Give the dispatcher seven details when you book: your exact pickup address, your exact drop-off address, the date and time, your flight number and airline for airport trips, how many people are traveling, how many bags you have, and a phone number where the driver can reach you — plus any special request, such as a child seat or a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, at the same time, because a detail added after the car is dispatched may not be possible.
Picture a 5 AM pickup for a 7 AM flight: the car arrives, the driver calls, and the booking says the wrong terminal, the wrong headcount, and no child seat — and the seat you need is back at the depot. Nothing about that morning is fixable at the curb. This page lists the seven details that make an advance booking work, why each one matters, and what to confirm in writing before the car moves, so the trip you planned is the trip that shows up.
Written by Sarah Thompson · Fact-checked by Alex Freeman, Editor-in-Chief · Last verified November 2026
The 7 details every advance booking needs
- Your exact pickup address — street number, building name, and entrance, not just the neighborhood
- Your exact drop-off address — terminal and airline for airport trips, street address everywhere else
- The date and time — the pickup time, not the flight time, and the time zone if you are booking from abroad
- Your flight number and airline — for airport pickups, so the trip can be matched to your actual arrival
- How many people are traveling — adults and children, because the vehicle is sized to the headcount
- How many bags you have — every suitcase, carry-on, and oversized item, because luggage decides the vehicle
- A phone number where the driver can reach you — kept on and answered from pickup until drop-off
If any of the seven is a guess, say so when you book — a dispatcher can work with an honest estimate and correct it later, but cannot work with a wrong address discovered at the curb. Start by learning how to make a reservation for a specific time and date for your car service, and confirm that it is possible to schedule a car service in advance for the day you need. Before you book, read what to look for when choosing a car service for your trip, and for an airport run check what transportation options are available at Kennedy Airport.
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Why the flight number matters
For an airport pickup, the flight number is the detail that ties the car to your actual arrival instead of the scheduled time. Give the airline and the flight number when you book, keep your phone on after landing, and tell the dispatcher as soon as you know about a delay — the hold window and any charge for waiting are in your written confirmation, so read them there rather than assuming the car waits indefinitely. The same habit applies at the other airports: check how long it takes to transfer from LaGuardia to JFK Airport before planning a connection, and if you are arriving at Newark, see how to get from Newark Airport to the city.
Special requests belong on the booking, not at the curb
Anything beyond a standard ride goes on the booking at the same time as the seven details. A child seat costs about $35 per seat, confirmed at booking — JetBlack provides child seats, but they are never free — so give the child’s age and weight when you book, and the right seat is in the car on the day. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are provided on request, so describe the chair and whether you stay in it or transfer. Airport meet-and-greet inside the terminal is an extra arranged at booking, not part of the standard fare. You can request specific vehicle features or amenities for your trip, and if the standard curb does not suit you, arrange a customized pick-up or drop-off location when you book — a driver who learns about a side entrance at the curb may not be able to use it.
Confirm the quote and the cancellation terms in writing
A booking is only successful when the price and the terms are agreed in writing before the car moves. With JetBlack, an economy sedan from JFK to Manhattan is a $65 flat fare, and hourly service in an Economy Sedan is $45 an hour with a 3-hour minimum — the $44 figure you may see elsewhere is the first-mile per-mile tier, not an hourly floor and not a trip price. Tolls and governmental fees sit outside the quoted fare — see the additional charges for tolls or other expenses — and a 20% tip is suggested and not included. Cancellation is free before your booking is confirmed; after confirmation it costs $31 in total: $25 plus $5 in fees plus a $1 technology fee. You can pay for your car service online or in advance, and you can also pay for your car service to the airport in advance — but paying early does not fold the extras into the fare, so check that every special request is on the written quote. If you are comparing prices before you book, the budget options for JFK to Manhattan and the LaGuardia Airport transfer page show the range JetBlack publishes for those routes.
Questions travelers ask
How far in advance should I book a cab?
Book as soon as your plans are firm — JetBlack publishes no minimum lead time, but an advance booking is what guarantees the vehicle, the driver, and the written quote. For an early-morning airport run, book the night before at the latest, and give all seven details at once rather than adding them one by one.
What if my flight is delayed after I book?
Tell the dispatcher as soon as you know about the delay, and keep your phone on after landing. Your flight number, given at booking, lets the trip be matched to your actual arrival — the hold window and any waiting charge are in your written confirmation, so read them there rather than assuming the car waits indefinitely.
Do I have to pay when I book a cab in advance?
No — you can pay for your car service online or in advance, or settle it as arranged on your booking, but the price itself is agreed in writing before the car moves. Paying early does not fold extras into the fare: tolls and governmental fees sit outside the quoted fare, a 20% tip is suggested and not included, and child seats cost about $35 per seat.
What happens if I need to cancel an advance booking?
Cancellation is free before your booking is confirmed. After confirmation it costs $31 in total: $25 plus $5 in fees plus a $1 technology fee. Cancel as early as you can, and get the cancellation confirmed in writing so there is no dispute about when it happened.
Sources
- JetBlack Transportation — owner-confirmed service facts (written per-trip quotes, $65 JFK–Manhattan economy flat fare, Economy Sedan $45 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, $44 first-mile per-mile tier, free cancellation before confirmation, $31 cancellation breakdown, 20% suggested tip, child seats about $35 per seat for a fee, wheelchair-accessible vehicles provided on request, meet-and-greet as an extra, 24/7 dispatch), confirmed 2026-10-26, accessed 2026-11-10
- JetBlack Transportation — booking process as published on the reservation flow: pickup and drop-off addresses, date and time, flight details for airport trips, passenger and luggage counts, contact phone, and special requests collected at booking, accessed 2026-11-10
JetBlack Transportation · 34 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 · +1-646-214-4828 · Prices verified November 2026 and subject to change — confirm your fixed quote in writing before you travel
