Taking the bus to JFK and LaGuardia

Updated October 29, 2026

You can reach both of New York's big airports by city bus, and one LaGuardia route is free. At LaGuardia, buses pull up outside the terminals; at JFK, most take you to an AirTrain station instead. Here's what serves each airport as of October 2026.

LaGuardia (LGA)

Five bus routes serve LaGuardia, with stops right outside the terminals.

Q70-SBS LaGuardia Link: free, to the subway and LIRR

The Q70-SBS costs nothing to ride. It serves Terminals B and C and runs nonstop to Jackson Heights, where the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av/74 St–Broadway station has the E, F, M, R and 7 trains. Its other end is in Woodside, near the Long Island Rail Road station.

  • Buses come every 8 to 10 minutes, and the ride to Jackson Heights takes about 15 minutes in normal traffic.
  • You can board through any door, and the buses have luggage racks.
  • You pay the normal fare once you tap into the subway or onto another bus.
  • The LIRR takes a separate ticket: within the city it's $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 at peak times, and not every train stops at Woodside (see the MTA's LaGuardia guide).

M60-SBS from Manhattan and Astoria

The M60-SBS is the only bus that runs from Manhattan to LaGuardia. It starts on Broadway at 106th Street, runs along 125th Street, then heads through Astoria to the airport, where it serves every terminal, including Terminal A. Along the way it meets the subway on 125th Street and in Astoria, and Metro-North at Harlem–125 St. It takes the regular $3 fare, and as a Select Bus Service route, it lets you board at any door and tap the reader there.

Q72, Q90 and Q33 from Queens

  • Q72: from Rego Park, near the 63 Dr–Rego Park station (M, R), up Junction Boulevard to Terminals C and B. It crosses Roosevelt Avenue at the Junction Blvd 7 station.
  • Q90: a limited-stop route from downtown Flushing, near the Flushing–Main St station, to Terminals B and C via Willets Point. It began in June 2025, taking over the airport service the Q48 used to provide.
  • Q33: from Jackson Heights (74 St/Roosevelt Av) to Terminal A, the Marine Air Terminal.

Getting to Terminal A

The LaGuardia Link, Q72 and Q90 don't go to Terminal A. Take the M60-SBS or Q33 instead, or ride the LaGuardia Link to Terminal B and switch to the airport's All Terminals Shuttle, as the MTA suggests.

Older directions may be out of date. The 2025 Queens bus network redesign took LaGuardia service off the Q48 (that number now belongs to a Kew Gardens–Glen Oaks route) and moved Terminal A service from the Q47 to the Q33. Our redesigns guide explains.

JFK

JFK's terminals are linked by AirTrain JFK, which also runs to long-term parking, the rental car center and two transit hubs, Jamaica and Howard Beach. Riding between terminals is free. If you arrive by public transit, the Port Authority charges the AirTrain fare, $8.75, when you enter or exit at Jamaica or Howard Beach. Children under 5 ride free. You pay by tapping a contactless card, phone or OMNY card, and fares are capped at $43.50 in a rolling 30 days. In a group of up to five, each extra rider pays $4.50 (AirTrain details).

Buses to the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station

Four routes end at the AirTrain's Lefferts Boulevard station, near the airport's long-term parking. Because the AirTrain fare is charged at Jamaica and Howard Beach, riding from here to the terminals costs only your bus fare.

  • Q10 and Q80: from Kew Gardens, near the Kew Gardens–Union Tpke station (E, F), with LIRR connections. The Q80 is a local along the full length of Lefferts Boulevard. The Q10 is a "rush" route that makes limited stops on Lefferts Boulevard, then local stops in South Ozone Park. The Q80 started in August 2025, replacing the Q10's old limited-stop branch.
  • B15: from Bedford-Stuyvesant through East New York in Brooklyn, via Marcus Garvey Boulevard and New Lots Avenue.
  • Q3: from Jamaica via Hillside Avenue and Farmers Boulevard, with a connection to the F train. On the way in it also stops at Terminal 8, so if you're flying from there you can skip the AirTrain. It runs 24 hours.

Buses to Jamaica, then the AirTrain

Many buses end in downtown Jamaica. Several, including the Q6, Q8, Q9, Q24, Q40 and Q41, stop at Sutphin Blvd/Archer Av. That's where the Sutphin Blvd–Archer Av–JFK Airport subway station (E, J, Z) and the LIRR's Jamaica station connect to the AirTrain. Follow the AirTrain signs; any AirTrain that pulls in will take you to the terminals. From here you pay the $8.75 AirTrain fare on top of your bus fare.

Routes that don't reach the terminals

The Q6 and Q7 mention JFK in their route names, but they serve the airport's cargo area and Travel Plaza, not the passenger terminals or an AirTrain station. Don't use them to catch a flight.

Luggage and timing tips

  • Keep the aisle clear. The MTA asks riders to keep aisles and seats free and to use luggage racks when a bus has them.
  • The AirTrain is luggage-friendly. Bags, luggage carts and strollers are allowed, and every station has elevators.
  • Leave extra time. The MTA says a transit trip to LaGuardia can take an hour or more.
  • Expect changes at JFK. The MTA notes that bus service at JFK may change as the Port Authority rebuilds the airport, so check our alerts page before you go.
  • Use one card. Tap the same card or phone on every bus and train so your free transfers, good for two hours, apply.

Every route here has a live page on this site showing where its buses are right now. Most airport routes are in Queens, so our Queens route list is a good place to start.

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