Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Fiyero13
Broadway Star Joined: 6/28/07
#1Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 7:19pm
Alright here's my dilemma, in March 17 I wanna meet some friends for the 2 pm Sunday show because but I have a wedding the night before so i can't leave until sunday morning. so here are my 2 choices in terms of travel to NYC. I have to be in Philly for work on Tuesday so I have a check in bag. I have to be in times square to leave my bag at my friends hotel so i prefer to be there at 1:30 PM
1) Spirit to Newark which lands at 10:40 AM.
2) Southwest to LaGuardia which lands at 11:20 AM
which do you think has the better chance of making it there at 1:30 PM via lyft/uber
#2Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 7:27pmI think youre cutting it really close with either, honestly. LGA is closest though even though that flight gets you in later.
#3Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 7:32pm
Fiyero13 said: "... I have a wedding the night before ..."
I suggest staying for the honeymoon. We'll always have matinees.
#4Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 7:53pm
we have to assume both flights are not going to be delayed because if they are then obviously all bets are off. How are you planning to get from the airport? If taxi, then LGA should be (no guarantees obviously) somewhat quicker and also less prone to bad traffic at that time. You also have greater flexibility if there are problems. If public transit, then you have to figure an hour either way and I'd give the edge to EWR because of the extra half hour. But if things go well, you should easily be there by 1PM latest either way and likely quite a bit before.
#5Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 8:19pmIf you do Newark, take a sbuttle bus into town.
Maggie05
Swing Joined: 5/7/18
#6Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 8:30pm
I think that you may not make it to the theater. Keep in mind that March 17th is St. Patrick's Day. This is a very crowded day in NYC, and there can be tons of traffic and people. Its also hard to get taxis and buses will be full of people, some of them drunk. There is a lot that can go wrong. I wouldn't risk it.
#7Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 10:20pm
Maggie05 said: "Its also hard to get taxis and buses will be full of people, some of them drunk. There is a lot that can go wrong. I wouldn't risk it."
That seems more like an issue to get out of NYC, not into it.
#8Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 10:24pm
Just to make sure, the show is really at 2? The majority of Sunday matinees are at 3 (and, yes, I said majority, not all...)
Cape Twirl of Doom
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#9Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/9/19 at 11:25pmFly to Newark and take NJ Transit to Penn Station. The train ride is roughly 30 mins and you can check the schedule ahead of time to see when they run. You should have no trouble getting to the theater by 2.
RWPrincess
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/7/18
#10Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 1:18am
It’s hard for me to give a concrete answer without knowing your originating airport and whether you're coming from either airlines hub city. That will explain likelihood of potential airline delays.
I agree that traffic should be minimal that day as should air traffic so I’d go with LGA. Its closer and you’ll get to experience the brand new Terminal B. And you’ll have a better experience on Southwest. Golden Touch is a good low cost option if you don't want to take a taxi or Uber. I believe they go to Port Authority.
ttocs330
Swing Joined: 8/15/13
#11Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 8:03am
Sunday March 17 is also the NYC Half Marathon which blocks off the FDR, 42nd street, and Times Square through Central Park. It should be over by noon but could have a lasting impact on traffic. I would say stay off the roads and see if there's a train that can connect you from NJ to NYC.
https://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2019/united-airlines-nyc-half
#12Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 8:53am
Assuming flights close to on-time, I've flown into LGA and taken the Q70 bus to Roosevelt/Jackson heights (express bus) and taken any one of the 5 lines into the city - easy to do - allow about 1 hr from arrival to being in Times Square. You should be fine.
#13Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 9:58am
I would definitely not take a bus (or taxi, Uber, minibus, etc) from EWR (ever on Sunday at that hour but especially with the double whammy described above). I would also definitely not take anything other than the subway into the city from LGA (with the bus connector). As I said above, an hour either way, and no one can predict flight delays. (Also check the weekender schedule on subway changes.)
#14Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 10:46am
Newark will probably be the most consistent in terms of timing. The AirTrain and NJ transit train will take about an hour combined. Sometimes NJ Transit trains are delayed, but once you're on its about 30 minutes into Penn Station.
LGA is more of a crapshoot - the bus to Jackson Heights could sit in traffic and then the E could run local. It may be faster, but more unpredictable. Plus, the Newark flight gets in earlier.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#15Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 11:58am
HogansHero said: "I would definitely not take a bus (or taxi, Uber, minibus, etc) from EWR (ever on Sunday at that hour but especially with the double whammy described above). I would also definitely not take anything other than the subway into the city from LGA (with the bus connector). As I said above, an hour either way, and no one can predict flight delays. (Also check the weekender schedule on subway changes.)"
Since it's a morning flight, delays are less likely. However, Southwest is only slightly better than Spirit when it comes to delays, so that's a wash as to which airline will be more reliable. As Hogan said above, excepting for any flight delay (or luggage problems), either lands in time to catch a matinee performance.
#16Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 12:16pm
Totally agree with taking NJ Transit from Newark. Yes, sometimes trains are delayed, but on the whole they're more consistent than guessing about traffic, and LGA can be a mess of construction right now depending on what terminal you're flying into.
If you get in at 10:40, let's say (assuming no flight delays) that you're ready to leave the airport with bags in hand around 11:30. The trip to Penn Station takes about an hour on a normal day, so even if the train is delayed a whole additional hour, you'll still be fine. (Also agree with double checking the show time since most Sunday shows are at 3:00.)
#17Which flight has the better chance of making it to theatre on time
Posted: 1/10/19 at 12:20pm
My 2 cents is take the EWR flight. The NYC half marathon will close roads but the EWR express bus to port authority or train to penn station should not be affected.
MTA subway weekend schedules are always a mess. Since the NYC half marathon closes parts of the east side and the St. Patrick's day parade is along 5th avenue from 44th street to 79th street, I'd avoid taking taxi/lyft/uber from LGA. Though LGA is technically closer I'd go with EWR given the circumstances and earlier arrival.
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