February 20, 2020

John F. Kennedy International Airport is located in the NYC borough of Queens. If you’re trying to make it to Manhattan with a rental car, you’ll want to plan for about an hour’s drive time, even though the trip is less than 20 miles. After picking up your rental car, you’ll want to take the Cargo Service Road to North Service Road, where you’ll turn right and head to the roundabout. At the roundabout, you’ll take the first exit, onto the I-678 North ramp. After merging, go four miles and then use the left two lanes to take exit 10 to merge onto Grand Central Parkway. Keep left to stay on the parkway and then continue onto I-278 East. Do note that I-278 East is a toll road, so you’ll need some cash (you can easily pick some up at an ATM before leaving the airport).

After a little over two miles, take exit 46 toward Manhattan and continue onto the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, taking the left two lanes to take the FDR Drive South exit. This puts you in Manhattan, specifically the East Harlem neighborhood.