Top 3 Key Airports in NYC [JFK, EWR, LGA]

New York is one of the major cities in the United States and is also known as the most populous city. The city covers a total area of 300.46 square miles and is a center for education, technology, tourism, entertainment, research, art, fashion, sports, and much more.

New York City is accessible through various transportation mediums including roadways and airways. Talking about the airway, there are some major airports in NYC operating scheduled commercial flights to major domestic and international destinations.

There are three major airports in NYC and they are John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Let’s discover more about the 3 major airports in NYC including history, facilities, airline operations, destinations, and so on.

Top 3 major airports in NYC

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

John F. Kennedy International Airport (ICAO: KJFK, IATA: JFK, FAA LID: JFK) is commonly known as JFK Airport or New York-JFK. It is among the major airports in NYC and is the busiest international air passenger gateway into North America.

JFK is the sixth-busiest airport in the United States and 20th-busiest airport in the world as the airport served over 63 million passengers in the year 2019. The majority of airlines from across the globe operate commercial flights to and from the JFK airport.

Located at an elevation of 13 ft (4 m) above mean sea level (AMSL), the airport serves the New York metropolitan area which is the largest metropolitan area in the world in terms of urban landmass.

History of JFK Airport

The previous name of John F. Kennedy International Airport was Idlewild Airport with ICAO Code KIDL, FAA Location Identifier and IATA Code as IDL. The Idlewild Airport was built as a relief airport to LaGuardia Field.

Almost 1000 acres of the Idlewild Golf Course site was utilized for the construction of the new airport with spending US$60 million in the initial phase. The respective authority and the New York City Board of Estimate commissioned condemnation of additional 1,350 acres for Idlewild Airport.

The official name of the airport was changed to New York International Airport, Anderson Field by the City Council however, the common name was maintained ‘Idlewild’ until December 24, 1963.

The first flight was conducted on 1st July 1948 with the inauguration ceremony under the presence of the then-U.S. President Harry S. Truman. Foreign carriers were constrained to use Idlewild Aiport as the Port Authority withdrew foreign airlines’ permission to use LaGuardia Airport.

The Idlewild Airport started its operation with six runways however, two runways with designation 1 L and 7 L were in reserve status and didn’t come into operation.

The first-ever jetliner to land at Idlewild airport was the Avro Jetliner which landed on April 16, 1950. Eastern Air Lines, National Airlines, and Pan American were the airlines operating flights to various domestic and international destinations from the airport.

The airport went through various expansion projects due to the increase in the volume of international traffic. The control tower, terminal, parking lots, taxiways, and roadways were enhanced to serve maximum passengers.

National Airlines, British Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Airlines, American Airlines, Pan American World Airways, Trans World Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Northeast Airlines, JetBlue and other commercial airlines started operating scheduled flights to and from the Idlewild airport.

The name John F. Kennedy International Airport was declared on 24th December 1963 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. After renaming, the airport went through terminal enhancement projects with over a US$1.4 billion budget.

With various infrastructural and technological enhancements, the JFK airport became the first airport in the United States to accommodate the world’s biggest passenger jet Airbus A380. Lufthansa Airbus A380 landed at JFK airport on 1st August 2008 with over 500 passengers. Airbus A380 didn’t become successful due to declining demand and inclining operational costs.

Besides Lufthansa, other airlines including Singapore Airlines, Air France, Korean Air, Asiana  Airlines, and Etihad Airways operated A380 to and from JFK airport.

Facilities at JFK Airport

Being one of the major airports in NYC, John F. Kennedy International Airport features six terminals holding a total of 131 gates. The terminals are numerically categorized from 1 to 8 out of which two terminals, Terminal 3 and Terminal 6 were demolished in 2013 and 2011 respectively.

The terminal buildings are designed in a deformed U-shaped wavy pattern. The central section equips a power plant, parking facility, and other airport amenities. The 8.1 mile long AirTrain system and access roads have been used to connect the terminals. The AirTrain system is also referred to as AirTrain JFK which serves as an elevated people mover system and airport link system in the airport.

