Informational Guide to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - NON OFFICIAL

Our Review of LaGuardia Airport

Our Review of LaGuardia Airport

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of LaGuardia Airport

PROS

Location: LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is located in the northern part of Queens (borough of New York City), just 4 miles from Manhattan. Passengers’ travel time is shortened by its close proximity to the city core.

Transportation Choices: The airport provides easy access to buses and shuttles, among other forms of public transit.

Amenities: LaGuardia Airport has a range of facilities, including lounges, restaurants, and retail stores. While they wait for their flights, passengers can take use of a number of amenities that will improve their travel experience.

Hub: LaGuardia Airport is a hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Cons

Capacity Constraints: There are still capacity issues at LaGuardia Airport, particularly during periods of high travel demand. Longer wait times and a less enjoyable airport experience are two consequences of overcrowding.

Traffic Jams: When tourists arrive at LaGuardia Airport by car, traffic jams can cause delays, particularly during rush hour. Transporting people to and from the airport may become stressful as a result.

Options for Eating and Shopping: There might not be many options for eating and shopping in some parts of LaGuardia Airport, especially in the terminals or areas after security. This may dissatisfy the passengers who are looking for affordability and diversity.

Immigration Queues: At LaGuardia Airport, longer wait times have been seen at immigration checkpoints, especially during peak travel hours.


Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are three terminals: LaGuardia has 3 main terminals A, B and C. So be sure to check which terminal your flight departs from and plan your connections accordingly. 

To and From LaGuardia: There are several ways to get to and from LaGuardia, including buses, shuttles, ride-sharing services, and taxis. The airport provides easy access to Manhattan by bus and shuttle services, among other public transit choices.

Check-In: In terminal A check-in area is located before baggage claims; in terminal B, check-in area is located at departure level; terminal C, check-in area is located at level 2.

Amenities: LaGuardia has a variety of facilities, including eateries, retail stores, and lounges. Although terminal amenities differ, you should be able to discover a range of choices to meet your needs.

Lounges: Consider using one of the airport lounges if you’re searching for a cozy spot to unwind before your journey. You may pick from distinct options and while you wait for your flight, take advantage of food, drinks, and a calm environment.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

  • On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
  • Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
  • Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation

Some Stats

Annual Passengers Evolution

Airlines with more flight operations (last 3 months)

Delta Air Lines

47% (Total flights analyzed: 21361)

American Airlines

25% (Total flights analyzed: 11222)

Southwest Airlines

6% (Total flights analyzed: 2909)

United Airlines

6% (Total flights analyzed: 2860)

Spirit

4% (Total flights analyzed: 2017)

Airlines with best on-time performance at LaGuardia Airport (last 3 months)

Considering all airlines:

Republic Airways

100% (Total flights analyzed: 9)

Delta Air Lines

89% (Total flights analyzed: 21361)

Spirit

88% (Total flights analyzed: 2017)

American Airlines

85% (Total flights analyzed: 11222)

Southwest Airlines

85% (Total flights analyzed: 2909)

United Airlines

84% (Total flights analyzed: 2860)

JetBlue

82% (Total flights analyzed: 1809)

Air Canada

78% (Total flights analyzed: 1531)

Considering only airlines with more than 10 flights/week:

Delta Air Lines

89% (Total flights analyzed: 21361)

Spirit

88% (Total flights analyzed: 2017)

Southwest Airlines

85% (Total flights analyzed: 2909)

American Airlines

85% (Total flights analyzed: 11222)

United Airlines

84% (Total flights analyzed: 2860)

JetBlue

82% (Total flights analyzed: 1809)

Air Canada

78% (Total flights analyzed: 1531)

Frontier Airlines

70% (Total flights analyzed: 727)

NetJets

37% (Total flights analyzed: 278)

Flexjet

34% (Total flights analyzed: 212)

Routes with more flights from LaGuardia Airport (last month)

Chicago - ORD (United States of America): 934
Boston - BOS (United States of America): 630
Toronto - YYZ (Canada): 608
Dallas - DFW (United States of America): 600
Atlanta - ATL (United States of America): 595
Charlotte - CLT (United States of America): 540
Miami - MIA (United States of America): 478
Orlando - MCO (United States of America): 473
Houston - IAH (United States of America): 389
Denver - DEN (United States of America): 386