Key Takeaways
- Closest is LaGuardia: about 10 miles from Times Square — on a clear run, the fastest airport-to-theatre-district trip in the city.
- Most connected is JFK: the international and long-haul gateway, about 16 miles out, with the $70 flat-fare taxi ($76.75 with fixed surcharges) straight to the Times Square curb.
- Most underestimated is Newark: NJ Transit runs EWR to Penn Station — a 10-minute walk or one subway stop from Times Square — making EWR the rail traveler’s pick.
- JetBlack’s fixed point: JFK to Times Square in an economy sedan is the $65 fixed Manhattan route fare; LGA and EWR runs are quoted in writing, mileage-based.
- The deciding factor is your flight, not the map: pick the airport your route serves best, then solve the last 10–16 miles with the table below.
Written by Sarah Thompson · Reviewed by Alex Freeman, Editor-in-Chief · Facts last verified October 2026
Best Airport for Times Square: JFK vs LGA vs EWR, Decided Properly
Times Square is the one New York destination almost every visitor shares, and the airport question arrives with the flight booking: which is the best airport for Times Square? The lazy answer is “the closest one”. The correct answer weighs your route network, your landing hour, your luggage and your appetite for a train — in that order. This guide scores all three airports on the trips travelers actually make, with fares checked for 2027.
JetBlack drops passengers at Times Square hotels and theatres from all three airports daily. Two of the three ground options below beat our car for some readers, and this guide says which readers those are.
LaGuardia: The Closest Run
LaGuardia sits about 10 miles from Times Square in Flushing, Queens. On a clear midday run that is 30 minutes; on a Friday evening it can be 75. LGA’s rebuilt terminals are the nicest domestic facilities in the region, and its perimeter rule (most flights under ~1,500 miles, minimal customs) makes it the domestic specialist: if your flight exists into LGA, the ground trip is the shortest available. The weakness is transit: no rail link — the free Q70 bus to Jackson Heights and the subway in is the budget play, and taxis are metered, so traffic is your financial risk as well as your schedule risk.
JFK: The Default for Anything Far Away
JFK is about 16 miles from Times Square and is the region’s international gateway — long-haul routes, every alliance, and the widest schedule choice. Its ground game is the most regulated in the city: the yellow cab to Manhattan is a $70 flat fare with $6.75 in fixed surcharges — $76.75 before tolls and tip — and the AirTrain ($8.75) plus LIRR or subway is the rail option. In 2027 the airport is mid-rebuild, with the New Terminal One opening in phases, so build in a little extra time and confirm your terminal. For a Times Square hotel, JFK’s flat-fare certainty makes its extra miles cheaper than they look.
Newark: The Rail Traveler’s Shortcut
Newark looks like the outsider — it is in another state — but its rail path is the sleeper pick of this comparison. AirTrain Newark connects to NJ Transit trains into Penn Station, and Penn is a 10-minute walk or one subway stop from Times Square. For a traveler with one bag who lands when the roads are jammed, EWR-plus-train can beat LGA-plus-traffic door to door. By road it is about 15–16 miles through the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel, priced by meter or quote, with tunnel tolls riding along. EWR also frequently wins on airfare, which belongs in the total-trip math even though it is not this page’s subject.
The Door-to-Times-Square Cost Table
| Option | Base Rate | What’s Included | Surge Risk | Fixed Quote? | TLC Licensed? | Realistic Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transit: LGA (Q70 + subway) | $3.00 | Free Q70 bus to Jackson Heights, then the 7/E into Midtown | None | Yes | N/A — public transit | $3.00, 50–75 min |
| Transit: JFK (AirTrain + LIRR) | $8.75 + $5.25–$7.25 | AirTrain to Jamaica, LIRR to Penn, short hop to Times Square | None | Yes | N/A — public transit | $14.00–$16.00, 55–75 min |
| Transit: EWR (AirTrain + NJ Transit) | Rail fares per leg | AirTrain Newark, NJ Transit to Penn Station | None | Yes | N/A — public transit | Lowest-cost EWR option, ~60 min |
| Yellow taxi from JFK | $70 flat fare | Flat fare + $6.75 fixed surcharges to any Manhattan address | None — regulated | Yes, by law | Yes | $76.75–$81.75 + tolls + tip |
| JetBlack from JFK | $65 fixed route fare | Economy sedan, flight tracking, hotel-curb drop | None — never | Yes, in writing | Yes | $65 + tolls + gratuity |
| JetBlack from LGA / EWR | Mileage-based quote | Curbside pickup, written quote, no tunnel surprises | None — never | Yes, in writing | Yes | Quoted per address from a $44 starting price |
Read the table as three different products. Transit is the value champion at every airport. The JFK taxi sells regulated simplicity. The fixed-quote car sells certainty — a number agreed before you land, a driver tracking the flight, and a drop at your hotel’s door on 44th or 7th Avenue rather than a station two avenues and one transfer away. For a first night in the city with bags, certainty is usually the thing travelers are actually buying.
Ready to Book Your Times Square Ride?
