn and over an hour on a Friday evening. The airport closest to Manhattan comparison makes the same point.
Route mix is the second difference. JFK is the city’s primary international gateway. LaGuardia is primarily domestic, with limited service to Canada and nearby destinations. Newark handles domestic and significant international traffic, and it is United’s major hub — so a United ticket sold as “New York” very often means Newark, not JFK.
How to tell them apart in ten seconds
The fastest check is the three-letter IATA code on every booking, boarding pass and baggage tag: JFK is John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, LGA is LaGuardia Airport in Queens, and EWR is Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. If your confirmation says only “New York” with no code, find the code in the airline’s own booking before you leave home.
- JFK — five terminals (1, 4, 5, 7 and 8), AirTrain to the subway and Long Island Rail Road, yellow-taxi flat fare to Manhattan
- LGA — two working terminals (B and C), no rail link, free Q70 bus to the subway, taxis on the meter
- EWR — three terminals (A, B and C), AirTrain to NJ Transit trains, taxis on the meter plus a $20.00 surcharge
JFK: five terminals that do not connect after security
JFK has five operating terminals — 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8 — and the gaps are real history. Terminals 2 and 3 were demolished, a new Terminal 6 is under construction next to Terminal 5, and a new Terminal One is being built in phases, due in 2030. Terminal 4 is the biggest arrivals hall, home to Delta and many international carriers. Terminal 5 is JetBlue’s; Terminal 8 is American Airlines and British Airways. Assignments move as the rebuild advances, so the terminal on your confirmation outranks any guide on the day you travel.
Two JFK facts change how you plan. First, the five terminals have no post-security connection, so changing terminals means leaving the secure area, riding the AirTrain (free between terminals), and clearing security again. Second, the AirTrain links every terminal with Jamaica station (E, J and Z subway, Long Island Rail Road) and Howard Beach (A train). The AirTrain is $8.75, paid on exit, and the subway is $3.00, so the cheapest rail trip into Manhattan is $11.75. The transfers from JFK Airport to Manhattan guide, the getting between terminals at JFK guide, and the transportation options at Kennedy Airport page cover the trip.
LaGuardia: the closest airport, with a closed terminal to avoid
LaGuardia is the closest of the three to Manhattan and, since its rebuild finished in 2022, the most compact to navigate — but it carries the sharpest trap in this article. It has two working passenger terminals, B and C. Terminal B is the rebuilt main terminal, serving Air Canada, American, Frontier, JetBlue, Porter, Southwest and United. Terminal C is Delta only. Terminal A, the historic Marine Air Terminal, is closed to the public with no scheduled flights: Spirit, its sole tenant, ceased operations on May 2, 2026.
LaGuardia is also the only one of the three with no rail link. The Q70 LaGuardia Link bus is free, runs 24 hours a day, comes about every 8 to 10 minutes by day, and carries luggage racks; it connects Terminals B and C with Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue (E, F, M, R and 7 subway lines) and Woodside (Long Island Rail Road). The subway leg costs $3.00. The getting to LGA Airport using public transportation page and the booking airport transportation from New York LaGuardia page cover both routes.
Newark: the New Jersey airport that counts as a New York airport
Newark Liberty is the one people most often refuse to believe is separate, because so many airlines sell it simply as “New York.” It is in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, about 16 to 17 miles from Midtown, with its own three terminals, A, B and C, in separate buildings. Terminal A, rebuilt and opened in January 2023, serves Air Canada, American, Delta, JetBlue and some United domestic flights. Terminal B handles most other international airlines. Terminal C is United’s hub. The quick rule is United in C, the big U.S. carriers and Air Canada in A, and nearly everyone else in B.
Newark is also the only one of the three with its own mainline rail station. The AirTrain Newark monorail links the terminals with Newark Liberty International Airport Station, where NJ Transit trains run to New York Penn Station in about 30 minutes, at $17.50 one way including the AirTrain as of September 2026. Two warnings: the AirTrain does not reach the new Terminal A directly, so reaching it means about a 15-minute covered walk or a free shuttle; and through November 13, 2026, weekday AirTrain service is replaced by shuttle buses from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., so allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes. The travelling between JFK and EWR airports page is the right next read for anyone whose itinerary touches both airports.
What happens if you go to the wrong airport
Going to the wrong airport is not a detour; it is a second trip. There is no flight, airside bus or terminal shuttle between JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, and no airline will move your checked bags between them. What you face is leaving one airport, crossing the city, entering a different airport, and clearing security again — while your original flight boards without you.
Recovery starts with the clock. If you discover the mistake at home, rebook the car to the right airport with the correct terminal and flight number. If you discover it at the wrong airport, call the airline first and the car second: the airline decides whether you still have a flight. Between JFK and LaGuardia the road trip is the shorter move, since both sit in Queens; between either Queens airport and Newark you cross Manhattan and the Hudson at peak hours. Do not plan a cross-airport transfer on a tight connection — no published drive time survives a rush-hour bridge or tunnel, and this article does not print one.