TERMINALS	NUMBER OF GATES
Terminal 1	11 gates
Terminal 2	11 jetbridge-equipped gates
Terminal 4	38 gates
Terminal 5	29 gates
Terminal 7	12 gates
Terminal 8	29 gates

JFK Airport Runway Information

John F. Kennedy International Airport features 4 runways with designation RWY 13R/31L, RWY 13L/31R, RWY 4R/22L, and RWY 4L/22R.

RUNWAY DESIGNATION	DIMENSION	SURFACE
RWY 13R/31L	14,511 ft by 200 ft	Concrete
RWY 13L/31R	10,000 ft by 200 ft	Concrete
RWY 4R/22L	8,400 ft by 200 ft	Asphalt
RWY 4L/22R	12,079 ft by 200 ft	Concrete

The JFK Airport also equips four helipads numbered from H1 to H4.

HELIPAD NUMBER	LENGTH	SURFACE
H1	60 ft (18 m)	Asphalt
H2	60 ft (18 m)	Asphalt
H3	60 ft (18 m)	Asphalt
H4	60 ft (18 m)	Asphalt

Airlines Operating at JFK Airport

AIRLINES	DESTINATION
Aer Lingus	Dublin, Shannon, Manchester
Aeroflot	Moscow
Aerolineas Argentinas	Buenos Aires
Aeromexico	Mexico City
Air China	Beijing
Air Europa	Madrid
Air France	Charles de Gaulle-Paris, Orly-Paris
Air India	Delhi
Air Senegal	Dakar
Air Serbia	Belgrade
Alaska Airlines	Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco, San Diego, Portland
All Nippon Airways	Narita-Tokyo, Haneda-Tokyo
American Airlines	Major domestic and international destinations
American Eagle	Washington, Toronto, Richmond, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Nashville, Montreal, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Boston
Asiana Airlines	Seoul-Incheon
Austrian Airlines	Vienna
Avianca	Bogota, Medellin, Cali
Avianca Costa Rica	San Jose de Costa Rica
Avianca Ecuador	Guayaquil
Avianca El Salvador	San Salvador
Azerbaijan Airlines	Baku
Azores Airlines	Seasonal flight to Funchal
British Airways	London-Heathrow
Brussels Airlines	Brussels
Cape Air	Martha’s Vineyard and seasonal flights to Hyannis, Nantucket
Caribbean Airlines	Tobago, St.Vincent, Port of Spain, Montego Bay, Kingston, Georgetown, Barbados
Cathay Pacific	Hong Kong
Cayman Airways	Grand Cayman
China Airlines	Taipei
China Eastern Airlines	Shanghai
China Southern Airline	Guangzhou
Condor	Frankfurt
Copa Airlines	Panama City
Delta Air Lines	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Delta Connection	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Eastern Airlines	Guayaquil, Belo Horizonte
EgyptAir	Cairo
El Al	Tel Aviv
Emirates	Dubai Internationa, Milan
Ethiopian Airlines	Addis Ababa
Etihad Airways	Abu Dhabi
EVA Air	Taipei
Finnair	Helsinki Seasonal flights to Stockholm
Hainan Airlines	Chengdu, Chongqing
Hawaiian Airlines	Honolulu
Iberia Airlines	Madrid
Icelandair	Reykjavik
ITA Airways	Rome
Japan Airlines	Haneda-Tokyo
JetBlue	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Kenya Airways	Nairobi
KLM	Amsterdam
Korean Air	Seoul
Kuwait Airways	Kuwait City
LATAM Brasil	Sao Paulo
LATAM Chile	Lima, Santiago de Chile
LATAM Ecuador	Guayaquil
Level	Barcelona
LOT Polish Airlines	Warsaw
Lufthansa	Frankfurt, Munich
Neos	Milan
Philippine Airlines	Manila
Qantas	Sydney
Qatar Airways	Doha
Royal Air Maroc	Casablanca
Royal Jordanian	Amman-Queen Alia
Saudia	Riyadh, Jeddah
Singapore Airlines	Singapore, Frankfurt
Swiss International Air Lines	Geneva, Zurich
TAP Air Portugal	Lisbon
Turkish Airlines	Istanbul
Ukraine International Airlines	Kyiv-Boryspil
United Airlines	San Francisco, Los Angeles
Uzbekistan Airways	Tashkent
Virgin Atlantic	London-Heathrow, Manchester
VivaAerobus	Mexico City
Volaris	Guadalajara
Volaris Costa Rica	San Jose de Costa Rica, San Salvador
WestJet	Calgary
XiamenAir	Fuzhou

