Midwesterners' Guide -- Flying In and Out of Jersey

Flying In and Out of Jersey

If you're flying in and out of the New York metro area, you have four airports to choose from -- LaGuardia and JFK in Queens, White Plains/Westchester and Newark. If your destination is North Jersey or Central Jersey, though, Newark International Airport -- EWR in airline lingo -- is your clear first choice. (It's a good choice if you're going to lower Manhattan or Midtown, too.)

Newark's not a perfect airport -- heaven knows -- but it's got a great location, and it's a fairly straightforward place to navigate. Several major highways go past the airport, including Rt. 78, Rts. 1 & 9 and the New Jersey Turnpike. In good traffic, Morristown and Hoboken are only about 20 minutes away, and Parsippany is maybe 40 minutes away. The airport also has a new monorail system that makes getting around the airport easy once you're there.

Here's how I've learned to "love the bomb." For additional perspective, you might want to consult this recent article by New Jersey Monthly magazine.

Miscellaneous info and tips

The airport is divided into three semicircular terminals, with several airlines located at each terminal. (Northwest's gates are at Terminal B; Continental is at Terminal C. Most international flights arrive at Terminal B, as well; Air Canada and Air Alliance are located in Terminal C, however.) I've been told that it was designed by Eero Saarinen, the famed architect who designed the terminal at Washington's Dulles airport. Airport directory pamphlets, with maps, important phones and lots of good-to-know information are available in the airport's monorail stations (and probably elsewhere).
In 1995, about 27 million people flew in and out of Newark, and transportation officials project that number will rise sharply in coming years. Already it's the busiest airport in the New York metro area. Expect considerable changes to accommodate all those people.
The airport is near the heart of the largest metropolitan area in the United States. Don't plan to arrive at 6 p.m. and be met by a smiling, relaxed local. Your host will have driven through heck at least, and perhaps through hell, to reach the airport on time. Especially don't say, "I thought this would be a convenient time for you." Especially, especially don't say this when you clearly mean, "I thought it would be convenient for me." It irritates the host.
IKEA has a big home furnishings store near the airport, in an area where sales tax is only 3 percent. My most recent visitor told me, "I saw three things coming in -- Miss Liberty, the World Trade Center, and IKEA -- and we have to go to IKEA!" Should you or your visitors want to go, it's just off the New Jersey Turnpike at the first exit south of the airport (13A, Port of Elizabeth). There's a huge Toys R Us store in the same spot. They carry the New York edition of Monopoly, which is a fine souvenir for NYC-loving tourists.

Short-term parking

Traffic in front of the terminals used to be terrible, and now drivers are allowed to stop only briefly to drop off or pick up passengers. There's a short-term parking lot in front of each of the terminals, and I think it's easier just to park and meet my visitors inside the building. Short-term parking costs $4 for four hours. (If you're going to be at the airport for more than four hours, save yourself a few dollars and park in one of the daily or long-term lots.) As you arrive at the airport, you'll see a sign indicating which parking lots (if any) are full. You may find that you have to park in some other terminal's short-term lot. If that's the case, you can take the monorail from point A to point B.

When you pay your parking fee on the way out, the license number for your car is entered in a computer. Good help is hard to find, and an acquaintance of mine waited for more than 10 minutes while the clerk figured out how to record a North Dakota license. I also was given a hard time about my North Dakota transit sticker. It's really no big deal, but as long as I'm warning you about things you can expect ... well, you've been warned. If it keeps car thefts to a minimum, I guess I can afford to wait.

Long-term parking

If you're flying out of New Jersey for a few days and you want to drive to the airport, you can park in one of four long-term lots -- D, E, G or H. For short trips (less than a week) it's probably cheaper to park at the airport than to take a cab or car service. The D and E lots, which have monorail service to the airport terminals, charge $12 a day. Lots G and H don't have monorail service, which is inconvenient, but the cost is lower -- $8 per day. There's a decent bus service that runs every 15 minutes or so to these lots, but it takes considerably longer to get to your terminal than from the lots with monorail service, so be sure to add some extra time to your schedule to account for this -- say, a half hour to be on the safe side.

The airport has a toll-free number you can call to learn about current availability in the long-term lots. The number is 1-888-EWR-INFO, ext. 22 (1-888-397-4636, ext. 22). I recommend making your call just before you leave, since availability can change quickly. Electronic signs will alert you to the very latest conditions as you near the airport.

