[TheSpiceIsLife]

As someone who lives in a city with a population of approximately 100,000 in the greater metro area - Launceston, Tasmania - I'd like to take a moment to reflect on your comment.

Google Maps tells me Manhattan to JFK Airport is a 32 kilometre taxi ride and takes three hours, plus it takes two hours to clear security at the airport.

I'm a little astounded by those numbers. Five hours to get from the couch at home to the airport. Astounding. I'm through the airport and in Melbourne city in under 2 hours.

I would definitely pay $100 to reduce that. I think $100 helicopter flights is something I would do with friends just to get a drink across town occasionally. How novel!

[mkopinsky]

The numbers above are an exaggeration. I lived in the north end of manhattan (the part furthest from JFK) and an hour to get to JFK was on the long side - typical is probably 40-80 minutes. It doesn't take two hours to clear security at an airport either - typical is anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes.

[batiudrami]

The problem is you have to allow extra time in case something has gone wrong. I waited two hours in a queue at O'Hare just to get through security - thankfully I had allowed three hours.

Compare that to anywhere in Australia where you can be sure security won't take more than 10 minutes - you can arrive at the airport with 45 minutes before your flight and still be waiting 20 minutes after you check in and pass security before you board.

[mpdehaan2]

Incidentally, Uber direct to JFK is slightly cheaper than a cab too ($45-ish?). You think it would be crazy expensive, but it's flat rate. I'm not sure about from JFK into the city, but I think I was told it was the same.

I'm not too big of a fan of the AirTram + Long Island Railway (LIRR) route, which ends up at one of the major train stations, has on outside terminal (not great in the winter and slow with a lot of things to remember to do), but is about half price of that.

[epc]

I've become a big fan of the AirTrain + LIRR combo since moving into Manhattan from Brooklyn. Almost always consistently 45-50 minutes from terminal to my apartment in Chelsea. Perfect for rush hour to/from JFK.

[cylinder]

Uber to JFK is $66 right now. Taxis are a flat rate to JFK as well ($60 plus tip). There are car services you can call which will do it cheaper.

I've recently started doing Penn Station -> Jamaica w/ LIRR -> AirTrain, it's miles better than subway and almost preferable to car if you're paying for the car.

[dankohn1]

Uber flat price to the city is great until you hit a surge, which is easy to hit in the afternoons, especially when it rains. Then it can be 2x or 3x the price of pre-booking a ride. Uber should add reserve pricing for trips you know in advance, like AWS does.

[loucal]

There is no way google maps says that takes 3 hours, right now it shows 27min but obviously there is no traffic right now. In order for that trip to take 3 hours you would need a perfect storm of EXTREME traffic, zero knowledge of the city, and no gps to help you navigate. I would be astounded by those numbers too, but they aren't even close to accurate.

[TheSpiceIsLife]

You're right, sorry. I was looking at the distance on Google maps and then the 3hrs OP had mentioned. I didn't even think to look at Google maps time, which presently states 30 minutes. Looking now at what I've written it's obvious I didn't word that how I intended it. Thanks for picking that up.

[jrockway]

Takes me about an hour door-to-door via public transportation from downtown Brooklyn. I've never felt like paying the $70 to take a taxi, so not sure how long that takes.

[cylinder]

Definitely not three hours. Longest I've been stuck in traffic was 50 minutes from east Manhattan to JFK, and that was at 5pm on the day before Christmas eve (23rd).