Rideshare is the default and airports hide the pickup points. A handful of airports have good trains and most have none worth using.
- Uber and Lyft work at essentially every US airport and are the answer for most visitors - but the pickup point is often deliberately awkward, so follow the app rather than the signs for taxis.
- Surge pricing at peak arrival times can double the fare, and a 20 minute wait often halves it. Airport pickup surcharges of USD 3 to USD 10 are normal, not a scam.
- Rail genuinely beats a car at JFK, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle, Atlanta and Minneapolis.
- Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando and Phoenix are car cities - transit exists, is cheap, and will cost you a large part of your first afternoon. Budget USD 40 to USD 90 for a rideshare.
- Renting needs a credit card in the driver's name and usually age 25, and US desks upsell insurance hard - check what your own policy or credit card already covers before you land.
Rideshare is the default
Uber and Lyft work at essentially every US airport, and for most visitors that is the answer.
- The pickup point is often deliberately awkward, on an upper level, in a distant garage or across a skybridge. Follow the app's instructions rather than the signs for taxis.
- Surge pricing at peak arrival times is real and can double the fare. A 20 minute wait often halves it.
- Airport pickup surcharges of USD 3 to USD 10 are added on top and are not a scam.
- Taxis are usually more expensive except in New York, where the flat JFK to Manhattan fare is competitive.
The airports where rail is genuinely better
- New York JFK: AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach, then the subway or the LIRR. Far cheaper than a car and often faster than the Van Wyck at rush hour.
- Chicago O'Hare and Midway: the Blue and Orange Lines run into the Loop for the price of an ordinary transit fare. O'Hare to downtown by train beats a taxi in traffic most afternoons.
- San Francisco: BART runs from inside the international terminal to downtown. Simple and cheap.
- Washington DC: the Silver Line now reaches Dulles, and National Airport has been on the Metro for decades.
- Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle, Atlanta and Minneapolis all have usable airport rail.
The airports where it is not
- Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando and Phoenix are car cities. There is technically transit, it is technically cheap, and it will cost you a large part of your first afternoon.
- Budget USD 40 to USD 90 for a rideshare into town at most of these.
- Hotel shuttles are common near airports and free. Ask when booking.
Renting a car
- You need your own licence, a credit card in the driver's name, and usually to be 25. Under 25 attracts a daily young driver surcharge that is often larger than the rental.
- An International Driving Permit is not required for most visitors if your licence is in English, but it costs little and removes an argument.
- Decline nothing without reading it. US rental desks upsell insurance hard, and your own travel policy or credit card may already cover the collision damage waiver. Check before you land.
- Tolls are increasingly cashless. Take the rental company's transponder or you will get an administrative fee per toll on top of the toll.
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