We’re flying to Cairo from DC in June, no direct flights. We have usually connected in Europe but it looks like it’s cheaper to connect in NYC. We can either go through JFK or Laguardia. I am wondering if LGA is an easier connection since it may be less congested. Also need to consider customs on the way back home.
Any factual answers to share? (Willing for this to be moved to IMHO if necessary.)
One thing I’ve had to consider when choosing between the two is that there are fewer connections (domestic) out of LGA, but if your plane gets delayed in JFK, it could keep getting held up while the international flights go out. Once, this caused the crew on my flight out of JFK to go over their allotted hours and the flight wound up being cancelled.
Overall, I do prefer LGA because of the thing you mentioned; it’s been less congested.
I oculdn’t comment on customs, as all of my flights out of both airports were strictly domestic flights.
This isn’t really enough to help you decide. Hopefully, some others will have better data for you.
If you’re switching airlines, LGA is easier, since you don’t have to go to another terminal.
And bear in mind that you can arrive at one airport and continue from the other. If you have time, there’s a shuttle bus connecting JFK and LGA for something like $17.
I don’t think the customs is any different between the two.
Not to be ignorant or nothun’, but I wasn’t aware LaGuardia handled long-haul international routes. The one time I went to Cairo, I actually flew from DC’s National Airport to LaGuardia, got in a taxi, went to JFK, and then got Egypt Air direct. (long story about why I couldn’t fly to JFK omitted)
are you sure the flight to Egypt actually leaves from LaGuardia?
This is something the OP needs to double check before making any flight decisions. There is no scheduled service between LGA and Cairo. If you were given options to fly into either JFK or LGA, I’d pick JFK simply because a route through LGA means you’ll be stopping somewhere else in the US first before you go to Cairo.
According to Wikipedia, LaGuardia is limited to handling flights of less that 1500 miles, with a few exceptions. And even if they were allowed flights to Cairo, I don’t know if either of the runways is long enough.
Note that JFK is worse than usual right now, since the longest runway is closed for construction.
I’ve flown to Canada via JFK, and I can’t complain about anything except for the fact that my flight in from Dulles was so delayed that I almost didn’t make my connection. I can’t comment on customs or screening there since I didn’t need to leave the screened zone and was able to connect all the way to America’s Hat where I passed Canadian immigration and customs. I passed US immigration/customs on the way back at a US preclearance facility in Ottawa so I can’t comment well on coming back either.
What they said, regarding connecting to transatlantic flights. LGA’s range is as far as I know North America and immediately offshore (not even to here!), connections across the Big Pond would place you at JFK or EWR.
And yes, both those hubs tend to face traffic/delay issues.
Ooops. THe ignorance is all mine :o
I checked the suggested itineraries again and didn’t notice the first time that they involve IAD-LGA then transfer to JFK for the filght to CAI.
I will be traveling with wife, children 11 and 14, and MIL 80. So I don’t want to mess around with getting from LaGuardia to JFK. Question answered.
Thanks very much!