Pre-booking a cab from JFK - options?

Hi all

Apologies if this has been covered before, but couldn't find a previous thread on the topic.

I'm hoping some of you might be able to share some advice on whether it is worth arranging a pre-booked taxi to collect us from the airport and take us to our hotel in Manhattan, and what the options are.

Last time I flew into JFK I was on the VS45. After we got through immigration and customs pretty quickly (a speedy exit from the economy section in the bubble helped a lot - thanks to this site for making me aware of the joy of the bubble!), we then got stuck in a hour-long wait for a cab, with the queue snaking all around the terminal building.

I'm flying into JFK on the VS9 this coming Thursday (in PE), arriving around 7pm. At this time of night I'd rather like to avoid a long wait for the cabs outside the airport. Would rather spend the time at the bar in the hotel!

I've looked into Tristar, and they are asking around £120 for a town car. A little pricey, but a comfy way to arrive. I've also got the Uber app, but have never used it abroad and haven't heard if it works well for collection from JFK.

Does anyone here have any preferred options for how to book a taxi to collect them from JFK?

Or does anyone know if the queue for cabs at JFK at this time of night is not so bad?

Any ideas very welcome!

[Neil]

I think pre booking is a good option, and it's just a matter of finding the best fares, although most are pretty similar nowadays.

Uber is complicated for collections at the airports. Most states have laws that ban Uber from collecting at the airport but there are many ways round this and it is possible to get an Uber from the airport but it might be a bit of a hassle.

According to the Uber app drivers pick up from arrivals level at JFK, and you follow signs for ground transportation & passigner pick-up for whichever terminal you're arriving in. I don't think it will be the taxi rank. I used uber at SFO and it was easy, and of course, cheaper than a cab or limo / town car.

I use Carmel Limo. In July it was ~$70 from JFK to my hotel including the tolls and tip. About the same as a taxi.

Alternative is dial-7

You call them once you are through customs and they give you a number which the driver will be holding out of the car window (sometimes it's your name) and they tell you where to wait for the driver as well.

I've always found them to be very good and the driver and the office were very great when I accidental booked them for 8.00AM instead of 8.00PM when returning to JFK. It was no bother to rebook and I got the impression I wasn't the first to do that and they were more concerned about me making my flight rather than a possible lost fare.

Note - when I arrived I needed a pay phone to call them (I'd turned my phone off for calls) but they had all been removed (this was T7) but I found a free phone panel which listed carmel and some hotels etc and used that with no problem. Not sure if this is the same in T4 where VS land though but be prepared.

I used Carmel as well & as pointed out dial 7 is another alternative.
Carmel charged the same as a yellow cab (fixed fee for JFK - link at bottom) + tolls + tip
so handed over $70

The Carmel app will even show live data of where their cars are.
Dunno if id bother paying extra for a bigger unless it was needed.
Only 2 of us with 3 cases & we still ended up in a People Carrier for 6


Fixed fee thing :-
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passen ... rate.shtml
To/From JFK and any location in Manhattan:
Onscreen rate is ‘Rate #02 – JFK Airport.’
This is a flat fare of $52 plus tolls, the 50-cent MTA State Surcharge, and the 30-cent Improvement Surcharge.
Passenger is responsible for paying all tolls.
Please tip your driver for safety and good service.

If you book Carmel (I'm also a fan), make sure you use one of their coupons, which just gives it the edge over a NYC taxi.

https://www.carmellimo.com/Coupons.shtml

Not JFK, but have used Uber from EWR to JFK, was very easy, once requested the car, the driver phoned and asked for our location. Very quick and simple.

I've only ever queued up for a taxi at T7, but the queues move so fast I've never waited more than 5 mins.

Thanks everyone for your speedy and extremely helpful replies.

Neil, Bretty and Hamster - thanks for the Uber advice. I’m probably not brave enough to try out Uber this time around. Though my fears are probably ungrounded and I should be more adventurous!

Many thanks tontybear, Eggtastico and NYLON for the advice re. Carmel (and the nod to dial7 too). This looks just the ticket and very straightforward to organise. Glad to hear they give good customer service based on your experience tontybear, and thanks NYLON for the discount coupon.

And thank you locutus for your experience of cabs from T7. Of the few times I’ve gone through T4 I have never had as bad a wait as last time (normally ten mins or so). It could well have been a one-off, but I won’t risk it this time so will pre-book. Of course, there will probably be very little of a queue this time around!

May I ask one further question please? And it does make me sound like a total newbie, but I’ve never actually pre-booked a taxi from any airport before (normally jump in a cab at the destination (or family pick me up), and get the HEX back on the other end).

