Best Airport for Times Square: JFK vs LGA vs EWR (2026)
The best airport for Times Square depends on what kind of flight you are on — because the three New York airports serve the Theater District very differently. LaGuardia is the closest at about eight miles. JFK is the international gateway with the most flight choices. Newark has the one-seat train to Penn Station, which sits a ten-minute walk from Times Square. Pick the wrong one and you add an hour and fifty dollars to a trip that should have been simple. Here is the 2026 answer, airport by airport, with the actual fares and times for getting from each terminal to 42nd and Broadway.
The Short Answer
| Airport | Miles to Times Square | Fastest transit | Cheapest transit | Taxi/car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGA (LaGuardia) | ~8 | ~35–55 min | $2.90 | ~20–40 min [VERIFY] |
| JFK | ~15 | ~45–60 min | ~$11.65 | ~35–60 min, $76.75+ taxi |
| EWR (Newark) | ~16 | ~30–45 min | $15.75 | ~40–60 min, $50–$80+ [VERIFY] |
Those are the bones. The right choice for the best airport for Times Square comes down to your flight type, your luggage, and what time you land — the sections below give you the door-to-door playbook for each airport.
LaGuardia → Times Square: The Closest Play
LaGuardia sits about eight miles from Midtown, which makes it the distance winner for the best airport for Times Square on paper. The public-transit play is simple and cheap: take the free Q70 LaGuardia Link bus from Terminal B or C to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue (about 10–15 minutes, luggage racks on board, runs 24 hours), then catch the R train directly to Times Square–42nd Street. Total: roughly 45–55 minutes door to door for one $2.90 OMNY subway fare. The stairs at Jackson Heights are the honest downside — with heavy luggage, this transfer is work.
By car, LGA to Times Square is 20–40 minutes depending on traffic, and it is the shortest taxi ride of the three airports. Typical metered fares run well below the JFK flat rate. [VERIFY: confirm current typical LGA–Times Square taxi range at apply time.] If your flight is domestic and your hotel is in Midtown, LaGuardia is usually the right answer — the federal perimeter rule keeps most LGA flights under 1,500 miles, so this is the airport for Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Dallas, not London.
JFK → Times Square: The International Play
JFK is fifteen miles out in Queens, but it is New York’s intercontinental hub — if your flight crosses an ocean, you are probably landing here regardless. The fastest transit play: AirTrain ($8.75) to Jamaica Station, then the LIRR to Penn Station/Moynihan Train Hall ($5.25 off-peak, $7.25 peak), then a ten-minute walk or one stop on the 1/2/3 to Times Square. Total: about 45–60 minutes and roughly $14–$16. The budget play swaps the LIRR for the subway at Jamaica (A train) or at Howard Beach — slower, but the whole trip stays near $11.65.
The taxi math is fixed by law, which is rare and useful: the JFK–Manhattan flat rate is $70, plus mandatory surcharges — $0.50 MTA, $1 improvement surcharge, $2.50 state congestion surcharge, and $0.75 congestion-pricing toll — for a $76.75 base before tolls and tip, plus a $5 rush surcharge weekday afternoons 4–8 p.m. ($81.75). No meter anxiety, no surge. For two or more travelers with luggage, the flat-rate taxi often beats two transit fares plus the stairs.
Newark → Times Square: The Dark Horse
Newark Liberty is the airport people forget, and for Times Square it deserves better. The train play is genuinely excellent: AirTrain to Newark Airport Rail Station, then NJ Transit to New York Penn Station — $15.75 all-in with the AirTrain fee bundled, about 30–40 minutes. Penn Station sits at 34th and 8th; Times Square is a ten-minute walk up Broadway or one stop on the 1/2/3. No transfers, no stairs with luggage beyond the stations themselves, and a fixed price that never surges.
The Coach USA Newark Airport Express bus runs to Port Authority, Bryant Park, and Grand Central — all within a few blocks of Times Square — in 45–90 minutes depending on traffic. [VERIFY: confirm current one-way fare at apply time; recently observed figures range $17–$23.50.] Taxis from EWR meter roughly $50–$80+ before tolls and tip. [VERIFY: confirm current typical range at apply time.] Newark wins the best airport for Times Square debate for travelers who value price certainty and a one-seat ride over raw mileage.
Which Airport Wins When
- International flight: JFK, no contest. It is the intercontinental gateway; fighting your way to another airport for a domestic connection wastes the advantage.
