How To Save Money On Uber

JFK To Manhattan: Quick Hack To Uber Rides For Less

There's a technique to getting an Uber at JFK? Yes, and it can save you up to 50% off.

Side note: we've already waded through the various options for you to get from JFK to Manhattan (other airport guides coming soon).

But let's first add another JFK tip to the list. Hear us out. If you already take Uber, this one can legitimately save you up to 50% off your ride to Manhattan. Instead of taking an Uber directly from a JFK terminal, take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station, and Uber from there to Manhattan.

How I Got To Manhattan From JFK Before…

I used to rarely take a car or Uber from JFK to Manhattan. I thought it was expensive, and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) option doesn't take much more time during high traffic times.

However, there's no doubt taking an Uber is more comfortable and convenient if your final Manhattan destination isn't near the LIRR or a subway station. I would consider taking an Uber if it was more affordable….

Uber Trick From JFK To Manhattan

If you take UberPool, this Uber hack to Manhattan from JFK can legitimately save you $20 or more easily (up to 50% off). And it would be only add slightly more time to your trip.

Here's how it works:

Exit your JFK terminal and find signs for the AirTrain.
Be sure to take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station,and not Howard Beach Station.
Pay for the AirTrain after you get off. It costs $5 with a Metrocard. If you don't have a Metrocard, that would cost an additional $1.
Take the Uber you would've taken from the terminal. The biggest savings are for UberPool riders.

Here's what it would cost to take an Uber from JFK Terminal 8 (Uber charges the same amount for any terminal)to midtown Manhattan.

Uber-Screenshot-JFK-Terminal-To-Manhattan

And here's what it would cost to take an Uber from the Jamaica Station AirTrain stop to the same exact location in midtown Manhattan.

Uber-Screenshot-JFK-AirTrain-To-Manhattan

Cost Savings By Using This JFK Uber Trick

(Let's ignore the 30% targeted offer I received from Uber.) With an UberPool, it would cost $50.04 to get from JFK to midtown Manhattan if I took it directly from the terminal. Compare that to $22.76for the same ride from the Jamaica Station AirTrain. That's a difference of $27.28.

Keep in mind that the AirTrain costs $5 and if you don't own a Metrocard, that's an additional $1. Still, with those fees, you're still saving more than $20 on an UberPool.This is a nice way to use The Platinum Card by American Express that comes with $200 in Uber credit each year.

All the ridesharing apps have dynamic pricing so these prices aren't always the same, but I checked for several other days and times and savings were similar.

However, the savings are definitely more slim if you're taking an UberX so it might not be worth it there.

Won't This Take A Lot More Time Compared To An Uber Directly From JFK?

Depending on time of day, probably not a lot. The AirTrain to Jamaica can take as little as 10-15 minutes if you're getting on at Terminal 8. Tack on a few more minutes if you're coming from other terminals.

Pro-Tip: If you're coming from Terminal 1 or 2, it might make more sense to take the airport terminals only AirTrain to Terminal 8 and then switch over to the Jamaica Station-bound AirTrain to save time.

AirTrain-Map-JFK

The AirTrain map. Your end goal is Jamaica Station.

There's this issue of traffic leaving JFK if you were in an Uber directly from the terminal. The roadway from JFK (the Van Wyck Expressway) is notoriously congested, even during non-rush hour time periods. The AirTrain to Jamaica runs directly on top of this highway.

Let's say the AirTrain experience takes 30 minutes (between waiting for the train, riding it, and buying a Metrocard). You'll likely be sitting in traffic for at least some of that time if you were to Uber directly from the terminal anyway. Why not save a few bucks instead?

The Upshot

If you are intent on taking a car directly from the terminal, and don't want to haul bags anywhere near public transit, then this Uber tip isn't for you. However, for the rest of us who don't mind the minor schlep to save money for New York bagels, then this is a great option to still ride Uber for the majority of your journey.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Chris Dong

Chris is a NYC-based marketer fascinated by aviation, consumer behavior, and startups. His happy place is zenning out at 30,000 feet in an airplane seat, leaving his worries on the ground. To that end, he's usually anti-inflight Wi-Fi, allowing more bandwidth for everyone else. Chris's niche is in marketing partnerships, inflight product, and airline branding and co-branding. You can find him on Instagram and Twitter at @thechrisflyer.