What would be the latest time to leave JFK to be able to make an evening show on Friday?

You will definitely not have enough time. It can take 30 minutes or more to deplane and exit JFK's massive terminals. The fastest way to get in would be AirTrain + LIRR, and even that is around an hour if the schedules line up.

Yeah, there's no way you'd make it, even if things run 100% on time and smoothly.

Take the Airtrain to Jamaica center and get on the E to times square. Fastest way from JFK to the theatre district by far. Landing at six and show at 8 with a hotel check in in between, you should just make it.

edit- save a stop by taking to airtrain to buthpin blvd instead for the E. my mistake

Updated On: 4/15/18 at 09:54 PM

Yeah. I don’t see how you’d ever make an 8 o’clock show. Since it’s likely you won’t be in as much of a rush, I’d recommend booking a shared van through the SuperShuttle app. It will cost you about $20 - 23 including tip. It might take a little longer to get to your hotel, but you won’t have to struggle with your luggage through public transport and it’s pretty darn affordable. I swear by it.

In regards to late night shows, I like the idea of 54 Below (I’ve never been!). You might also check and see what’s the latest you can get into Sleep No More if you think you like immersive theater. (I’ve decided I don’t like totally immersive theater although I love some interaction with the cast. Loved the current Sweeney Todd at the Barrow Street Theater as well as the last off-Broadway production of The Great Comet. I had mixed feelings about the fully immersive Then She Fell).

I’m curious. What are you seeing on your two show day?

Which airline are you flying?

Back in mid-March I already had a flight BOS-JFK set to arrive at JFK terminal 4 at 6pm. I got lucky and was able to get Harry Potter tix that evening set to start at 8pm (cost was only $20/part). Yes, I was nervous. Yes I didn't know if I would make it... but I did!

First off, my scheduled flight arrival time is 6:05pm but the plane arrived early at around 5:40pm (I flew Delta Airlines and Delta tends to pad their arrival times so if weather is cooperative their flights tend to arrive earlier than the scheduled arrival time.)

Note I didn't have any checked luggage. I went straight to airtrain to their Jamaica stop. Took the next train to Penn Station and took the blue line train one stop uptown and was at the Lyric theatre by 7:20pm.... so with some nice weather and a little bit of luck, it is possible.

Updated On: 4/15/18 at 10:40 PM

Wow! Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

Wick3, TheatreRocks, and greenifyme2, I will have checked-in baggage and my flight is international, so my chance will be extremely slim. Definitely no advanced ticket purchase, but if a miracle happens, I will run into one of the box offices with a printed discount code as suggested by itsshowtime2! I will also figure out a preferred transportation option and a few backups based on all the suggestions here. (Wick3, by the way you helped me prepare for shows last year! Nice to talk to you again!)

Thanks Miles2Go2 and LesWickedly, for bringing up alternatives such as 54 Below and Sleep No More! These sound very exciting.

In the evening I am arriving, 54 Below has Darius de Haas: A Leonard Bernstein Thing from 9:30 PM, and Sleep No More has 11:00, 11:15, 11:30, 11:45 PM and 12:00 AM entrance time options. Does anybody know how much time you should allow to be able to fully experience Sleep No More? Their website says "After admission, guests embark upon an individual journey and may stay inside the performance for as long as they wish," but I have no idea when I will be leaving the theater.

Miles2Go2, I haven't decided what exactly I am seeing the next day, but during my trip, I will mainly explore musicals which opened this season as listed below. Any comments would be appreciated!

Have tickets to:

• Harry Potter
• Frozen

Definitely seeing:

• The Band's Visit
• Once on This Island
• The Phantom of the Opera (because it seems like the only show playing Thursday matinee)

Likely to see:

• My Fair Lady
• Mean Girls

Still deciding between:

• Carousel and Spongebob
• Angels in America (It is attractive, but I have recently seen it on screen, so...)

Updated On: 4/16/18 at 08:31 AM

double post

Updated On: 4/16/18 at 09:03 AM

Also, if the OP is not a US citizen, it may take even longer to get through customs. (Although there have been times, when the non US citizen lines went smoother and faster than the US lines. And that was here in the US)

theatered100 said: "Wow! Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

Wick3,TheatreRocks, andgreenifyme2,I will have checked-in baggage and my flight is international, so my chance will beextremely slim.Definitelynoadvanced ticket purchase, butif a miracle happens, I will run into one of thebox offices with a printed discountcode as suggested by itsshowtime2! I will also figure out a preferredtransportation optionand a fewbackups based on all the suggestions here.(Wick3, by the way you helped me preparefor showslast year! Nice to talk to youagain!)

ThanksMiles2Go2 andLesWickedly, for bringing upalternatives such as 54 Below and Sleep No More! Thesesound very exciting.

In the evening I am arriving,54 Below has Darius de Haas: A Leonard Bernstein Thingfrom 9:30 PM, and Sleep No More has11:00,11:15,11:30,11:45 PM and12:00 AM entrance time options. Does anybodyknow how much time you should allow to be able to fully experience Sleep No More? Their website says "After admission, guests embark upon an individual journey and may stay inside the performance for as long as they wish," but I have no idea when I will be leaving the theater.

Miles2Go2, I haven't decided what exactlyI am seeing the next day,but duringmy trip, I will mainlyexploremusicals which opened this season as listed below. Any comments wouldbe appreciated!

Have tickets to:

• Harry Potter
• Frozen

Definitely seeing:

• The Band's Visit
• Once on This Island
• The Phantom of the Opera (becauseit seems like the only show playingThursday matinee)

Likely to see:

• My Fair Lady
• Mean Girls

Still deciding between:

• Carousel andSpongebob
• Angels in America (It is attractive, butI have recently seen it on screen, so...)

You’ll likely be jet-lagged after arriving on an international flight so you will probably be well advised to skip a show and get a good night’s sleep so you’ll be fresh for your two show day.

I was initially quite hyped for Carousel, but mostly negative comments on here plus mixed critic reviews have disabused me of that notion. So I’d vote for Spongebob. I could never have guessed that I’d say that, but there will likely be other perhaps better revivals of Carousel, but I don’t see there ever being another Broadway revival of Spongebob. I plan to see it in June. It’s reported strong points are the cast (especially Ethan Slater), the direction, and stagecraft. That combo won’t happen again for this show.

I do plan to see Angels in America, but I haven’t seen the filmed London production. You have to decide if it’s worth it enough to give up two of your slots.

I’d definitely recommend Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton (especially if you’ve never seen it), Waitress, and the off-broadway Sweeney Todd.

I am an overseas traveler to the US. The line was sometimes pretty smooth at other NY airports in the past, so I was being a bit optimistic, but JFK must be a totally different story. Thanks everyone!

flinger072, thank you for giving details about Sleep No More. Yeah, 11:00 PM seems to be the best option.

Miles2Go2, I did see Hello, Dolly!, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Waitress, and the off-broadway Sweeney Todd. I liked them all and would definitely see them all again if I had more slots!! Ten slots sounds many but is never enough considering how many shows are running on Broadway!

flinger072 said: "I'd go to the earliest Sleep No More time available. Better to have more time to explore than less - you can always leave early. the experience basically repeats 3 times, so the more time you have, the more rooms and characters you can explore.

i would think some theatres have a bag check if skipping the hotel check in gives you more time."

Seconding going to the earliest slot BUT don’t leave early! My first time I made that mistake and missed the finale. Just went back (years later) and finally saw the finale.

A cab Wil be ULTRA ridiculously expensive. Do the Airtrain and lirr. You realistically need at least 3 hours wiggle room.

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