LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the 3rd busiest airport serving New York. Named after one of New York City’s favourite mayors, it’s the 21st busiest airport in America and is part of the country’s largest airport system.
Despite LaGuardia’s storied legacy, it has earned harsh reviews in recent decades for its outdated facilities. However, a renovation project broke ground in 2016 that’s determined to catapult the airport into the modern age.
photo by Epicgenius (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
A brief history of LaGuardia Airport
Opened as New York Municipal Airport in 1939, LaGuardia Airport intrigued New Yorkers to air travel. Its history goes back to 1929 when the Steinway family's land was a private flying field. Legendary New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia earned credit for pushing the development of the commercial airport. Due to the new Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the city built the airport in Queens to easily access Manhattan.
With construction starting in 1937, the city expanded the 105-acre private flying field into a 550-acre airport facility. Thousands of residents travelled to the new airport and paid a dime to watch airlines take off and land. The Queens airport quickly became a success and played a role in training aviation technicians during WWII. LaGuardia briefly hosted transatlantic flights in the 1940s, but they all switched to Idlewild (JFK) by 1951.
What are the highlights and features of LaGuardia Airport?
Although LaGuardia was a cutting-edge airport when it opened, it couldn’t keep up with higher air traffic decades later. To withstand increased air travel, the Port Authority placed a Sunday–Friday perimeter rule that prevented nonstop flights from LaGuardia to destinations over 1,500 miles away. Despite LaGuardia’s poor reputation, NYC officials have dedicated several years to improve its image among American travellers.
Today, LaGuardia Airport consists of 4 terminals: A, B, C, and D. Terminal B has 4 concourses and a headhouse that replaced the outdated Central Terminal Building in 2020. The facility contains 3 levels and hosts several lounges in secured areas. Delta intends to speed up the renovations of Terminal C and open its headhouse in 2021.
Short-term and long-term parking is available, but some spaces have temporarily closed because of construction. Due to traffic and ongoing renovations, give yourself plenty of time to connect flights between terminals.
photo by Kristoferb (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
What’s good to know about LaGuardia Airport?
LaGuardia Airport continues to transition through a massive renovation project that started in June 2016. It should be completed in 2022 and will modernise Terminals B and C, expand capacity, and create more efficient transport links.
Terminal B is the largest terminal, and the facility includes high-end eateries, touchless kiosks, spacious restrooms, and indoor water and light installations. Terminal C also has restaurants and allows access to a nursing room, a pet relief area, and the Delta Sky Club. Terminal D serves primarily Delta flyers with restaurants, shops, and an additional Delta Sky Club lounge. Terminal A once hosted international flights in the 1940s but now only serves JetBlue flyers.
photo by DanielPenfield (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified
How to get around LaGuardia Airport?
Courtesy shuttle buses that operate 24/7 are available if you need to get around LaGuardia's terminals. 3 bus routes stop at terminals, parking lots, and car rental zones. Buses are the only public transport option to reach the airport for departing flights. There are proposals for an AirTrain connection from LaGuardia to Manhattan, but the project will be completed in 2022. The M60 bus stops at all 4 terminals, the LaGuardia Link Q70 SBS bus stops at Terminals B, C, and D, while the Q47 bus serves only Terminal A.
A sky bridge with moving walkways connects terminals C and D to avoid riding the shuttle bus. Terminals A and B are too far from the other terminals to access by foot, and you’ll need to ride the shuttle bus.
LaGuardia Airport
Location: Queens, NY 11371, USA
Phone: +1 718-533-3400