JFK advice

Hello everyone!

Just a couple of questions for all you very knowledgeable travellers!

I'm going to Orlando in Sept but the flights are so much cheaper to JFK so planning to fly into JFK from LHR in PE then spend 2 days in NYC before catching a flight down to MCO. On the reverse will just fly straight back to JFK and wait for onward flight.

Does anyone have any advice for this trip, mainly:

- cheapest way to get into times sq area with 4 suitcases ( 2 each). Have looking into subway, express train, shuttle and cab - want to save money but also want it to be as easy as possible with the cases! Obviously taxi would be easiest but roughly $45 plus toll each way!

- anyone done this trip before? Is it massively stressful or relatively easy? Was thinking about flying up from MCO the night before and staying in airport hotel ready for flight home the following day!

Any advice or tips you could offer would really help! I've not been specific with dates yet as not sure myself. Will be 3 weeks total, only planning 2 whole days in NYC!

Thanks guys,

Luke

You can take the airtrain from the terminals to Jamaica Station and take an A train to the Port Authority bus terminal on 42nd Street and then walk a couple of blocks or to Howard Beach Station and take an E Train also to the port authority bus terminal. The Airtrain is $5 per person each way. If you go to Howard Beach, you have to take the subway. If you take the train to Jamaica, you can either take the subway or the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to Penn Station on 34th street. From there, take a 1, 2 or 3 uptown to Times Square, or you can walk, it's 6 blocks.

The LIRR is either $5.75 or $8 each way depending on the time you go.

Total cost for tube plus airtrain: $7.25 each way per person.
Time: over an hour, can be more!

Total cost for Airtrain plus LIRR: $13max per person each way
Time: Half Hour (About)

Hope this helps!

anyone done this trip before? Is it massively stressful or relatively easy? Was thinking about flying up from MCO the night before and staying in airport hotel ready for flight home the following day!

I flew out to JFK and spent the night at one of the airport hotels before catching one of the first JetBlue flights of the morning down to MCO - it was probably the least stressful travel experience ever!

Them's the options for transfer, not sure I would grab them over a car, myself, especially with two of you and a good deal of luggage. I would not bother with an overnight at JFK, frankly. There's a late VS flight JFK-LHR, and a late EWR-LHR and allowing for a few hours connection to be on the safe side you will not have a problem. VS are usually good at booking onward travel in the US on the same reservation, which will protect you in a worst case scenario.

You can get Delta MCO-JFK, or Continental MCO-EWR, and I would bet it will cost 100 bucks or less. Get a flight that gets you into NYC some time between 2 and 4pm, and make the appropriate connection. It'll be easy.

do you really WANT to see NYC? if you do and have the resources then go for it. I'd get a taxi into the city quite frankly, that would take both of you + bags direct to hotel for $60ish including toll and tips. Its part of the fun NYC experience, not just transport. The city can be affordable if you are careful.
If you can find a good midtown deal, then perfect. If not Try the Jane St hotel, its in a great part of town, away from Times Square tourism, and tiny (I mean TINY) single rooms were $85/night. It's got a wonderful cafe (Gitane) attached and one of the trendiest bars in NYC. Plus its right by the Hudson river and the Highline Park. It's 2 blocks from where I live and a great safe neighbourhood. Visit 42nd st/Times Square one evening for yourself, if that's your thing. Otherwise, yes, midtown hotel experience is good, if a little (ie... very) anonymous - just get a high floor room to enjoy it.

Coming back I'd also do a daytime flight up into JFK, then take an evening/late flight from NYC back, and 'sleep' on the plane.

We've done this trip a couple of times and both times flew into and out of EWR. The main reason for this was to use Continental but we found a couple of other benefits, first there's a great Marriott hotel on site (walking distance from the terminal, rooms are never more than around $120 a night and it has an indoor pool) and you can get a train into Manhattan in under an hour.

We found it easier to fly in to EWR on the VS17 which arrives around 11.30pm, get a good night's sleep at the Marriott and then fly out to MCO on the first plane in the morning (around 6.00am) as you're probably be up early anyway. You get into Orlando around 9.00am (no immigration as you did that the night before) and then you have pretty much the whole day to do what you want.

Stay in NYC on the way back as this gives you a completely different perspective to Orlando and finishes the holiday nicely. As for transport we use a car service but this is a little more expensive but does make the trip a bit more special. From memory I this this is around $100 + tip depending on where you're staying.

Hope this helps

Miopyk 8D

last time i did LHR-NY-RSW i caught the last flight out of LHR so not losing a day,landing in Ny late,by the time you clesar immigration theres about 5 hours (which i spent dozing in the airport) then the first flight down to the sun and again you get the whole day

Thank you all so much for your advice and recommendations!! Still very much at the planning stage, but getting excited!!

Thanks again,

Luke

[honey lamb]

jetBlue is good for JFK-MCO flights

The NYC subway has many unique features but easy of access is not one of them.

There are often steep and narrow stairways that can be hazardous for even the fully fit to negotiate let alone anyone carrying luggage. I tried it once with one case - and swore never, never, never again ! There are very few lifts and escalators to get you to platform level. Take the wrong exit and you can be faced with one of those high turnstyle gates that are not conducive to gettling luggage through.

Even using the Airtrain will mean you having to use the subway at some point.

My recomemndation (if you want to save money) is to take one of the shuttle buses which will be about $20 per person. I have used Super Shuttle in the past. (Other companies listed on the LFK website)

Disadvantage is you may have to wait for a shuttle to the area you are staying and if you are last on the list it could be several stops.

As others have pointed out a taxi will be about $ 60 so not much more and will take you straight there. Only use a taxi from the marshalled rank outside each terminal. Make sure you get the fixed fare (currently $45). Again add tolls and tip.

You can prebook a Carmel Car for $ 40 plus tolls and tip. (other car services are available)

When you are in NYC get an MTA 'fun pass' for $ 8.25 a day or $27 for a 7 day one. They will save having to find change for the ticket machines etc and will generally speed your way through the system. Single fares are $2.25 so the pass will work out very good value.

And whatever you decide, do make sure when you book your flight with virgin that you ask for them to add the nyc-mco leg and the return on the one ticket, so when the unpredictable florida lightning storms delay your flight in orlando you wont have to worry about missing your onward to britain as you will be protected.

cheers

alex