LaGuardia Airport is notoriously terrible. The former Vice President, Joe Biden, once described it as “worse than a third world country.” While I don’t approve of his use of that pejorative term, he’s not wrong.
If you’ve never flown out of LaGuardia Airport, consider yourself blessed. It is pretty much what nightmares are made of. Crumbling infrastructure, constant construction, gridlock traffic, overcrowded gate areas, frustrated travelers, insanely long security lines and daily flight delays.
It’s pretty much awful in every way and I would know. It has been my “office” for the past 7 summers! Every May, I return to this glorious hell hole for three and a half months where I work as a customer service agent for Delta. And when I’m not working there, I’m usually flying out of LaGuardia on a near weekly basis.
I have spent more hours in this godforsaken place than I care to admit. But believe it or not, over the years I have actually grown fond of good ol’ LGA! It’s raw, gritty, completely chaotic and at times so bad that I just can’t help but laugh. But there are also some incredible people who work there that make it not only bearable, but enjoyable.
Fortunately, it is undergoing a MAJOR renovation, but that won’t be completed for several more years. In the meantime, here are a few tips for surviving LaGuardia Airport that have helped me over the years!
GETTING THERE
With the major construction underway and constantly changing traffic patterns, getting to LaGuardia is no small task. It can take up to 45 minutes to travel from terminal B to terminal D. To give you an idea, before the construction it used to take 10 minutes to WALK there.
My advice, give yourself LOTS of time. I prefer taking the train to the Jackson Heights Roosevelt Avenue stop then hopping on the Q70 LaGuardia Link. It goes directly from the subway to the airport and is relatively quick and painless.
If you take a taxi or Uber, just prepare yourself for stop and go traffic once you reach the airport grounds.
FINDING YOUR TERMINAL
LaGuardia is a relatively small airport, but it can be confusing. There are 4 terminals, A, B, C and D, but only 2 of them connect (C and D). To make matters worse, terminal B contains concourse C, which causes many passengers to wind up in Terminal C when they should be in B.
Delta, Spirit, Frontier and Westjet fly out of Terminal C and D.
American, United, Southwest and Air Canada fly out of Terminal B
And JetBlue flies out of Terminal A
Got all that?! Once the new construction is finished, all the terminals will be connected via a sky walk. Until then, check your airline and terminal carefully before you arrive.
CHECKING LUGGAGE
Avoid checking luggage at all costs. This tip goes for any airport really, but it is especially true at LaGuardia. Lines can be incredibly long and you can only check a bag up to 45 minutes before departure. So if you get to the front of the line with 43 minutes to go, there’s a chance your bag won’t make your flight. And if you get there even later, you won’t be able to check your bag at all and will have to be rebooked on the next flight. No fun.
If you must check a bag, I suggest utilizing the curbside check-in. You can drop your bag there without waiting in line and head straight to security. A few things to keep in mind with this option:
- They won’t be able to check your bag after the cutoff time.
- If there are any issues with your ticket, you’ll have to go inside and wait in line.
- It’s appropriate to tip, so you’ll need some cash on hand.
SURVIVING SECURITY
Security lines at LaGuardia can be ridiculously long. And TSA has been known to close entire checkpoints on a whim leaving only 1 lane open for the entire terminal. Yikes!
There are a few ways to avoid this nightmare scenario:
- Sign up for TSA Pre Check. If you’re a frequent international traveler the better option is Global Entry or the Nexus card.
- Sign up for Clear. I had been resisting this for years thinking it was just a waste of money. But I got a 3 month free trial and let me tell you, it is a game changer! You just zip right to the front of the line without even taking out your ID! There have been several times that I would have missed my flight if it weren’t for Clear.
- If neither of these options are for you, your last resort is to get there EARLY! At least 2 hours to be safe. More if you’re checking a bag or have special circumstances like traveling with a pet or infant, etc.
WAITING FOR A FLIGHT
Once you’re through security, start by giving yourself a pat on the back because the hard part is over! Now comes the waiting.
Lounge Access
If you travel often, especially into and out of LaGuardia, lounge access is key. Delta has 3 Sky Clubs across its 2 terminals and Terminal B has the highly revered Centurion Lounge.