Major domestic destinations from JFK Airport

DESTINATION	OPERATING AIRLINES
Los Angeles	Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines
Miami	American Airlines, Delta Air Lines
Fort Lauderdale	Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
Orlando	Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
San Juan	Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
Atlanta	Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
San Francisco	Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, American Airlines
Charlotte	American Airlines, Delta Air Lines
Salt Lake City	Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
Seattle/Tacoma	Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines

Major international destinations from JFK Airport

DESTINATION	OPERATING AIRLINES
London-Heathrow	American Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines
Charles de Gaulle-Paris	Air France, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines
Mexico City	Aeromexico, VivaAerobus, Delta Air Lines
Amsterdam	Delta Air Lines, KLM
Madrid	Air Europa, Iberia Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines
Santiago de los Caballeros	JetBlue, Delta Air Lines
Istanbul	Turkish Airlines
Santo Domingo	JetBlue, Delta Air Lines
Milan	Neos, Alitalia, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, American Airlines
Frankfurt	Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa

JFK Airport Technical Information

ICAO CODE	KJFK
IATA CODE	JFK
FAA LID	JFK
ELEVATION	13 ft (4 m)
AREA	4,930 acres
RUNWAY	4L/22R (Concrete)4R/22L (Asphalt)13L/31R (Concrete)13R/31L (Concrete)

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

Newark Liberty International Airport (ICAO: KEWR, IATA: EWR, FAA LID: EWR) is an international airport located in New Jersey and serving the New York metropolitan area. It is one of the major airports in NYC covering an area of 2,027 acres.

Over 50 air carriers operate flights to and from the Newark Libe Liberty International Airport. The airport is also the third-largest hub for United Airlines. The airport equips three runways with designation RWY 4L/22R, RWY 4R/22L, and RWY 11/29.

EWR Airport History

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was originally known as Newark Metropolitan Airport when it opened on 1st October 1928. It became the first-ever airport to serve the New York Metropolitan Area.

The Newark Metropolitan Airport was the busiest and one of the major airports in NYC until the operation of LaGuardia Airport began in December 1939.

The name Newark Liberty International Airport was declared in 2002 following the hijacking and crash of United Airlines Flight 93 and the September 11 attacks in 2001. The name was finalized to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks. Besides, the word ‘Liberty’ also reflect tribute to the Statue of Liberty which lies just 7 miles east of EWR.

Singapore Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue, and Southwest Airlines operated scheduled flights from Newark Liberty International Airport.

EWR Airport Facilities

Newark Liberty International Airport features three terminals with 121 gates. The three terminals are categorized as Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C. Each terminal equips three concourses.

TERMINALS	NUMBER OF GATES
Terminal A	29 gates
Terminal B	24 gates
Terminal C	68 gates

EWR Runway Information

The airport covering an area of 2,027 acres features three runways and one helipad.

