LaGuardia Airport's AirTrain clears last big hurdle as FAA approves $2.1 billion plan
Editor's Note
The makeover of one of America's least-liked major airports continues.
LaGuardia Airport's (LGA) AirTrain has just gained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the way for work to begin on the $2.1 billion elevated rail project before the summer winds down, according to the New York Times. It's the latest improvement designed to transform LaGuardia, an airport President Biden once referred to as "a third-world country" and TPG once named the worst airport in the U.S., into a world-class airport.
This latest improvement, once completed, could actually allow the words "convenient" and "LaGuardia" to be used in the same sentence, for perhaps the first time ever.
What does the AirTrain mean for travelers? It provides for the first time a direct rail connection that allows people to get to and from LaGuardia without having to endure New York City's legendarily frustrating traffic problems. If early planning for the project begins at the end of summer, it's estimated the AirTrain will be completed in 2025.
It can't come quickly enough for some New Yorkers, who have griped for years about the airport being one of the only major terminals in the northeast to not have reliable direct rail options.
For years, that has been one of the consistent complaints about LaGuardia, which is less than 10 miles from Manhattan. Passengers flying in and out of LGA mostly take cabs and ride share services, because the public transportation options to get you to and from the airport generally involve a subway ride and then a bus transfer. You can imagine the traffic congestion this causes.
TPG has covered the project in detail in the past; you can read much more about it here.
Related: Which NYC area airport should I fly into?
That's where the AirTrain comes in. It is said to offer a maximum 30-minute commute from Midtown Manhattan for people boarding the 7 Subway train or a Long Island RailRoad train (L.I.R.R.). Those trains both service the Mets-Willets Point station in Queens. The AirTrain will then run along the north side of the Grand Central Parkway from Willets Point to two stations at LaGuardia.
The route the AirTrain will take is one of several concerns raised by critics, including political rising star and Queens Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the environmental group Riverkeeper. Both argue that the path the AirTrain takes is indirect and will have a negative impact on surrounding Queens communities.
To get to Manhattan, which is west of LaGuardia, travelers leaving the airport would first go the opposite way — riding east to connect to the subway or a commuter train at a station next to CitiField, where the Mets play. Port Authority officials defend the chosen route as the least disruptive to the neighborhoods around the airport in northern Queens.
The AirTrain is the latest component of the plan by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to essentially build an entirely new LaGuardia Airport. If you've flown in or out of LGA in the past two years, you've no doubt noticed some of the improvements, especially with the brand new Terminal B.
Related: LaGuardia's new terminal B is a huge upgrade
All of the airport terminals and gates are being replaced and when completed, will provide easier access for travelers moving between them. The recently-finished West parking garage has also helped alleviate one of LaGuardia's most frustrating elements, the endless traffic backup of cabs, private vehicles and rideshares.
As mentioned before, the price tag for the AirTrain is marked at $2.1 billion, essentially five times the original estimate of $450 million given when the project was first proposed in 2015. The Port Authority, which runs the three major NYC-area airports, has seen its financial picture badly hurt by the pandemic's impact on travel. It says it plans to pay for the AirTrain using fees collected from passengers at the airports it runs, but the F.A.A. has yet to approve that plan.
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- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.