- Domestic flight, Midtown hotel, traveling light: LaGuardia. Eight miles, $2.90 on the Q70-plus-subway, and the R train drops you at Times Square–42nd Street.
- Price certainty and one seat: Newark. The $15.75 train to Penn Station never surges, never meters, and never sits in tunnel traffic.
- Landing after midnight: book the car. The Q70 runs 24 hours but subway frequencies thin out overnight; the AirTrain-plus-LIRR still works from JFK but the platforms are empty. A fixed-rate car is worth it.
- Two-plus travelers with luggage: do the per-person math. Two $15.75 train fares plus a subway ride is $35+ — a flat-rate taxi or fixed car-service quote starts looking rational, especially from JFK.
- Broadway show tonight: land at least three hours before curtain. A 7 p.m. curtain means wheels-down by 4 p.m. — the airport transfer plus hotel check-in eats more time than anyone budgets.
The Car-Service Math
For travelers who want a driver waiting at arrivals, JetBlack publishes fixed ranges by airport: JFK–Manhattan from $65 (economy sedan) up to $90–$150 for larger or luxury vehicles; LGA–Manhattan $90–$150; EWR–Manhattan $75–$150. All published figures exclude tolls, the recommended 20% gratuity, and governmental fees — the written quote is the fare, and there is no surge pricing. The honest comparison: a fixed car-service quote versus a metered taxi versus rideshare surge on a rainy Friday night. Get the all-in number in writing before you land.
One more Times Square-specific note: several Midtown hotels around Times Square have limited curbside space, and some restrict vehicle staging during theater hours. A booked car with your hotel name on the reservation gets waved through; a curbside rideshare pickup at 7:55 p.m. on 44th Street is its own adventure.
A Note on Timing: When to Leave for the Airport
Times Square sits in the densest traffic in the city, so your airport transfer shares roads with everyone else’s commute. On weekday mornings (7–10 a.m.) and evenings (4–8 p.m.), add thirty minutes to any car or taxi estimate from any airport — the tunnels clog and the avenues around Times Square itself barely move. For domestic flights, the working rule is: leave Times Square three to three-and-a-half hours before a JFK departure, two-and-a-half to three hours before LGA, and three hours before EWR. International flights add another hour to each. One more local wrinkle: the Broadway theater rush (6:30–8 p.m.) and the post-show surge (10–11 p.m.) make curbside pickups on 44th–46th Streets slow — if your hotel is in the theater block, walk one avenue east or west to meet your car and save twenty minutes of circling.
FAQ
What is the best airport for Times Square?
LaGuardia is the closest (~8 miles) and cheapest to reach ($2.90 via the free Q70 bus plus subway). JFK is best for international flights with its $70 flat-rate taxi. Newark offers the best price-certain train: $15.75 to Penn Station, ten minutes from Times Square.
Which airport is closest to Times Square?
LaGuardia (LGA), about eight miles from Midtown. JFK is about fifteen miles; Newark is about sixteen miles but has the fastest train connection to the Times Square area.
Is EWR or JFK better for Times Square?
For transit: EWR — the $15.75 NJ Transit train reaches Penn Station in 30–40 minutes with no transfers. For international arrivals and flat-rate taxis: JFK. For domestic flights and the shortest ride: neither — fly LaGuardia.
How much is a taxi from JFK to Times Square?
The regulated flat rate is $70 plus surcharges totaling $76.75 before tolls and tip ($81.75 with the weekday 4–8 p.m. rush surcharge). Tolls and tip are extra.
Can I take the subway from LaGuardia to Times Square?
There is no subway at LGA itself — take the free Q70 bus to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue, then the R train directly to Times Square–42nd Street. About 45–55 minutes total for $2.90.
How long does it take to get from Newark Airport to Times Square?
About 30–45 minutes by train (AirTrain + NJ Transit to Penn Station, then walk or one subway stop), 45–90 minutes by express bus depending on traffic, 40–60 minutes by taxi.
Sources
- MTA — Getting to Manhattan from LaGuardia Airport (Q70 free, $2.90 subway fare): mta.info/guides/airports/laguardia/lga-to-nyc
- Newark Airport to Manhattan guide (NJ Transit $15.75, Coach USA fares): underanewsun.com/newark-airport-to-manhattan
- JetBlack JFK vs LaGuardia airport comparison: jetblacktransportation.com/blog/better-airport-jfk-or-laguardia
- JetBlack JFK to Times Square car service: jetblacktransportation.com/p/jfk-to-times-square-car-service
