Which Airport

Have a cruise scheduled for October out of Brooklyn and need help determining which airport would be the most convenient to use. Will be flying from Chicago the afternoon before cruise, so no time to site see. We would stay close to the airport and travel to port the next day. The three would be LGA, JFK or Newark. We would not use public transportation so we need suggestions for the travel to the port.

Have a cruise scheduled for October out of Brooklyn and need help determining which airport would be the most convenient to use. Will be flying from Chicago the afternoon before cruise, so no time to site see. We would stay close to the airport and travel to port the next day. The three would be LGA, JFK or Newark. We would not use public transportation so we need suggestions for the travel to the port.

What exact date do you need a hotel? 2 people? What is your realistic hotel budget? Bed size requirements? Any NY sightseeing objectives? What are your flight costs to each airport?

There is no clear answer to this question for sailing out of Brooklyn. In general we don't recommend hotels at JFK. LGA hotels tend to be a bit pricier and not a wide selection with an airport shuttle. EWR has the biggest pool of hotels for a wider range of budgets. You have to balance your flight costs, hotel costs, and transportation costs to see what might work best for you, so please answer the above questions so we can give you good advice.

Have a cruise scheduled for October out of Brooklyn and need help ... flying from Chicago the afternoon before cruise, so no time to site see ... stay close to the airport and travel to port the next day ... would not use public transportation so we need suggestions for the travel to the port.

Will you be flying out of ORD (assumed) or Midway on a weekday & weekend - United/alliance partner flights are basically going thru EWR vs. Delta/AA with hubs at LGA, And, is this a one-way/repo or round-trip, also flying home post-cruise ? Reasons being that your cruise transfer (Red Hooks, Brooklyn) and airport will be much more expensive if using EWR, which tend to have lower hotel or lodging costs & better choices vs. those near LGA - tradeoff between costs, comfort, location & travel time.

Despite the ongoing LGA airport redevelopment, reconstruction & infrequent but sometimes nasty roadway congestions & delays, it isn't too bad most of the time & lately, it's been fine - progress made so in another 7 or 8 months, some of the worst might be further behind us toward the 2020+ grand re-opening of the new central terminal ... can't wait, long overdue. But, the 7,000 runway is still too short for those safety-minded and we live about 1.5 mile across the Flushing Bay, so ... :o

A car service would likely be your best option, how many traveling together & # of luggage ... everyone/thing fit into a full size sedan or will a mini-van be preferred or required, if mobility/ease is also a consideration.

Just for reference, on a typical weekend, LGA airport hotels to Brooklyn C.T. will be about 30 to 45 min. on average vs. EWR taking at least 60 to 90 minutes, depending on routing ... a much longer trip just in distance. Crossing state lines raised your transfer costs and also due to tolls involved.

Please provide more info & details so that the NY/Brooklyn expertise can all charm in.

Thanks for the replies. We are two seniors who will arrive on 10/22 Monday and depart the next day. It is a one way to NY and a return to Chicago from Montreal. The airline fare would be about $100 pp from MDY (Southwest) and about the same from ORD. I have looked at the Hampton Inn and Home2Suites at LGA at about $200 - 250 for the night. (East Elmhurst and Long Island City) Based on comments, should I eliminate JFK?

What would the cost be for the transfer from Newark or LGA with 2 people with 2 bags. What would be the best time to schedule a private car service during non peak times to the port. All comments are appreciated.

Hotels are $50+ cheaper at EWR. Would you consider an advance purchase rate directly with the hotel?

What kind of dinner requirements do you have?

Will price a car service tomorrow morning.

Hampton Inn LGA is across the Grand Central Pkwy with frequent shuttle from airline terminals, however, nothing really within walking distance ... limited to whatever dining options on site (although, we love their full, hot breakfast buffet in the morning & 24 hour coffee in-room & lobby) Dinner would likely be takeout option from nearby delivered to the lobby for pickup.

Home2Suite by Hilton @ LGA isn't exactly airport, at least 20 minutes away and they do NOT have complimentary airport shuttle >>>> will be paying for taxi/car service transfer twice. It's about 3 city blocks from Queensboro Plaza's subway line (N/W/7) with a decent choice of local/neighborhood dining options, fine to walk around a bit in the evening, lots of other hotels nearby - but a bit pricey for an overnight stay & the extra car service/taxi $$.

OP, have you check for any senior/AARP and/or AAA discounts ?? A standard 4 door sedan would be fine for 2 of you & luggage, estimated flat rate fare should be around $40 to $50 including tips, no tolls from the Hampton or H2S, weekday traffic would be heavier, plan for 45 to 60 minutes as the average ride time.

