JFK Airport to Manhattan by AirTrain and subway
JFK Airport to Midtown Manhattan
- AirTrain JFK
- E
Quick answer: Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica, then the E train into Midtown. It's about 50 to 55 minutes and $11.75 in total ($8.75 AirTrain plus the $3 subway fare). The LIRR from Jamaica is faster, about 30 minutes, and costs $14 off-peak or $16 peak in total.
Option 1: AirTrain to Jamaica, then the E train
This is the usual way into Midtown.
- Follow the AirTrain signs in your terminal and take any AirTrain to Jamaica. Trains come every 5 to 15 minutes.
- At Jamaica you pay the $8.75 AirTrain fare as you leave. Tap a contactless card, phone, watch or OMNY Card at the gate.
- Go down to Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport station and take the E toward Manhattan. You pay the $3 subway fare here.
On the MTA's schedule the E takes about 32 minutes to 42 St-Port Authority, 34 minutes to 34 St-Penn Station and 46 minutes to World Trade Center. In the middle of the day it comes about every 6 minutes. Door to door from Midtown, the airport puts the whole trip at about 50 to 55 minutes.
The E also stops at Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av and in Manhattan at Lexington Av/53 St, 5 Av/53 St and 7 Av, before running down Eighth Avenue.
Source: JFK Airport: public transportation; JFK Airport: AirTrain; MTA published subway and bus schedules (fall 2026).
Option 2: AirTrain to Howard Beach, then the A train
For Lower Manhattan or parts of Brooklyn, the A can be easier. Take the AirTrain to Howard Beach, pay the $8.75 there, then take the A toward Manhattan. Fulton St is about 34 minutes away on the A, and the airport puts the whole trip at about 60 minutes.
The A runs about every 15 minutes at Howard Beach in the middle of the day, less often than the E.
Going back to the airport: take an A train marked Far Rockaway. A trains to Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd don't go to Howard Beach.
Source: MTA: getting to JFK; JFK Airport: public transportation; MTA published subway and bus schedules (fall 2026).
Option 3: AirTrain to Jamaica, then the LIRR
The Long Island Rail Road is the fastest option. From Jamaica, LIRR trains go to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison. The airport puts this trip at about 30 minutes, for $14 off-peak or $16 peak in total (the LIRR ticket plus the $8.75 AirTrain).
- Inside the city, the LIRR ticket is a CityTicket: $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 peak.
- Buy it in the MTA's TrainTime app or at a machine before you board. Buying on the train costs $7.75 to $8.50 more.
- Peak means weekday trains arriving in Manhattan from 6 to 10 a.m. or leaving from 4 to 8 p.m. Everything else is off-peak.
- Check which terminal your train goes to. Penn Station is on the West Side and Grand Central Madison is on the East Side.
Source: JFK Airport: public transportation; MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares.
Which terminal?
The AirTrain stops at every terminal, and rides between terminals are free.
| Terminal | Some of the airlines |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Air France, Turkish, Lufthansa, Swiss, Korean Air |
| Terminal 4 | Delta, Avianca, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, LATAM |
| Terminal 5 | JetBlue, Cape Air, Sun Country |
| Terminal 7 | Frontier, Aer Lingus, ANA, Air Canada, Norse |
| Terminal 8 | American, British Airways, Alaska, Qatar, Iberia |
There is no Terminal 2 or 3, and Terminal 6 isn't open yet. Airlines move, so check your booking.
Source: JFK Airport: terminals.
By bus
Only one public bus stops at a terminal: the Q3, at Terminal 8. The B15, Q3, Q10 and Q80 stop at the Lefferts Blvd AirTrain station. The AirTrain from there to the terminals is free, so the bus fare of $3 is all you pay. It's slower than the train, but cheaper.
Source: MTA: getting to JFK; JFK Airport: AirTrain; MTA published subway and bus schedules (fall 2026).
What it costs
- AirTrain: $8.75, paid only when you get on or off at Jamaica or Howard Beach. Kids under 5 ride free.
- How to pay: tap a contactless card, phone, watch or OMNY Card. Unlimited passes don't work on the AirTrain, and it doesn't count toward the subway's weekly cap. It has its own $43.50 cap over 30 days.
- Groups: one card can pay for everyone. The first rider pays $8.75 and each extra rider $4.50, up to $26.75 in total. Tap for everyone within 5 minutes.
- Subway: $3 a ride. With the AirTrain, $11.75.
- LIRR plus AirTrain: $14 off-peak or $16 peak.
Source: JFK Airport: AirTrain; JFK Airport: AirTrain fares; MTA: getting to JFK.
JFK to Manhattan: common questions
What's the cheapest way from JFK to Manhattan?
The AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach plus the subway, $11.75 in total. Cheaper still is the AirTrain to Lefferts Blvd, which is free, then a $3 bus such as the Q10, but it takes longer.
What's the fastest way from JFK to Manhattan by transit?
The AirTrain to Jamaica, then the LIRR to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison. The airport puts it at about 30 minutes, $14 off-peak or $16 peak in total.
Can I use an unlimited pass on the AirTrain?
No. Unlimited passes don't work on the AirTrain, and the AirTrain doesn't count toward the subway's weekly fare cap. It has its own $43.50 cap over 30 days.
Which A train goes to JFK?
A trains marked Far Rockaway. Get off at Howard Beach-JFK Airport and change to the AirTrain. A trains to Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd don't stop there.
Does the subway run all night to JFK?
The subway runs 24 hours a day, including the E and the A, though late at night trains come less often and some make extra stops. The AirTrain's overnight hours aren't confirmed here, so check the JFK Airport site if you land very late.
What about Newark Airport?
Newark is in New Jersey, and Cobblehop doesn't plan trips there step by step yet. NJ Transit runs from New York Penn Station to Newark Airport station in about 30 minutes, $17.25 for an adult with the AirTrain Newark fee included. Buy the ticket before you board; buying on the train costs $5 more.
Official sources
Cobblehop is independent and isn't affiliated with these agencies or operators. Check their pages for the latest schedules and service changes:
- JFK Airport: AirTrain
- JFK Airport: public transportation
- JFK Airport: terminals
- JFK Airport: AirTrain fares
- MTA: getting to JFK
- MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares
- NJ Transit: Newark Airport
Published November 7, 2026. Fares and terminals were checked against the Port Authority's JFK pages and the MTA's pages in November 2026, and ride times against the MTA's published schedules for fall 2026. Service changes, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
Plan your trip in Cobblehop. Say where you're going and get one clear route, a leave-in countdown and a buzz before your stop.
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