What each airport costs to reach: the honest comparison
The fare rules are where the three airports differ most sharply. There is exactly one flat taxi fare in the whole New York airport system, and it belongs to JFK alone: a yellow taxi between JFK and Manhattan costs $70 in either direction, $76.75 after mandatory surcharges before tolls and tip — $81.75 on weekdays between 4 and 8 p.m. with the $5 rush surcharge. LaGuardia has no flat fare: the meter runs from a $3.00 drop, plus a $5.00 surcharge. Newark has no flat fare either: the meter runs, plus a $20.00 surcharge, and tolls apply both ways.
| Option | JFK to Manhattan | LaGuardia to Manhattan | Newark to Manhattan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow taxi (TLC) | $70 flat; $76.75 after surcharges, before tolls and tip ($81.75 rush 4–8 p.m.) | Meter + $5.00 surcharge; no flat fare | Meter + $20.00 surcharge + tolls both ways; no flat fare |
| Cheapest public transit | AirTrain $8.75 + subway $3.00 = $11.75 | Q70 free + subway $3.00 = $3.00 | AirTrain + NJ Transit to Penn Station $17.50, ~30 minutes |
| JetBlack booked car | Economy sedan $65 flat (JFK–Manhattan); tip excluded, 20% suggested | Written per-trip quote — no flat fare | Written per-trip quote — no flat fare |
Two JetBlack numbers in that table need careful wording. The $65 JFK–Manhattan economy fare is a fixed per-trip flat fare, with gratuity excluded and 20% suggested. The $44 figure is not an hourly floor and not a trip price: it is the first-mile per-mile tier. Hourly service is separate — an Economy Sedan is $45 an hour with a 3-hour minimum. Cancellation is free before confirmation, and $31 in total after: $25 plus $5 in fees plus a $1 technology fee. Tolls and governmental fees are extra. The travelling from JFK to Times Square page shows how the JFK numbers land on one Manhattan destination.
Ready to Book Your New York Airport Ride?
How JetBlack serves each of the three airports
JetBlack serves all three airports the same way: one booking, one named terminal, one driver who knows which airport and which terminal before the car moves. Give the flight number and the terminal at booking, and the driver tracks a delay instead of leaving. Child seats are provided for about $35 per seat, confirmed at booking — a paid extra, not a free one — and wheelchair-accessible vehicles are provided on request.
The practical difference is what the fixed price covers. JFK to Manhattan in an economy sedan is a $65 flat fare, agreed before the car moves. LaGuardia and Newark are written per-trip quotes, agreed before the car moves, because no published flat fare covers them and borrowing the JFK number would be dishonest. In all three cases the price is one fixed number for your date, your terminal and your vehicle, with no surge and no meter.
Watch: getting airport transfers right in New York
The video above is from JetBlack’s own YouTube channel, and its airport-transfer section covers the fixed-rate and flight-tracking points in this article. It is a group-travel video, not an airport-by-airport guide, so the terminal detail here is the part only the text carries.
Questions travelers ask
Are JFK and LaGuardia the same airport?
No. JFK is in southeastern Queens on Jamaica Bay, about 15 miles from Midtown Manhattan, and LaGuardia is in northern Queens on Flushing Bay, about 8 miles away. They are separate airports, run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Are JFK and Newark the same airport?
No. Newark Liberty (EWR) is in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, about 16 to 17 miles from Midtown Manhattan, with its own terminals A, B and C.
Which New York airport is closest to Manhattan?
LaGuardia, at about 8 miles from Midtown Manhattan, against about 15 for JFK and 16 to 17 for Newark.
What happens if I go to the wrong New York airport?
You face a separate cross-city ground trip to the right airport, must clear security again, and your flight will usually leave without you. Call the airline first: rebooking depends on your ticket’s fare rules.
Is there a flat-rate taxi fare from every New York airport?
No — the $70 yellow-taxi flat fare exists only between JFK and Manhattan, $76.75 after mandatory surcharges before tolls and tip ($81.75 weekday rush 4-8 p.m.). LaGuardia taxis run the meter plus a $5.00 surcharge, and Newark taxis the meter plus a $20.00 surcharge and tolls both ways.
Sources
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — JFK Airport terminals and ground transportation, accessed 2026-11-09
- NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission — Taxi fare: $70 JFK–Manhattan flat fare, LGA metered + $5.00, EWR metered + $20.00, MTA surcharge counties, accessed 2026-11-09
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority — Subway $3.00 from January 2026; AirTrain JFK $8.75; Q70 free, 24 hours, accessed 2026-11-09
- New Jersey Tourism — Newark Airport (EWR) Guide, updated September 24, 2026: Terminals A, B and C; AirTrain + NJ Transit $17.50, about 30 minutes to Penn Station
- Blade — Southwest Airlines at LaGuardia, Terminal B guide, updated November 1, 2026: Terminal A closed, Spirit ceased May 2, 2026; Q70 free
- NYC Travel Guide — JFK Airport Guide, updated September 18, 2026: five operating terminals 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8, no airside connection, AirTrain free between terminals
- JetBlack Transportation — owner-confirmed service facts, confirmed 2026-10-26
JetBlack Transportation · 34 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 · +1-646-214-4828 · Prices verified November 2026 — confirm your fixed quote in writing before you travel