From EWR area hotels, a car service with flat-rate would be the least "costly" (I wouldn't count on Uber being cheaper on a weekday w. rush hour/congestion pricing possibly kicking in) - somewhere around $100 with tolls & tips, maybe a little higher to Brooklyn's pier.

Let's see what 138east/Carol's magical "search" come up for the EWR area.

Don't know if it's a "magical" search for EWR, but this is what I have found for Oct 22-23.

Lastminutetravel.com seems to have the best prices right now. Rooms are cancellable until 10/19. I have used these folks before to book Country Inns.

1. Ramada Plaza - $92.00 + 14.04 = $106.13

Full service - restaurant/bar plus very nice cafe area.

2. Springhill Suites - $103 + 15.76 = $119.04

Free breakfast. No restaurant. Can walk to Newark Courtyard for restaurant service

3. Country Inns - $114.00 + 23.04 = $137.53

Free Breakfast. IHOP, Ruby Tuesdays, and Courtyard Elizabeth in same complex. Jersey Gardens Mall with Applebees, Johnny Rockets, and food court across the mall parking lot.

I have also stayed at the Ramada Plaza, but not Springhill Suites. IMO the Ramada and Country Inns are totally acceptable 3* properties that I would stay at again. They are very popular with cruisers from Cape Liberty.

Dial7 - they offer a $5 coupon if you look around. I put in 2 people and 2 bags at 10 am and got a quote of $81. Add $16 tip. Tolls via Staten Island would be about $17. Tolls via Manhattan would be about $17-26 depending if they go through the Hugh Carey Tunnel. Total should be $114-123. My sense is that Staten Island would be the car service's preferred route if all else is equal.

The OP should keep in mind that traveling from EWR to Brooklyn involves two river crossings. So if it’s strictly convenience LGA

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Are there suggestions for hotel properties close to LGA that would be located by dining options or would we have to locate closer to the port? The flight time would probably eliminate the option for site seeing, so just a hotel and dinner would work. We always check the aarp rate as well hotel membership clubs.

Some excellent input by posters on this thread. My two cents; LGA would be my choice for simplicity with a nearby hotel. This recognizes dinner selections are limited. In the morning .... a car service (Carmel or Dial 7) to the port in Brooklyn.

Are there suggestions for hotel properties close to LGA that would be located by dining options or would we have to locate closer to the port? The flight time would probably eliminate the option for site seeing, so just a hotel and dinner would work. We always check the aarp rate as well hotel membership clubs.

Courtyard Marriott LaGuardia Airport has a restaurant on premises. Take a look at the website.

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The limitations for LGA airport hotels (nearby within 10 minutes) :)with free shuttles is that OP would be limited to over-priced, on-site dining options. Springhill Suites & Courtyard Marriott fit the above description, both priced @ $239+taxes/fees, close to and/or doubled of similar ones at EWR.

If Asian/Chinese/Korean dining at reasonable local prices are acceptable, there are some extra choices east of LGA in downtown Flushing, served by the #7 subway line & also LIRR train, 20-25 minutes into NY Penn Station. Sheraton LGA East on 39th Ave, just off Main Street is $227 on OP's date, both in-house hotel dining and outside the front door, opposite the historic church, are variety of very reasonable dinner options - there is Starbucks & an Applebee's inside Skyview Mall (indoor) about 1.5 ciy block away, passing the higher priced & best-rated Hyatt Place down the block.

There are 2 boutique hotel that I can "recommend" & endorse - the Parc Hotel on College Point Blvd. opposite Skyview Mall @ $161 and a little further away from Main Street, the Marco LGA Hotel by Lexington @ $169, 4.5 stars rated on TripAdvisor - both with free & frequent, free LGA shuttle - and, very easy on a car service or Uber ride Brooklyn's piers (fare is about the same, maybe $5 higher vs. coming LGA).

There is a Fairfield by Marriott LGA at Astoria, with free shuttle for $169 - another CC booked & stayed there about a year ago with very good comments, there are local deli's for sandwiches & hot soup, soda & beverages, bottled water, etc. within a 5 to 10 minutes walking distance (oh ... yes, a wine/liquor store to pickup for embarkation).

Coming from EWR on a weekday morning's late rush hour, 2 river crossing, isn't fun either with possible gridlocks and/or delays ...

Use Google Map's Street/Earth view to check out these hotels on the short list to see & check them out virtually - add up the hotel & transfer costs along with dining preference, to see what's preferred or better.

Thanks for all the information. This is a big help.