Some people I've spoken to don't like the idea of leaving their car in the long-term lots. One guy I know had his radio stolen, and the lots can be pretty eerie if you're walking around them at 1 a.m. Security's fairly visible, though, and I've certainly never had any problems. There are private lots near the airport that advertise their security, if you're interested in long-term parking but are a little concerned about what I've said. They operate shuttle buses to the airport, and they generally advertise rates between $8 and $12 a day. I think most are along Rt. 1 & 9, which is a single highway in that part of New Jersey, along the west side of the airport.

Leaving the airport

If you're driving, pay close attention to the road signs as you leave the airport and know which highway you need to take to reach your destination. Don't expect signs to direct you to a particular town or city (except possibly New York). Newark probably has a worse reputation than it deserves, but it's not a terrific place in which to be lost. Also, be aware that there's a lot of road construction around the airport right now. It probably goes without saying, but drive carefully -- extra carefully -- in the construction areas.

If you're not planning to drive yourself, you'll find shuttle buses to New York and major hotels, and cabs, limousines and private bus lines seem plentiful. You also can take a New Jersey Transit Airlink bus to Newark's Penn Station or Broad Street Station, and from there catch a train or bus to another part of New Jersey.

(There are plans to build a light-rail line that will connect the airport to nearby communities and other means of public transportation. This appears to be a few years away, yet, however.)

A few tips for checking in

The lines at ticket counters can be horrible -- worse than I've seen at most other airports. If you can get by with only carryon luggage, you generally can go directly to your gate and check in. (This certainly is true of Northwest -- you may want to double-check this with your travel agent or your airline before you arrive if you're flying with someone else.) Also, if you're flying on Northwest and don't need any special help but you've got bags to check, skip the line inside -- there's a curbside baggage dropoff station just outside the Northwest gate area. It's proper to tip the baggage handler, say $1 a bag, and it's money well-spent.

One final note: Newark has had the worst record nationally for flight delays in six of the past seven years. The terminals are often crowded, and the airlines seem ill-prepared to handle the volume of traffic they have now. Bring a magazine and a little patience, though, and you'll probably do just fine.

back to North Jersey

Oh, I suppose this material is ©1997, 1998, 1999 Shewi.
Most recently updated: 3 January 1999.

