New York La Guardia Airport (LGA) Taxis

LaGuardia is part of an airport system consisting of the JFK, Newark and the mentioned LaGuardia. It is the second largest airport system in the world for passenger traffic and the largest in the United States of America. LaGuardia is the smaller of the three airports, but still handles almost 25 million passengers per annum. The airport is recognised by its IATA code of LGA, and has extensive passenger facilities available. It is also known for its excellent ground transportation services which include the LaGuardia Airport taxis.

The airport of LGA opened in 1939, and over the years has acquired four large passenger terminals with facilities for arriving and departing passengers. The Marine Air Terminal is Terminal A with flights by Delta Shuttle, the Central Terminal Building (B) is used for most domestic arrivals, and by the airline companies American Airlines, Air Canada, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines, and the US Airways Terminal is also known as Terminal C, and was opened in 1992. The fourth terminal is mainly used by Delta Air Lines, as it was designed to accommodate their Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 jets. Arriving passengers have plenty of options for ground transport, however, there are no subway trains directly available from the airport. There are plenty of bus services, travelling to places near and far, and taxis can always be found outside of each terminal building.

The legitimate taxis of LaGuardia Airport are always parked in the taxi bays alongside the terminals, and their drivers are waiting with their vehicles. For this reason, it is not recommended to accept any transport service that is offered by persons within the terminal building. These drivers are not permitted to offer their services from the airport, and are often unlicensed and uninsured. In addition, do not allow anyone who is not in uniform to assist you with your baggage items. There are uniformed porters available, or airline employees can be asked to provide assistance.

If a passenger is unsure where to find the taxis of the airport, or how to take a taxi to their desired destination, enquiries can be made at the Port Authority Welcome Centre located in the arrivals area of each terminal building. Uniformed staff will greet you and offer assistance with all ground transportation matters. They also provide reservations for bus services, shared-ride services and private vehicles. Reservations for taxis are not usually required, however, you may like to call ahead if you are on a very early morning flight. A person who requires a special vehicle with wheelchair lifts may also benefit from an advanced reservation. At least one taxi company at US airports offer vehicles to accommodate passengers with mobility challenges.

Taxis of New York are metered vehicles, which means that the cost of your taxi fare is related to the distance that you travel. The meter is the device that records the miles/kilometres travelled in the vehicle. It should be turned on and in working condition, and should read $3.00 at the start of your journey. There could also be additional charges for travelling in a taxi. A $1.00 peak-time surcharge is applicable for trips between 04:00pm and 08:00pm on weekdays, and $0.50 is charged for trips from 08:00pm to 06:00pm, regardless of the day of the week. Furthermore, a NY State tax of $0.50 is added for trips to New York. Keep in mind that your taxi fare is the same regardless of how many passengers are travelling in the vehicle, and it is payment for only one destination. Four passengers may be seated in standard taxi vehicles, and five may be seated in minivan vehicles. For good service, it is also customary to provide the driver with a tip.

Passengers travelling between the airport terminals in a taxi will pay between $5.00 and $9.00, and persons going to Upper Manhattan can expect to pay between $24.00 and $30.00. To Mid-Manhattan, the taxi rates are between $21.00 and $30.00, and to Lower Manhattan, the rates are between $26.00 and $30.00. LaGuardia is located in the northern part of the borough of Queens, and therefore travelling to Citi Field or to Main Street and 60th Avenue will not cost more than $20.00. Areas in the Bronx, such as Co-op City, The Hub and Riverdale, will cost between $17.00 and $39.00, and travelling to Brooklyn in a taxi will cost anything from $23.00 to $52.00, depending on your final destination. Staten Island trips are more expensive, usually ranging between $53.00 and $58.00.

By taxi is also a good way to reach the other airports of the city. A taxi to the Kennedy International Airport will cost between $25.00 and $29.00, and a taxi to Newark Liberty International Airport will cost between $63.00 and $67.00. A trip to the airport of Newark will also incur a $15.00 surcharge. All prices mentioned do not include tolls and tips.

Limousine services, similar to the taxis, are regulated by the NYCTLC, or the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. The Limousine companies offer various rates, ranging from $40.00 to $150.00 for a trip to Manhattan. They are not metered like in the case of taxis. Depending on the size of the vehicle, limousines or smart sedans can accommodate between two and twenty people, and are ideal for passengers who need a more elegant form of transport. They are often used for business occasions, as well as for important private functions. A large number of shared-ride services are also available, such as Airlink New York, All Country Express, Connecticut Limousine, ETS Air Shuttle, State Shuttle, Prime Time Shuttle, Super Shuttle Manhattan and the Westchester Express.

LaGuardia taxis are often considered as more convenient than the bus services, and will provide a quick form of transport to your home or place of business.