Which airport is best for Long Island City?
Long Island City is in Queens — just across from Manhattan. JFK is geographically closer and has a direct E subway connection to Court Square (45 min). Newark requires NJ Transit to Penn Station then the E subway back to Queens (60 min). JFK wins clearly for LIC.
Which airport is best?
AirTrain to Jamaica, then E subway direct to Court Square in LIC. 45 minutes, one change. The E line runs 24/7. This is the most convenient airport connection for LIC and the Queens waterfront.
AirTrain + E subway direct, €11, ~45 min
NJ Transit to Penn Station, then E subway back east to Court Square. About 60 minutes. The extra distance and backtracking make Newark significantly less convenient for Queens destinations.
AirTrain + NJ Transit + E subway, €20, ~60 min
Transfer comparison
JFK is the clear winner for Long Island City. Cheaper (€11 vs €20), faster (45 vs 60 min), and a direct subway connection from Jamaica. Newark only makes sense if the airfare difference is very large.
Compare JFK vs Newark for LIC → →How we determine this
This guide is generated from the Travelvus Decision Engine using verified airport datasets, destination transfer profiles, and door-to-door comparison methodology. Recommendations are data-driven — not editorial opinion. Transfer costs are illustrative EUR values. Airfares are illustrative planning estimates.
Last reviewed: July 2026