How to beat the JFK AirTrain price hike
The already-expensive AirTrain to JFK is getting a steep price hike from $5 to $7.75 effective November 1st. (To quote a visiting friend, "there's not much public about your public transportation, is there?"). They're also raising the Uber/Lyft surcharge at the same time.
For years you've been able to buy a 10-ride pass for $25 – half off the $5 fare. The card can be used 4 times in rapid succession before it triggers an 18-minute waiting period, so it's feasible to use one card for groups of 4 or fewer. Unfortunately, according to 2nd Avenue Sagas and commenters on Streetsblog, the MTA is drastically shortening the 10-ride Metrocard's validity period down to one month in lieu of hiking the price to $38.75. The official meeting notes are here, but there's no word on what happens after the switchover if you have an already-activated card with say, 5 months remaining on it.
Since "affordable fares for airport workers" is the general idea behind the 10-ride card in the first place, I guess I can't really argue with the MTA's decision – they're really just closing a loophole in that savvy local travelers could exploit. These new rules mean that you only have to take 4 trips to make the card pay for itself, so it still has some usefulness for a very frequent traveler or people traveling in groups.
If you decide the 10-ride is a good deal for your needs, go to the ticket machine at the Sutphin Boulevard AirTrain station (it's not available at other Metrocard machines!) and buy yourself a new Metrocard that you'll use exclusively for accessing the AirTrain. Do not try to add the 10-trip pass to your current Metrocard, and don't bother adding any extra cash to your new AirTrain Metrocard.
The MTA has done a good job hiding this discounted option, so I made a quick movie about navigating to it.
The path is: Start > Language > Metrocard > Get New Card > AirTrain 10-Trip > Pay > Confirm
Make sure you keep track of it! I'm keeping mine in my passport wallet so I'll always know where it is when I start packing for a trip. Given the shortened validity period, you could give your card to a friend who's traveling soon, or you could swipe a stranger (or two) into the AirTrain as a random act of kindness.
For years you've been able to buy a 10-ride pass for $25 – half off the $5 fare. The card can be used 4 times in rapid succession before it triggers an 18-minute waiting period, so it's feasible to use one card for groups of 4 or fewer. Unfortunately, according to 2nd Avenue Sagas and commenters on Streetsblog, the MTA is drastically shortening the 10-ride Metrocard's validity period down to one month in lieu of hiking the price to $38.75. The official meeting notes are here, but there's no word on what happens after the switchover if you have an already-activated card with say, 5 months remaining on it.
Since "affordable fares for airport workers" is the general idea behind the 10-ride card in the first place, I guess I can't really argue with the MTA's decision – they're really just closing a loophole in that savvy local travelers could exploit. These new rules mean that you only have to take 4 trips to make the card pay for itself, so it still has some usefulness for a very frequent traveler or people traveling in groups.
If you decide the 10-ride is a good deal for your needs, go to the ticket machine at the Sutphin Boulevard AirTrain station (it's not available at other Metrocard machines!) and buy yourself a new Metrocard that you'll use exclusively for accessing the AirTrain. Do not try to add the 10-trip pass to your current Metrocard, and don't bother adding any extra cash to your new AirTrain Metrocard.
The MTA has done a good job hiding this discounted option, so I made a quick movie about navigating to it.
(clip music by Evan Pattison)
The path is: Start > Language > Metrocard > Get New Card > AirTrain 10-Trip > Pay > Confirm
Make sure you keep track of it! I'm keeping mine in my passport wallet so I'll always know where it is when I start packing for a trip. Given the shortened validity period, you could give your card to a friend who's traveling soon, or you could swipe a stranger (or two) into the AirTrain as a random act of kindness.
Other options
Honestly, I hate taking a car between Manhattan and JFK. No matter what time of day or night there's always traffic, so it's a herky-jerky ride that gives me terrible motion sickness and costs $50-$70.- Uber/Lyft/Taxi from Sutphin Boulevard (or Howard Beach) subway station
Pro: cheaper than a Lyft from Manhattan. Con: you're still stuck in Van Wyck traffic - Take the Q10 Bus from the 121st J train station, or the Kew Gardens station on the E or F train, or the Howard Beach A train.
Pro: Cheap! Cons: Slow - Take the B15 bus from the New Lots station on the 3 train.
Pro: Cheap! Cons: Slow - Take the NYC Airporter bus to/from the Port Authority
Pro: One-seat ride to the airport. Con: no service at off-hours, not quite cheap ($19) - BONUS: If you're crazy-cheap and need 20 minutes of walking to hit your FitBit goals for the day, get off the AirTrain Green line one stop early at Lefferts Boulevard (no charge to exit this station) and walk to the Aqueduct/North Conduit Avenue A train station. Yes, the Howard Beach station is much closer, but apparently there's lots of strategic barricades in place to prevent you from walking between the two.
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