RUNWAY/HELIPAD	DIMENSION	SURFACE
RWY 4L/22R	11,000 ft by 150 ft	Asphalt/Concrete
RWY 4R/22L	10,000 ft by 150 ft	Asphalt
RWY 11/29	6,726 ft by 150 ft	Asphalt
Helipad H1	54 ft by 54 ft	Asphalt

Airlines Operating at EWR

AIRLINES	DESTINATION
Aer Lingus	Dublin
Air Canada	Calgary, Vancouver
Air Canada Express	Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa
Air China	Beijing
Air India	Delhi, Mumbai
Alaska Airlines	Seattle/Tacoma, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Los Angeles
Allegiant Air	Savannah, Cincinnati, Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Grand Rapids, Asheville, Knoxville (Seasonal)
American Airlines	Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Miami
American Eagle	Chicago-O’Hare
Austrian Airlines	Vienna
British Airways	London-Heathrow
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
El Al	Tel Aviv
Elite Airways	St. Augustine, Melbourne/Orlando, Vero Beach (Seasonal)
Emirates	Dubai-international, Athens
Ethiopian Airlines	Addis Ababa, Lome
French Bee	Paris-Orly
Frontier Airlines	San Juan, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Montego Bay, Nassau, Orlando, Providenciales
Icelandair	Reykjavik-Keflavik
JetBlue	Major Domestic and International Destinations
La Compagnie	Paris-Orly, Milan-Malpensa
LOT Polish Airlines	Warsaw-Chopin
Lufthansa	Frankfurt, Munich
Porter Airlines	Toronto
Scandinavian Airlines	Copenhagen, Oslo, Arlanda, Stockholm
Singapore Airlines	Singapore
Spirit Airlines	West Palm Beach, Tampa, San Juan, Orlando, New Orleans, Nashville, Myrtle Beach, Miami, Las Vegas, Houston, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Austin, Atlanta
Sun Country Airlines	Minneapolis/St. Paul
Swiss International Air Lines	Zurich
TAP Air Portugal	Lisbon, Porto
Turkish Airlines	Istanbul
United Airlines	Major Domestic and International Sectors
United Express	Major Domestic and International Sectors
VivaAerobus	Cancun (Seasonal)

Major Domestic Destinations from EWR

DESTINATION	OPERATING AIRLINES
Orlando	Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines
Fort Lauderdale	JetBlue, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines
Miami	United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, American Airlines
Atlanta	United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines
Charlotte	American Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines
San Juan	United Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines
Los Angeles	Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue
Houston	Spirit Airlines, United Airlines
Tampa	United Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines
Chicago-O’Hare	American Airlines, United Airlines, Frontier Airlines

Major International Destinations from EWR

DESTINATION	OPERATING AIRLINES
London-Heathrow	British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines
Tel Aviv	El Al, United Airlines
Toronto-Pearson	Air Canada, United Airlines
Frankfurt	United Airlines, Lufthansa
Toronto	Porter Airlines
Santo Domingo	JetBlue, United Airlines
Cancun	VivaAerobus, JetBlue, United Airlines, Frontier Airlines
Dublin	Aer Lingus, United Airlines
Mumbai	Air India, United Airlines
Munich	United Airlines, Lufthansa

EWR Technical Information

ICAO CODE	KEWR
IATA CODE	EWR
FAA LID	EWR
ELEVATION	17.4 ft. / 5.3 m AMSL
AREA	2,027 acres
RUNWAY	4L/22R (Asphalt/Concrete)4R/22L (Asphalt)11/29 (Asphalt)Helipad H1 (Asphalt)

LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

LaGuardia Airport (ICAO: KLGA, IATA: LGA, FAA LID: LGA) is one of the major airports in NYC located in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. The airport covers an area of 680 acres and is named after former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. 

The airport primarily focuses on domestic flight operations. It became the third-busiest airport in the New York Metropolitan Area behind John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). In terms of passenger volume, the airport is listed as the 21st busiest in the United States.

LGA Airport History

The plan for the construction of LaGuardia Airport was initiated with an effort of the New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia. The airport was opened on 15th October 1939 and was originally known as New York Municipal Airport. The commercial operation began on 2nd December 1939.

The airport went through various expansion and enhancement projects to accommodate an increasing number of passengers. 

American Airlines, Eastern Airlines, Northeast Airlines, Trans World Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, and other carriers started operating scheduled commercial flights to and from LaGuardia Airport.