On the Carmel booking form it asks what flight I am on, and also what time I would like the car. Do I say the pick up time should be the time the flight is scheduled to arrive (and they presumably work out what time I will actually appear post-customs based on the flight number), or do I tack on say, 30 minutes, to account for time getting through immigration and customs?

I always tack 30 mins on to the scheduled arrival time but they really only use the info to assign cars so they know they need X number between A and B hours etc. They know the vagaries of immigration and customs. Plus they will always have customers who just phone and book so they are not waiting around.

They don't use it to add waiting time to the bill if you are later than that which some companies in the UK do.

If you book Carmel (I'm also a fan), make sure you use one of their coupons, which just gives it the edge over a NYC taxi.

https://www.carmellimo.com/Coupons.shtml

Thank you NYLON, perfect for my Christmas trip

They would be experienced enough to know time to clear immigration, etc. & the flight no & time helps them to co-ordinate their drivers. There are plenty of drivers dropping off & picking up - not sure I'd worry about tacking on an extra 30mins.

It might be worth installing the app - just to get an idea of how many cars are on the road!

One word of caution.. our driver seemed to be in a hurry - kind of driving you shouldn't really be doing with passengers in the car... not that I am complaining.. getting to the airport quicker & more time in the clubhouse beats sitting in standing traffic!

If you book Carmel (I'm also a fan), make sure you use one of their coupons, which just gives it the edge over a NYC taxi.

https://www.carmellimo.com/Coupons.shtml

Thank you NYLON, perfect for my Christmas trip

Glad to help! When you book (online or over the phone), remember to tell them that you are using a coupon. They will give you a three digit code to write on the coupon, once you print it out. Without that code, the coupon is invalid.

On the Carmel booking form it asks what flight I am on, and also what time I would like the car. Do I say the pick up time should be the time the flight is scheduled to arrive (and they presumably work out what time I will actually appear post-customs based on the flight number), or do I tack on say, 30 minutes, to account for time getting through immigration and customs?

It doesn't really matter. They have a pool of drivers circulating the airport, and parked in lots nearby. It's just to give the dispatcher a rough estimate. Remember people can also just phone Carmel when they arrive without any pre-booking.

When booking online I normally tick the box that says to just hold the reservation on my CC, rather than charging it immediately.

You can also get FF miles for your Carmel booking (sadly not VS); I elect DL. But AA and UA are there if I remember rightly.

NYLON

p.s. As noted above, when you book online remember to tick the box that says "I am using a coupon" (and take note of the three digit validation code).

Absolutely wonderful - thank you everyone for the most helpful advice, and for following up on my second question. Much obliged to you all.

I've now booked with Carmel, and have the coupon plus the all important code. Will check out their app in a bit. Really chuffed to have the cab pre-booked so many thanks again.

Eggtastico - thanks also for the note about the speedy driver you had. On my last occasion getting into Manhattan via a yellow cab we also had a speedy driver who darted in and out of the traffic while we clung on in the back - I was sure we were going to clip another car it was that hairy. At one point she was singing along to Adele on the radio - while we harmonised in the back! Not every cab journey is quite so memorable but it was a great way to start our last holiday in NYC

First off - have a great time in NYC..! This place at Christmas is just amazing, very jealous...

If you are landing at 7pm and want to get to your hotel quickly, easily and affordably why not take the Airtrain..? Its one stop to Jamaica station then on the LIRR its about 30 mins to Penn Station in Manhattan.

Back in the 80's it would have been for the brave - but nowadays that line if full to travellers, policed well and the access is really great. Its also a lot faster, I have spent many an hour sitting in traffic getting into Manhattan in a cab - the journey could easily take an hour if not more! I would really think about this, especially at £15 each...

I know you have booked, but you can always cancel...

First off - have a great time in NYC..! This place at Christmas is just amazing, very jealous...

If you are landing at 7pm and want to get to your hotel quickly, easily and affordably why not take the Airtrain..? Its one stop to Jamaica station then on the LIRR its about 30 mins to Penn Station in Manhattan.

Back in the 80's it would have been for the brave - but nowadays that line if full to travellers, policed well and the access is really great. Its also a lot faster, I have spent many an hour sitting in traffic getting into Manhattan in a cab - the journey could easily take an hour if not more! I would really think about this, especially at £15 each...

I know you have booked, but you can always cancel...

I second this, also arrived on the Vs45. Was very quick and cheap, at the hotel in about 30 minutes and out for supper in no time at all.

http://web.mta.info/mta/airtrain.htm