Airports
LaGuardia, JFK, Westchester (HPN), or Newark? Choosing an Airport From Westchester
Which airport to fly from in Westchester: drive times from each town to LaGuardia, JFK, Westchester County Airport, and Newark, and when each makes sense.
By the Black Car Service Limo dispatch team · Updated · 6 min read
Key takeaways
- Westchester County Airport (HPN) is the closest airport for almost everyone in the county, but it has far fewer flights, and fares are often higher.
- LaGuardia is usually the shortest drive of the three big airports — from White Plains, typically 35 min – 1 hr via the Hutchinson River Parkway and the Whitestone Bridge.
- JFK is a reasonable run from the Sound Shore and southern Westchester (45 min – 1 hr 15 min from White Plains); allow extra margin on weekday afternoons.
- Newark is the long trip from Westchester (1 hr – 1 hr 40 min from White Plains) — worth it mainly for United routes or a much better fare.
Drive times from Westchester towns
Typical door-to-terminal ranges by car. Early-morning departures usually fall at the low end, weekday rush hours at the high end. Distances are measured on the road network.
| From | Westchester (HPN) | LaGuardia | JFK | Newark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armonk, NY | 10–20 min (6 mi) | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (33 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (40 mi) | 1 hr 10 min – 1 hr 50 min (50 mi) |
| Bedford, NY | 15–30 min (14 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (41 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (48 mi) | 1 hr 15 min – 2 hr (59 mi) |
| Bronxville, NY | 20–35 min (15 mi) | 25–50 min (17 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr (24 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (33 mi) |
| Chappaqua, NY | 10–20 min (8 mi) | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (35 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (43 mi) | 1 hr 5 min – 1 hr 50 min (50 mi) |
| Dobbs Ferry, NY | 20–35 min (16 mi) | 30–55 min (22 mi) | 45 min – 1 hr 10 min (31 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (37 mi) |
| Harrison, NY | 10–25 min (10 mi) | 30–55 min (20 mi) | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (28 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (42 mi) |
| Irvington, NY | 20–35 min (16 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr (24 mi) | 45 min – 1 hr 20 min (33 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (39 mi) |
| Larchmont, NY | 15–30 min (14 mi) | 25–45 min (17 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr (24 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 35 min (38 mi) |
| Mamaroneck, NY | 15–30 min (12 mi) | 30–50 min (19 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr 5 min (26 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 35 min (40 mi) |
| New Rochelle, NY | 20–35 min (16 mi) | 20–40 min (15 mi) | 35–55 min (22 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (36 mi) |
| Pelham, NY | 20–35 min (17 mi) | 25–40 min (14 mi) | 35–55 min (22 mi) | 55 min – 1 hr 30 min (35 mi) |
| Rye, NY | 10–25 min (10 mi) | 30–55 min (23 mi) | 40 min – 1 hr 10 min (31 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (44 mi) |
| Scarsdale, NY | 15–30 min (10 mi) | 30–55 min (20 mi) | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (28 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 35 min (36 mi) |
| Tarrytown, NY | 20–35 min (15 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr 5 min (27 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 20 min (36 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (45 mi) |
| White Plains, NY | 10–20 min (6 mi) | 35 min – 1 hr (24 mi) | 45 min – 1 hr 15 min (31 mi) | 1 hr – 1 hr 40 min (42 mi) |
| Yonkers, NY | 25–45 min (20 mi) | 25–45 min (15 mi) | 40 min – 1 hr 5 min (25 mi) | 50 min – 1 hr 25 min (30 mi) |
When HPN makes sense
HPN is small, quick to get through, and minutes from most of the county, which makes it ideal when it has a direct flight to where you are going. The trade-off is choice: a limited set of airlines and destinations, and higher fares on many routes.
HPN is also one of the busiest private-aviation airports in the region, with several FBOs on the field. We meet private flights at the FBO and commercial arrivals at the terminal.
LaGuardia: the default for domestic flights
For most domestic trips, LaGuardia is the natural choice from Westchester. The usual route is the Hutchinson River Parkway to the Whitestone Bridge, or I-95 to the Throgs Neck Bridge from the Sound Shore — both avoid Manhattan entirely.
LaGuardia’s rebuilt terminals have made the curb far easier than it used to be, but the approaches on the Grand Central Parkway still back up at peak departure times. We time pickups around that.
JFK for international and long-haul flights
Most international and premium transcontinental flights leave from JFK. From the Sound Shore, I-95 to the Throgs Neck Bridge and the Cross Island Parkway can bypass the Van Wyck; from central Westchester the Whitestone Bridge and Van Wyck are usually quickest. Weekday afternoons are the slowest window.
Newark: when the fare or airline justifies it
Newark is a United hub with a deep international schedule, and sometimes the fare difference is large enough to justify the drive. The trip means the Cross Bronx Expressway and the George Washington Bridge — or I-287 over the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the Garden State Parkway — and the Cross Bronx at rush hour is the single biggest variable. Leave generous margin.