Delta used to offer day passes to their lounge for $49, which was a nice option if you were stuck waiting for a delayed flight. Unfortunately, they discontinued day passes in 2018.
Now, the only way to access the lounge is by purchasing an annual membership or through one of their accepted credit cards. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m OBSESSED with the Amex Platinum card, which gives me access to Delta’s Sky Club and the Centurion Lounge. Signing up for that card was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself!
Food & Shopping
If purchasing lounge access doesn’t make sense for you, that doesn’t mean your experience has to be awful. There are some decent food options and shops to explore while you wait for your flight. I am more familiar with Delta’s terminals (C and D) but terminal B has some good options too.
If you’re traveling out of C or D, I suggest perusing the shops in Terminal C – Tumi, Kiel’s, and Ray Ban, perhaps pampering yourself with a pedi or a quick massage at the Xpress spa, then treating yourself to a glass of wine and a brick oven pizza at Cotto. The key is to avoid the gate area until it’s absolutely necessary!
Nursing Moms
There is a private station for nursing mom’s in Terminal C by gate C13. It’s free, but you’ll have to download an app to access it.
Traveling with Pets
If you’re traveling with a furry friend, there is a pet relief area in Terminal C by the sky walk that connects to Terminal D.
DEALING WITH DELAYS
LaGuardia is notorious for delays. Before working for an airline, I assumed this was due to a combination of incompetence and lack of professionalism. But having worked at LaGuardia for several years, I have some insight as to why it’s always such a mess!
The Weather
I know a lot of people think airlines use “weather” as an excuse to avoid compensating for delayed or cancelled flights, but that’s not true. I think the problem is a lack of understanding of what “weather” means and how it can impact the operation in multiple ways.
The main misconception is that “weather” means there must is a storm directly overhead. But it’s not that simple. There could be a storm in the city where your inbound airplane is coming from. Or where your pilots or flight attendants are coming from. Or all three. There could also be a storm along the designated route assigned to your inbound or outbound flight and because of heavy air traffic, there may not be another available route, which results in a delay.
Another misconception is that “weather” only means thunder and lightning. In fact it can mean many things – heavy wind, high heat index, low cloud ceilings, etc. All of this is weather and it can have a major impact on whether or not you take off on time.
So the next time your gate agent tells you your flight is delayed due to weather and you look out the window and see nothing but sunshine and blue skies, just know they’re not lying to you. You just may not be seeing the full picture!
The Runways
LaGuardia only has 2 runways. They are short and they intersect. One is dedicated to takeoffs, the other to landings. On days when wind gusts are strong, they may close 1 runway leaving only 1 operational to handle all the airport’s traffic.
The Planes
Because the runways are short, only smaller aircraft can take off and land on them. Larger planes, like the Boeing 757, require longer runways to reach sufficient speed for takeoff. The smaller planes that fly out of LaGuardia tend to have smaller engines and are impacted more by the heat and weather.
The FAA
LaGuardia shares its airspace with Newark and JFK making it some of the most congested air space in the world. Because of this, the FAA frequently implements what is called a “ground delay program,” which means they limit the air traffic coming into and out of the airport. This tends to happen on bad weather days. The result is a domino effect leading to extensive delays and cancellations throughout the day.
These factors are all out of your control, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. The best way to deal with delays is to avoid them altogether. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Book the first flight of the day. Taking the first flight of the day is your safest bet for avoiding delays especially at LaGuardia, especially in the summer. That’s because your plane and crew are already there. So barring a mechanical issue or early morning storm, you should get out on time!
- Check the weather in advance and utilize a weather voucher if your airline offers one. When inclement weather is predicted, airlines offer passengers the opportunity to make changes to their flight free of charge by either flying a day early or a day later or extending their return.
- Fly out of JFK. As I mentioned above, LaGuardia is challenged by shorter runways and smaller aircraft. JFK doesn’t have these issues. Flights from JFK operate on multiple runways and with larger planes, which are less effected by weather events. That doesn’t mean they don’t experience their fair share of delays and cancellations, but it is not to the same degree as LaGuardia.
I hope these tips help you survive your next encounter with LaGuardia Airport! And if you are there during the summer, come say hello!
Do you have any tips for making air travel easier?! Share your comments below!
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