# Five Hours Between Airports Turned Into A New York City Adventure
A tight airport transfer between Newark Liberty International and New York JFK offered one family an unexpected opportunity to explore Manhattan rather than sit in traffic. Landing on SAS at Newark, the traveler faced a five-hour layover before catching a JetBlue flight home from JFK. Instead of taking an expensive Uber across the New Jersey-New York corridor, the family chose to venture into Times Square.
This routing decision reflects a common travel scenario. Many international passengers connecting through New York's tri-airport system (Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia) face similar gaps between flights. The typical advice runs toward either paying premium prices for car service or trusting the NJ Transit AirTrain and subway system. This family embraced a third option: use the downtime as a bonus city experience.
The timing worked. Five hours provides genuine flexibility for Manhattan exploration without the desperation of a two-hour connection. Getting from Newark to Times Square takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes via the AirTrain to Newark Penn Station, then the A, C, or E subway lines into Midtown. This leaves three-plus hours for activities, eating, and the reverse journey back to JFK.
The economics favor this approach. A round-trip Uber between Newark and JFK runs $80 to $150 depending on traffic, surge pricing, and tolls. Public transit costs roughly $6 to $8 per person. The savings alone freed up budget for kid-friendly activities in Times Square. Broadway theaters, toy stores, restaurants, and observation decks cluster within walking distance.
Travelers increasingly view airport downtime differently than they did a decade ago. Long layovers no longer mean resignation to airport lounges and expensive terminal dining. Cities like New York, Dubai, Singapore, and Amsterdam now encourage transit passengers to explore. Quick visa exemptions, airport discount cards, and transit improvements make brief city visits practical.
The logistics matter for families, however. Children traveling with connecting flights need clear windows for bathroom breaks, security delays, and unexpected subway hiccups. A five-hour window provides buffer. A three-hour connection would invite stress. The family needed to stash luggage or rely on checked bags going through to their final destination. Through-baggage on the SAS-JetBlue connection meant freedom to move around Manhattan without dragging carryons.
This story also highlights New York's accessibility via public transit from its airports. While LaGuardia remains transit-unfriendly, Newark and JFK connect directly to the subway system. This infrastructure advantage over other US hub airports makes spontaneous city exploration viable.
The trade-off between driving and transit during peak hours matters too. Newark to JFK via car during midday or early evening can mean 90-plus minutes of highway sitting. The subway, while requiring more planning and patience, often moves faster and costs less.
For families planning connections through New York, this approach works best when flights are booked with realistic buffer times. Budget carriers like JetBlue increasingly offer multiple daily frequencies on transcontinental routes, allowing flexibility. Booking connections with five-hour windows rather than three-hour sprints transforms mandatory waiting into optional exploration.