Airport change from LGA/EWR to JFK

[boulders]

I am looking at booking flights to our cruise which leaves out of Rio de Janeiro in mid-December. I can get a one stop itinerary through New York. There's a direct flight on TAM from JFK. If I book the first flight into LGA or EWR, the flight is $800 less total for 4 people than if I book the first flight into JFK. What is the minimum connection time that I should allow if I decide to do this?

[Zach1213]

I am looking at booking flights to our cruise which leaves out of Rio de Janeiro in mid-December. I can get a one stop itinerary through New York. There's a direct flight on TAM from JFK. If I book the first flight into LGA or EWR, the flight is $800 less total for 4 people than if I book the first flight into JFK. What is the minimum connection time that I should allow if I decide to do this?

 

I'm pretty conservative when it comes to this. Add the fact that it's winter in NYC, and I'm even more conservative. Honestly...you don't want the minimum. The quickest way would be taxi, and the direct route times are approximately 25 minutes for LGA-JFK, and 50 minutes EWR-JFK. However, that is without luggage pickup, that's without the taxi line, and that is without traffic...and both routes can, and often do, see substantial traffic all day long. You also need to factor in the 2-3 hours you need to arrive before your international flight, and the likelihood of delays in winter. Suddenly, you can see that even by the quickest means possible (aside from helicopter!), I would never do it with less than a 4-5 hour connection.

 

HOWEVER, that's still cutting it close in my opinion. As I mentioned, I am very conservative and people may shoot me down for this, but I would give it 6-8 hours. Seriously. I don't mess around with (a) NYC in winter, (b) NYC airports in winter, © switching airports in NYC winter, and (d) switching airports in NYC winter while connecting to a (usually once-daily) international flight. Add even more time if you plan to do a shuttle or public transit.

[boulders]

Thanks! After looking further into the flight to Rio on TAM, reports of the plane that they use are quite poor. So I'm still looking.

[Zach1213]

Thanks! After looking further into the flight to Rio on TAM, reports of the plane that they use are quite poor. So I'm still looking.

It's my understanding that they use the 767-300, which provide (based on what I see) 31-32" of seat pitch (more pitch = more legroom), and 18" seat width. To compare, American Airlines also flies a 767-300 from JFK-GIG, and offers 31" pitch and 17.2" width in economy class. I am not sure about TAM onboard entertainment, but as far as seats go, they all tend to be pretty similar.

[boulders]

No seatback entertainment on the TAM flight - and it's a loooong flight.

[FlyerTalker]

No seatback entertainment on the TAM flight - and it's a loooong flight.

Can't speak to that specific flight (and I'm not going to look up the details), but given that most North America - Southern South America flights are overnight flights, I wouldn't think that I'd be too worried about the IFE. I'll be getting my zzz's, as there is little time change, especially compared to a TATL or TPAC flight. No reason not to sleep and be rested for your arrival in Brazil.

[Zach1213]

Can't speak to that specific flight (and I'm not going to look up the details), but given that most North America - Southern South America flights are overnight flights, I wouldn't think that I'd be too worried about the IFE. I'll be getting my zzz's, as there is little time change, especially compared to a TATL or TPAC flight. No reason not to sleep and be rested for your arrival in Brazil.

 

Yeah, I always sleep well on the flights to South America since both coming and going are overnight flights most times (except for northern SA). That being said, I still love my personal IFE because it does help knock me out (along with the whisky...) in to ZzZzZz-land.

[greatam]

I, too, would not worry about IFE. And TAM is as good as a lot of other airlines and since the merger with LAN, you may be flying on LAN metal anyway. TAM was supposed to be getting 6 of LAN's 767 in 2013. It is still undecided AFAIK whether the merged airline will change the livery on planes that are swapped. But livery will definitely be changed in 2014 due to the fact that LATAM will go from Star Alliance to OneWorld.

 

I personally would fly into LGA and allow 5 hours. Hire a car service from LGA to JFK. The car services run this route all the time. I know AA has a couple of car services on call with the push of one button for just such moves when they need to re-accommodate passengers.

 

I HATE EWR and will not fly in there except as a last resort. And the transfer from EWR to JFK is definitely a PIA. SOOOO much easier from LGA.

 

Take your $800 savings and buy your own entertainment if you really need it. Enjoy!!!

[Fattony]

When you stated the plane was "quite poor," I thought you meant in terms of comfort and/or safety. Just IFE? For an overnight flight? And you'd consider getting everyone, on their own, from EWR or LGA to JFK, with your bags, and then checking in at JFK? Not sure TAM would put you on the next day's fight if somehow you missed your connection. I made that connection once (IAD-LGA on United, then JFK-GRU on Varig-- a few years go), but I left several hours between the fights and saw a friend in NY. And it was a Saturday.

 

If you state your date of travel and prices you've encountered, people could suggest options. I assume you've looked into Delta from Toronto to Rio via Atlanta, US Airways via Charlotte, or any of a number of others out of JFK, such as American and Delta, to Rio via Sao Paulo. If you do fly into GRU (Sao Paulo) first, try to get a fight into Rio's downtown airport, SDU. A bit closer to the port than is the international airport, GIG.

[FlyerTalker]

If you do fly into GRU (Sao Paulo) first, try to get a fight into Rio's downtown airport, SDU. A bit closer to the port than is the international airport, GIG.

Santos Dumont (SDU) is WAY closer. Less than one and a half miles, and an under 10 minute drive. Sailing out of Rio, you'll see the airport on your right hand side and pass directly under the southerly landings or the northerly takeoffs. You can take some cool landing/takeoff shots, and this is before you approach Sugarloaf, which is also on the right side.