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If there’s one thing New Yorkers love more than complaining about the AirTrain, it’s a good deal. This summer, they’ll get both. Starting June 30 and running through Labor Day, the fare for the JFK AirTrain will be slashed in half—from $8.50 to a far more palatable $4.25—as part of the Port Authority’s attempt to keep travelers off the gridlocked airport roadways and firmly on the rails.
The timing isn’t coincidental. JFK is bracing for a record-smashing summer with 18.3 million passengers expected to shuffle through its terminals, while the airport simultaneously undergoes the most ambitious (read: disruptive) construction project in its history. The $19 billion redevelopment includes expansions to Terminals 4 and 8, construction of the new Terminal 1 and Terminal 6, and a total overhaul of the airport’s notoriously confusing road network.
“We are once again asking travelers to leave their cars at home and take public transit to the airport,” said Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the Port Authority, in a statement that sounds a little like pleading and a lot like solid advice.
The half-price fare applies to both the Jamaica and Howard Beach AirTrain stations, which are easily accessible via subway (A/E/J/Z) or the Long Island Rail Road from Grand Central, Penn Station or Atlantic Terminal. For drivers who still insist on braving the congestion, the Port Authority recommends drop-offs at the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station, where a free eight-minute ride will take travelers to their terminal. Parking is limited, so either book in advance, or risk being That Person crying in the overflow lot.
And if you're relying on a ride-share to Terminal 4, 5 or 7, prepare to hoof it: Uber and Lyft pickups have been relocated to off-site lots to help ease terminal frontage chaos. Free shuttles will run, but airport officials still recommend leaving an extra hour—or three.
The summer’s travel forecast is crowded with a 100% chance of construction dust. But at least now, getting to JFK won't cost quite as much as your carry-on.