You’re standing at the curb at JFK, bags in hand, looking at a map. On paper, it looks like a joke. The distance is only about 10 to 12 miles. You could bike that in an hour if you weren't carrying three suitcases and a laptop bag. But this is New York City. In this town, 10 miles can be a breezy 15-minute zip or a soul-crushing two-hour crawl through the Van Wyck Expressway—a road often described by locals as the world's longest parking lot.
Honestly, if you're asking how far is jfk to laguardia, you aren't really looking for the mileage. You’re looking for the time. You’re trying to figure out if that three-hour layover is a gift from the travel gods or a recipe for a missed flight and a night on a terminal bench.
Let's break down the reality of this Queens-to-Queens odyssey.
The Brutal Reality of the Van Wyck and Grand Central
If you take a taxi or an Uber, the physical distance is usually 10.4 miles via the Van Wyck Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway. It sounds simple. It isn't.
The Van Wyck (I-678) is legendary for its unpredictable congestion. Even with the massive construction projects aimed at "fixing" JFK’s access roads, the bottlenecks are real. On a good day—say, 11:00 AM on a Tuesday—you might make the trip in 25 to 30 minutes.
But try that at 4:30 PM on a Friday. Forget it. You’re looking at 60 to 90 minutes, easily.
💡 You might also like: Super 8 Fort Myers Florida: What to Honestly Expect Before You Book
I’ve seen travelers literally hop out of Ubers and try to walk with their luggage when traffic hits a standstill near the Jewel Avenue exit. Don't be that person. It’s dangerous and won't get you there any faster. The key is knowing that the "distance" in NYC is measured in stress levels, not miles.
How to Actually Get From JFK to LaGuardia
You have a few distinct flavors of misery and triumph when choosing your transit mode.
1. The Yellow Cab (The Classic Choice)
Taxis are available 24/7 at the official stands. Do not—under any circumstances—accept a ride from the guys hanging out near the baggage claim whispering "Taxi? Taxi?" Those are "gypsy cabs," and they will overcharge you.
- The Cost: It’s a metered fare. Usually, it lands between $45 and $60, plus tolls and tip.
- The Vibe: No-nonsense. The driver knows the backstreets if the highway is a mess.
2. Rideshare (Uber/Lyft/Revel)
Sometimes cheaper, often more expensive during "surge" pricing.
- The Cost: Expect $60 to $85 during busy hours.
- Pro Tip: Check the app before you leave the terminal. Sometimes an UberXL is cheaper than a standard X if there’s a weird glitch in the matrix.
3. The Public Transit "Tango"
This is for the brave souls. There is no "direct" train between the two. You have to take the JFK AirTrain to Jamaica Station ($8.50), hop on the E train toward Manhattan, get off at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave, and then board the Q70 LaGuardia Link SBS bus.
📖 Related: Weather at Lake Charles Explained: Why It Is More Than Just Humidity
- The Cost: Around $11.25 total.
- The Time: Tighten your seatbelt; this takes 75 to 90 minutes.
- Is it worth it? Only if you have one small bag and a lot of patience. Dragging a checked bag through the subway turnstiles is a special kind of hell.
4. Helicopter (The "I'm Late" Option)
Companies like Blade offer transfers, though they usually go through Manhattan first. It’s pricey (think $200+), but it turns a 90-minute nightmare into a 5-minute flight. If you're a high-flyer or just desperate, it's there.
Timing Your Transfer: The 4-Hour Rule
If you are booking a "self-transfer" (two separate tickets on different airlines), you need a massive buffer.
Most travel experts—and people who live in Queens—recommend at least four to five hours between flights. Why? Because you have to:
- Deplane and grab your bags (30-45 mins).
- Clear Customs if coming from abroad (30-90 mins).
- Wait for a ride (15 mins).
- Actually travel the 10 miles (30-75 mins).
- Check back in and clear TSA at LaGuardia (45 mins).
Basically, if your first flight lands at 2:00 PM and your next one leaves LGA at 5:00 PM, you’re gambling with your sanity.
Why the Route is So Infamous
The geography of Queens is a bit of a maze. Both airports sit on the water—JFK on the South Shore (Jamaica Bay) and LGA on the North Shore (Flushing Bay). The roads connecting them pass through some of the most densely populated residential areas in the world.
👉 See also: Entry Into Dominican Republic: What Most People Get Wrong
There are no "express" bypasses. You are sharing the road with delivery trucks, commuters, and people heading to Citi Field for a Mets game. If there’s a game at the stadium or a tennis match at the US Open, the Grand Central Parkway becomes a literal parking lot. Always check the local event calendar.
Essential Move: Use the Q70 "LaGuardia Link"
If you’re determined to save money and avoid the taxi line, the Q70 bus is actually pretty great. It’s a "Select Bus Service," meaning it’s faster than a standard city bus and has luggage racks. Since 2022, it’s actually been free to encourage people to stay off the roads. You still have to pay for the AirTrain and Subway to get to it, but the bus portion won't cost you a dime.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Journey
Before you walk out of the terminal, do these three things:
- Check Google Maps or Waze immediately. Look for the "red" lines. If the Van Wyck is deep red, ask your taxi driver if they can take Woodhaven Boulevard or the Jackie Robinson Parkway instead.
- Estimate your luggage. If you have more than two bags per person, just bite the bullet and get a car. The subway elevators are notoriously unreliable.
- Pre-book a car service if you’re traveling during peak holiday seasons. Companies like Dial 7 or Carmel often have fixed rates that can save you from the "surge" pricing of Uber when everyone lands at once.
The distance isn't the problem; it's the variables. Treat the 10 miles from JFK to LaGuardia like a cross-country journey, and you’ll arrive at your gate with time to spare for a $15 airport sandwich.