Facilities at LGA Airport

As one of the major airports in NYC, LaGuardia Airport features 4 terminals (Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C, and Terminal D) accommodating 72 gates. Buses and walkways are used to connect the terminals.

TERMINALS	NUMBER OF GATES
Terminal A	10 gates
Terminal B	40 gates
Terminal C	10 gates
Terminal D	12 gates

LGA Runway Information

LaGuardia Airport features two runways (RWY 04/22 and RWY 13/31) and two helipads (H1 and H2).

RUNWAY/HELIPAD	DIMENSION	SURFACE
RWY 04/22	7,001 ft by 2,134 ft	Asphalt
RWY 13/31	7,003 ft by 2,135 ft	Asphalt
H1	60 ft	Asphalt
H2	60 ft	Asphalt

Airlines Operating at LGA

AIRLINES	DESTINATION
Air Canada	Toronto, Montreal
Air Canada Express	Toronto, Montreal
American Airlines	Major Domestic and International Sectors
American Eagle	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Delta Air Lines	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Delta Connection	Major Domestic and International Sectors
Frontier Airlines	Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, Miami
JetBlue	Orlando, West Palm Beach, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Charleston, Savannah
Southwest Airlines	Tampa, Orlando, St. Louis, Sarasota, Nashville, Kansas City, Houston, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore
Spirit Airlines	Chicago, Miami, Phoenix-Sky Harbor, San Juan, Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Myrtle Beach, Nashville
United Airlines	Chicago-O’Hare, Washington, Houston, Denver
United Express	Chicago-O’Hare, Houston, Washington
WestJet	Toronto

Major domestic destination from LGA

DESTINATION	OPERATING AIRLINES
Fort Lauderdale	United Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines
Atlanta	American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines
Miami	American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Air Lines
Orlando	American Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, Delta Air Lines
Dallas/Fort Worth	American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Delta Air Lines
Chicago-O’Hare	American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines
Charlotte	Delta Air Lines, American Airlines
Denver	American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue
Detroit	American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines
Tampa	Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines

LGA (Airports in NYC) Technical Information

ICAO CODE	KLGA
IATA CODE	LGA
FAA LID	LGA
ELEVATION	21 ft (6m) AMSL
AREA	680 acres
RUNWAY	04/22 (Asphalt/Concrete)13/31 (Asphalt/Concrete)H1 (Asphalt)H2 (Asphalt)

What are the 3 major airports in NYC?

The New York City metropolitan area is served by three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). These airports are key transportation hubs, collectively managing a substantial portion of air traffic for the region.

Is it better to fly into LaGuardia or JFK?

The choice between flying into LaGuardia (LGA) or John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) depends on various factors such as your specific travel needs, destination, and preferences. JFK is a larger and more widely used international airport, offering a broader range of flights and destinations.

On the other hand, LaGuardia is closer to Manhattan and might be more convenient if you’re primarily staying in that area. Consider factors like airlines serving each airport, your final destination, and transportation options when deciding which airport is better for your travel plans.

What is the best airport to fly into when going to New York City?

The best airport to fly into when going to New York City depends on various factors such as your specific travel preferences, location within the city, and the availability of flights. Generally, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is a major international hub with a wide range of flights and services.

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is another option, particularly if you’re focused on the northern or central parts of the city. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey is also commonly used and offers convenient access to Manhattan.

Which airport is cheaper to fly into NYC?

Generally, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is considered the most cost-effective option for flying into New York City. Several factors contribute to this, including its focus on domestic airlines, which often offer lower fares than international carriers. The airport’s competitive environment, with a higher number of airlines operating from LGA, fosters increased competition and the possibility of reduced ticket prices.

Is EWR or LGA closer to Manhattan?

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is more proximate to Manhattan compared to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The approximate distances reflect this difference, with LGA to Times Square measuring about 8.5 miles (13.7 km), while EWR to Times Square is approximately 16 miles (25.7 km).

The shorter distance from LaGuardia to central Manhattan can result in quicker and more convenient transportation options for travelers heading into the heart of the city.