What Time Should I Leave for the Airport From East 62nd Street? (JFK, LGA, Newark)
How long the drive actually takes from East 62nd Street
We're on East 62nd between First and Second, so every airport run starts by getting over to the FDR Drive a couple blocks east. Here's what to plan for, door to curb:
- LaGuardia (LGA): 25 to 45 minutes most of the day, and as little as 15 to 25 minutes early morning or late evening via the FDR and the RFK Bridge. This is the close one.
- JFK: 45 to 75 minutes. Off-peak it can be closer to 35 to 50, but the Van Wyck backs up, so don't count on the best case.
- Newark (EWR): 45 to 75 minutes, and it's the least predictable because you're crossing into Jersey through the Lincoln or Holland tunnel. Give it the full buffer.
Add 15 to 30 minutes to any of these during weekday rush (roughly 7 to 10am and 4 to 7pm) or in rain and snow.
When to actually leave
Work backwards from your flight, not from the drive time:
- Domestic flight: be at the airport about 2 hours before departure. From here that means leaving about 2.5 hours before your flight.
- International flight: be there about 3 hours before. Leave about 3.5 hours before your flight.
- Flying out of JFK or Newark in the morning rush? Add another 30 minutes and don't cut it close.
Getting the car
A yellow cab or an Uber/Lyft is easiest, and you can grab one right on Second Avenue. If you'd rather have a car booked in advance, text me the night before with your flight time and I'll help you sort a car service so it's waiting out front. To JFK the taxi flat rate is a set fare plus tolls and tip; LGA and Newark are metered or app-priced.
One more thing: checkout here is by 11am, but you don't have to leave the neighborhood right then. Text me if your flight's later and you want to figure out timing. I'm on text 24/7.