	Flying In and Out of Jersey
	If you're flying in and out of the New York metro area, you have four airports to choose from -- LaGuardia and JFK in Queens, White Plains/Westchester and Newark. If your destination is North Jersey or Central Jersey, though, Newark International Airport -- EWR in airline lingo -- is your clear first choice. (It's a good choice if you're going to lower Manhattan or Midtown, too.) Newark's not a perfect airport -- heaven knows -- but it's got a great location, and it's a fairly straightforward place to navigate. Several major highways go past the airport, including Rt. 78, Rts. 1 & 9 and the New Jersey Turnpike. In good traffic, Morristown and Hoboken are only about 20 minutes away, and Parsippany is maybe 40 minutes away. The airport also has a new monorail system that makes getting around the airport easy once you're there. Here's how I've learned to "love the bomb." For additional perspective, you might want to consult this recent article by New Jersey Monthly magazine. Miscellaneous info and tips The airport is divided into three semicircular terminals, with several airlines located at each terminal. (Northwest's gates are at Terminal B; Continental is at Terminal C. Most international flights arrive at Terminal B, as well; Air Canada and Air Alliance are located in Terminal C, however.) I've been told that it was designed by Eero Saarinen, the famed architect who designed the terminal at Washington's Dulles airport. Airport directory pamphlets, with maps, important phones and lots of good-to-know information are available in the airport's monorail stations (and probably elsewhere). In 1995, about 27 million people flew in and out of Newark, and transportation officials project that number will rise sharply in coming years. Already it's the busiest airport in the New York metro area. Expect considerable changes to accommodate all those people. The airport is near the heart of the largest metropolitan area in the United States. Don't plan to arrive at 6 p.m. and be met by a smiling, relaxed local. Your host will have driven through heck at least, and perhaps through hell, to reach the airport on time. Especially don't say, "I thought this would be a convenient time for you." Especially, especially don't say this when you clearly mean, "I thought it would be convenient for me." It irritates the host. IKEA has a big home furnishings store near the airport, in an area where sales tax is only 3 percent. My most recent visitor told me, "I saw three things coming in -- Miss Liberty, the World Trade Center, and IKEA -- and we have to go to IKEA!" Should you or your visitors want to go, it's just off the New Jersey Turnpike at the first exit south of the airport (13A, Port of Elizabeth). There's a huge Toys R Us store in the same spot. They carry the New York edition of Monopoly, which is a fine souvenir for NYC-loving tourists. Short-term parking Traffic in front of the terminals used to be terrible, and now drivers are allowed to stop only briefly to drop off or pick up passengers. There's a short-term parking lot in front of each of the terminals, and I think it's easier just to park and meet my visitors inside the building. Short-term parking costs $4 for four hours. (If you're going to be at the airport for more than four hours, save yourself a few dollars and park in one of the daily or long-term lots.) As you arrive at the airport, you'll see a sign indicating which parking lots (if any) are full. You may find that you have to park in some other terminal's short-term lot. If that's the case, you can take the monorail from point A to point B. When you pay your parking fee on the way out, the license number for your car is entered in a computer. Good help is hard to find, and an acquaintance of mine waited for more than 10 minutes while the clerk figured out how to record a North Dakota license. I also was given a hard time about my North Dakota transit sticker. It's really no big deal, but as long as I'm warning you about things you can expect ... well, you've been warned. If it keeps car thefts to a minimum, I guess I can afford to wait. Long-term parking If you're flying out of New Jersey for a few days and you want to drive to the airport, you can park in one of four long-term lots -- D, E, G or H. For short trips (less than a week) it's probably cheaper to park at the airport than to take a cab or car service. The D and E lots, which have monorail service to the airport terminals, charge $12 a day. Lots G and H don't have monorail service, which is inconvenient, but the cost is lower -- $8 per day. There's a decent bus service that runs every 15 minutes or so to these lots, but it takes considerably longer to get to your terminal than from the lots with monorail service, so be sure to add some extra time to your schedule to account for this -- say, a half hour to be on the safe side. The airport has a toll-free number you can call to learn about current availability in the long-term lots. The number is 1-888-EWR-INFO, ext. 22 (1-888-397-4636, ext. 22). I recommend making your call just before you leave, since availability can change quickly. Electronic signs will alert you to the very latest conditions as you near the airport. Some people I've spoken to don't like the idea of leaving their car in the long-term lots. One guy I know had his radio stolen, and the lots can be pretty eerie if you're walking around them at 1 a.m. Security's fairly visible, though, and I've certainly never had any problems. There are private lots near the airport that advertise their security, if you're interested in long-term parking but are a little concerned about what I've said. They operate shuttle buses to the airport, and they generally advertise rates between $8 and $12 a day. I think most are along Rt. 1 & 9, which is a single highway in that part of New Jersey, along the west side of the airport. Leaving the airport If you're driving, pay close attention to the road signs as you leave the airport and know which highway you need to take to reach your destination. Don't expect signs to direct you to a particular town or city (except possibly New York). Newark probably has a worse reputation than it deserves, but it's not a terrific place in which to be lost. Also, be aware that there's a lot of road construction around the airport right now. It probably goes without saying, but drive carefully -- extra carefully -- in the construction areas. If you're not planning to drive yourself, you'll find shuttle buses to New York and major hotels, and cabs, limousines and private bus lines seem plentiful. You also can take a New Jersey Transit Airlink bus to Newark's Penn Station or Broad Street Station, and from there catch a train or bus to another part of New Jersey. (There are plans to build a light-rail line that will connect the airport to nearby communities and other means of public transportation. This appears to be a few years away, yet, however.) A few tips for checking in The lines at ticket counters can be horrible -- worse than I've seen at most other airports. If you can get by with only carryon luggage, you generally can go directly to your gate and check in. (This certainly is true of Northwest -- you may want to double-check this with your travel agent or your airline before you arrive if you're flying with someone else.) Also, if you're flying on Northwest and don't need any special help but you've got bags to check, skip the line inside -- there's a curbside baggage dropoff station just outside the Northwest gate area. It's proper to tip the baggage handler, say $1 a bag, and it's money well-spent. One final note: Newark has had the worst record nationally for flight delays in six of the past seven years. The terminals are often crowded, and the airlines seem ill-prepared to handle the volume of traffic they have now. Bring a magazine and a little patience, though, and you'll probably do just fine.
	back to North Jersey
	Oh, I suppose this material is ©1997, 1998, 1999 Shewi. Most recently updated: 3 January 1999.