The three ways in, compared
Every public-transport route from JFK starts with AirTrain, the Port Authority's automated train. It is free between terminals, but the one-way fare is $8.75, charged when you enter or exit Jamaica or Howard Beach. Tap a contactless card, phone wallet or OMNY card at the gate; children under five ride free.
| Route | Adult fare | Where it drops you | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirTrain + E subway (from Jamaica) | $11.75 | Midtown (53 St, 42 St-Port Authority, 34 St-Penn Station) and World Trade Center | Cheapest; hotels near the E |
| AirTrain + A subway (from Howard Beach) | $11.75 | Lower Manhattan, 34 St-Penn Station, 42 St, 59 St-Columbus Circle, Harlem | Hotels on the A |
| AirTrain + LIRR (from Jamaica) | $14 off-peak / $16 peak | Penn Station or Grand Central Madison | Midtown, fastest rail |
| Yellow taxi | $70 flat + extras | Your door | Groups, heavy luggage, late nights |
Fares are from the MTA's JFK guide and JFK-to-Manhattan page, checked 19 October 2026.
AirTrain and the subway: $11.75
At Jamaica, AirTrain feeds Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport station. The E line map shows the E running from there through Queens to Lexington Av/53 St, 42 St-Port Authority, 34 St-Penn Station and down to World Trade Center. The same map lists J and Z transfers at that station as rush-hour only.
Howard Beach connects to the A, but only on its Far Rockaway branch. The A line map confirms Howard Beach-JFK Airport is not on the Lefferts Blvd branch, and the MTA's JFK guide warns that Lefferts Boulevard-bound trains don't connect to the airport. Coming from the airport you board a Manhattan-bound A, which is straightforward; the warning matters on your way back.
The MTA does not publish a door-to-door time for the subway route; its own page simply says the subway takes longer than the LIRR. Choose it for price, or when the E or A runs close to your hotel and saves a change.
AirTrain and the LIRR: $14–16
From Jamaica, westbound Long Island Rail Road trains run to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. The Port Authority's public transport page calls it "just 20 minutes" from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to the AirTrain.
The ticket you want is a CityTicket: $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 at peak for a trip within New York City (checked 19 October 2026). Peak applies on weekdays to trains arriving at city terminals between 6am and 10am or leaving them between 4pm and 8pm, so an evening arrival heading into Manhattan normally pays off-peak.
The JFK taxi flat fare, itemised
The Taxi and Limousine Commission sets a $70 flat fare between JFK and Manhattan in either direction, and then adds the extras one by one (checked 19 October 2026):
| Item | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Flat fare | $70.00 | Any Manhattan address |
| MTA State Surcharge | $0.50 | Always |
| Improvement Surcharge | $1.00 | Always |
| Airport access fee | $2.00 | Pickups at JFK or LaGuardia |
| NYS Congestion Surcharge | $2.50 | Trips to Manhattan south of 96th Street |
| MTA Congestion Pricing toll | $0.75 | Manhattan south of and including 60th Street |
| Rush-hour surcharge | $5.00 | Weekdays 4pm–8pm, excluding holidays |
| Tolls | As charged | Depends on route |
| Tip | Your choice | Not included |
So a taxi from JFK to a Midtown hotel below 60th Street costs $76.75 before tolls and tip outside rush hour, or $81.75 between 4pm and 8pm on a weekday. Drivers pay tolls with E-ZPass and add them to your fare. If the driver uses the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the E-ZPass car toll is $7.46 (effective 4 January 2026). The flat fare covers Manhattan only; Brooklyn and Queens trips run on the meter.
Worked costs for one, two and four people
Two fare rules change the arithmetic for groups. AirTrain's group fare charges $8.75 for the first rider and $4.50 for each extra rider, up to five people, as long as everyone taps the same card within five minutes. On the subway, OMNY lets one card pay for up to four people once that card has made its first ride, according to the MTA's tap-and-ride page. If your card's first ever tap is at the subway gate, give each adult their own card.
| Group (adults) | AirTrain + subway | AirTrain + LIRR off-peak | Taxi to Midtown, off-peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $11.75 | $14.00 | $76.75 + toll + tip |
| 2 | $19.25 | $23.75 | $76.75 + toll + tip |
| 4 | $34.25 | $43.25 | $76.75 + toll + tip |
All three taxi rows assume one cab and a hotel below 60th Street. A family of two adults and two children aged 5 to 17 pays $34.75 on the LIRR off-peak, using the group AirTrain fare and the $1 Family Fare for each child.
Arriving late or heading straight out
If you land after midnight, read our guide to arriving in New York after midnight before choosing between a train and a cab. If your room is not ready, luggage storage before check-in covers where to leave bags. Still deciding between airports for a future trip? Which New York airport compares JFK with LaGuardia and Newark.