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AIRPORT TIMING

Peak hours and transit minutes.

Working notes on when to leave the city for each gateway.

JFK

Peak international departures cluster between 5:30 and 8:30 PM ET. TSA waits at Terminal 4 in summer evening peak run 35 to 55 minutes; PreCheck shaves that to 10 to 15. From Penn Station, the LIRR to Jamaica plus AirTrain is the most reliable connection at 50 to 60 minutes; budget 2 hours 30 minutes from Midtown door to gate for a Terminal 4 international evening departure.

LGA

The rebuild made LGA navigable, but the road in is still congested 4 to 7 PM weekdays. Cab from Midtown averages 35 minutes off-peak, 55 on-peak. The Q70 LTD from Roosevelt Avenue is the cheapest transit option at 20 minutes plus subway time. TSA queues run 10 to 25 minutes most days; budget 2 hours from Midtown door to gate.

EWR

NJ Transit from Penn Station to Newark Airport rail station is 25 minutes, then AirTrain to the terminals 8 to 12 minutes. Reliable in all weather. TSA at Terminal C runs 15 to 35 minutes peak; Terminal B is faster off-peak. Budget 2 hours 15 minutes from Midtown door to gate for a Terminal C international departure.

TSA wait projections

Sunday afternoons and Monday mornings run heaviest across all three. The TSA's published average waits underestimate evening international peak at JFK and EWR by 10 to 15 minutes. Always add a buffer; arriving 30 minutes earlier costs nothing, missing a transatlantic departure costs hundreds.