Three Arrivals at Times Square
The theatre-weekend couple into LGA
They land at LaGuardia at noon on a Friday, carry-ons only, hotel on West 45th. A cab at the rank, thirty-five minutes of cooperative traffic, checked in by 1:30 with the evening free. Closest airport plus light luggage plus daylight: the simplest win in this guide.
The international arrival into JFK
She lands at JFK at 6 PM off a transatlantic flight — a flight that could only ever use JFK — with two checked bags and a Broadway curtain at 8. The pre-booked sedan at the curb, on a fare agreed at booking, removed the one variable she could not afford. JFK for distance, car for certainty.
The rail commuter into EWR
His flight to Newark was $90 cheaper than the LGA option, and he travels with a backpack. AirTrain, NJ Transit, Penn Station, ten-minute walk: he was standing in Times Square before the LGA traffic cleared the Grand Central Parkway. Airfare plus rail is a combination first-timers underrate.
The Times Square Decision Checklist
- ☐ International or West Coast flight? JFK — the other two cannot take it (LGA perimeter rule, EWR thinner schedules).
- ☐ Domestic, daylight, light bags? LGA, and consider the free Q70 plus subway for the cheapest run in the city.
- ☐ Found a much cheaper fare into EWR? Price the rail path before dismissing it — Penn Station is Times Square’s side door.
- ☐ Landing at evening peak with checked bags? Fix the fare in writing from any airport instead of metering through traffic.
- ☐ Hotel actually in the Theatre District? All three airports serve it; decide on flight quality first, ground second.
- ☐ Group of 4+? One vehicle per group usually beats per-person transit math and multiple cabs.
Why “Closest” Keeps Winning the Wrong Argument
Airport-choice content loves a single winner, and distance is the easiest metric to crown. But Times Square travelers do not experience distance — they experience time, price certainty and the walk from wherever the vehicle leaves them to their hotel door. By those measures the best airport for Times Square rotates: LGA for the domestic dash, JFK for the world, EWR for the rail-savvy fare hunter. The legacy fleets (Carmel, Dial 7) and the apps compete on the same ground legs; our difference is the written fixed quote and flight tracking. Pick the airport by the flight. Then pick the ride by the hour you land. That order never fails.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best airport for Times Square?
For domestic flights, LaGuardia — about 10 miles away with the shortest ground trip. For international and long-haul flights, JFK is the default and its $70 flat-fare taxi keeps the ground cost certain. Newark is the underrated third: its NJ Transit rail link ends at Penn Station, a 10-minute walk from Times Square.
How far is Times Square from JFK, LaGuardia and Newark?
About 16 miles from JFK, 10 miles from LaGuardia, and 15–16 miles from Newark. In real traffic, plan 60–100 minutes from JFK at peak, 45–75 from LGA, and 45–90 from EWR by road — or roughly an hour from any of them by rail.
How much is a taxi from JFK to Times Square?
The regulated flat fare: $70 plus $6.75 in fixed surcharges, $76.75 before tolls and tip ($81.75 on weekday 4–8 PM arrivals). JetBlack’s economy sedan on the same route is a $65 fixed route fare, quoted in writing.
Is there a train from the airports to Times Square?
Not directly to Times Square itself, but close: JFK’s AirTrain plus the LIRR reaches Penn Station; Newark’s AirTrain plus NJ Transit reaches Penn Station too; LaGuardia connects by the free Q70 bus to the subway at Jackson Heights. Penn Station is a 10-minute walk or one subway stop from Times Square.
Which airport is cheapest to fly into for Times Square?
It rotates with airfare sales — Newark frequently undercuts the other two, and its rail link keeps the ground leg cheap. Total the whole trip: airfare plus ground. A $90 fare saving survives any ground option on this page, including a fixed-quote car.
What if I land late at night?
Trains thin out and road traffic vanishes — the calculus flips to cars. A pre-booked car with flight tracking means a driver is at the curb whenever you land; with JetBlack, dispatch works to actual arrival and delayed pickups can stack to about two hours of cover.
Can one car take my whole group to Times Square?
Yes — SUVs and Sprinter vans price per vehicle, and the Theatre District’s hotel curbs are routine stops. For groups of five or more with luggage, one vehicle usually beats two taxis on price and always beats them on coordination.
How do I cancel a booking?
Free before confirmation. After confirmation the total fee is $31 ($25 + $5 + $1). Call +1-646-214-4828 as early as you can.
Sources
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airport guides (panynj.gov)
- NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission — JFK flat fare and metered fare rules (nyc.gov/tlc)
- MTA and NJ Transit — AirTrain, LIRR and Northeast Corridor services (mta.info, njtransit.com)
- JetBlack Google Business Profile — 4.0 stars from 100 reviews, checked October 2026
JetBlack, 34 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 · +1-646-214-4828 · Running New York car service since 2010.
Fares and rules checked against the sources above in October 2026. Prices and schedules change; your written quote is the number that governs your booking. Corrections: call +1-646-214-4828.
