One-way car rental from New York: JFK's rental cars are at Federal Circle, on the AirTrain
You can rent a car in New York and return it in another US city with any of the seven big brands. The drop fee, if any, shows in the quote. Philadelphia is the closest city on the list below, about 108 miles and 2 hr 24 min by road from JFK.
Key figures
Where do you pick up a rental car at JFK?
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Where the cars are. Rental car partners are at Federal Circle (on airport property, reached by AirTrain). Return by entering 'Federal Circle Station' in GPS. 2
Getting there. AirTrain JFK from any terminal to Federal Circle Station, free between terminals and Federal Circle. From Jamaica or Howard Beach stations the fare is $8.75 (under-fives free). Trains every 5 to 15 minutes. Also reachable by hotel shuttle. Note: the AirTrain page posts a full overnight disruption 16 to 18 Nov (10pm to 6am) with replacement buses. 3
Brands on site. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty 2
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Where the cars are. Off-airport rental car center served by complimentary company shuttles. No address given on the airport page. 4
Getting there. Follow 'Rental Car Shuttles' signs. Terminal A: designated spot outside the terminal. Terminal B: near the ground transportation level at zone 4. Terminal C: near the transportation center. Frequency described only as 'frequent'. 4
Brands on site. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty 4
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Where the cars are. On-airport consolidated Rental Car Center on Levels 1 to 3 of the Terminal A Parking Garage. 5
Getting there. From Terminal A, walk following signs. From Terminals B or C, take the AirTrain to the Terminal A station and walk the covered corridor to the center. 5
Brands on site. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Drivo, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty 5
Read on each airport's own website on 15 November 2026 unless marked reported elsewhere.
Philadelphia is 108 miles from JFK, Pittsburgh is 403
The list covers the nearest large cities outside the New York area and the big cities within a day's drive. Each one has its own airport if you want to fly on from there.
| Drive to | State | Miles | Drive time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA | PA | 108 | 2 hr 24 min |
| Boston, MA | MA | 214 | 4 hr 36 min |
| Albany, NY | NY | 160 | 3 hr 18 min |
| Washington, DC | DC | 240 | 5 hr 12 min |
| Buffalo, NY | NY | 392 | 8 hr 18 min |
| Pittsburgh, PA | PA | 403 | 7 hr 48 min |
Fastest road route from John F. Kennedy International Airport to each city centre, free-flowing traffic with no stops or rest breaks 6. Checked 15 November 2026. These estimates tend to run a little long against map apps, and real trips take longer.
Every brand at JFK quotes the drop fee at booking
National says there is typically no drop charge between airport locations, so an airport return in the destination city is worth pricing first. Avis says most locations charge no one-way fee. Enterprise, National and Alamo collect any drop charge at pick-up. Full rules for each brand are on the one-way car rental guide.
- Book the return location in advance. Budget and Sixt charge extra for an unannounced return elsewhere.
- The minimum age is 21 at most brands and 20 at Hertz, and 18 in New York, with a fee under 25.
- Add your flight number to any car booked at your destination, which waives the no-show fee at the brands AutoSlash checked 7.
New York on 13 and 14 November
- Friday 13 November: 218 flights cancelled 1
- Saturday 14 November: 298 flights cancelled 8
- Friday 13 November (LGA): 305 flights cancelled 1
- Saturday 14 November (LGA): 195 flights cancelled 8
- Friday 13 November (EWR): 135 flights cancelled 1
Uber fare from LaGuardia under surge pricing: US$300. Original outlet not confirmed. 9
Searches during the stop
- New York ranked 7 of the 12 states listed for "amtrak" (35 on a 100 scale). 10
- New York ranked 8 of the 12 states listed for "hotel near airport" (42 on a 100 scale). 10
Google Trends, United States, 7 to 14 November 2026. Values are relative, with 100 for the highest area. Only the top 12 states and metros were recorded for each term.
Trains and coaches leave New York too
Amtrak runs the Acela, Northeast Regional, Keystone Service and Empire Service from New York. Book early after a disruption: Northeast Corridor trains began selling out on Saturday 14 November 11.
| Mode | Operator | Station or stops | Routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Amtrak | Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station (NYP), 351 West 31st Street, New York, NY 10001 | Acela, Northeast Regional, Keystone Service, Empire Service 12 |
| Bus | Greyhound | 13 stops, main one New York Port Authority, 625 8th Ave. Others include Midtown (300 W 31st St), Hudson Yards (600 W 34th St), GW Bridge (4211 Broadway), Chinatown, Brooklyn and Queens stops. | Intercity coach 13 |
| Bus | FlixBus | Stops include Port Authority (625 8th Ave), Midtown 31st St and 8th Ave, Hudson Yards, Midtown West and Chinatown. No single city landing page found; link is the Port Authority stop page. | Intercity coach 14 |
| Bus | Megabus | Megabus stop on 34th St between 11th Ave and 12th Ave (opposite the Javits Center). Partner carriers on the same stops page use Port Authority Bus Terminal. | Intercity coach 15 |
Read on each operator's own station or city page on 15 November 2026 unless marked reported elsewhere. Check timetables with the operator.
Questions about one-way rentals from New York
Can I rent a car one way from New York?
Yes. Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Alamo and Sixt all allow one-way rentals between US cities. All seven are listed on site at JFK. Any drop fee appears in the quote before you pay.
Where do I pick up a rental car at JFK?
Rental car partners are at Federal Circle (on airport property, reached by AirTrain). AirTrain JFK from any terminal to Federal Circle Station, free between terminals and Federal Circle.
How long is the drive from New York to Philadelphia?
About 108 miles and 2 hr 24 min from JFK in free-flowing traffic, by a routing estimate on OpenStreetMap road data. Allow longer for traffic and stops.
Is there a train or bus from New York instead?
Amtrak trains run from New York. Intercity coaches are run by FlixBus, Greyhound and Megabus.
More for travellers leaving New York
- One-way car rental rules at seven brands, and whether insurance pays for the car
- Ground stop status and the 13 November record
- Claim tool for refunds and receipts
Other cities: Chicago · Las Vegas · Seattle · Atlanta · Boston · Fort Lauderdale · Denver · Nashville · Orlando
Check your flight, then write the claim
The flight check takes about a minute and gives the rule that applies to your trip. The claim tool writes the letters.
- Check my flightWhat the airline and your insurer or card owe you.
- Write the claim lettersRefund, expenses and insurance letters that cite the rule.
- Airline phone lines and chatRebooking and refund contacts for 12 US airlines.
- Should I go to the airport?Live FAA ground stops and delay programmes, and what each means.
Sources for this page
15 sources
Numbers in boxes point to this list. "Checked at source" means the page itself was read on the date shown. "Reported elsewhere" means the wording came from a search extract, a secondary page or a page that only partly loaded, so check it against the original before relying on it. "Not confirmed" means sources conflict or the document is old. Event figures for 13 and 14 November are sourced in full on the methodology and sources page.
- Flightradar24 via Karryon Checked at source
- John F. Kennedy International Airport rental car page Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- John F. Kennedy International Airport transport page Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- LaGuardia Airport rental car page Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- Newark Liberty International Airport rental car page Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap road data Reported elsewhere · checked 15 November 2026
- AutoSlash Checked at source · checked 26 May 2026
- FlightAware via Fox News live blog Checked at source
- CNN live blog Not confirmed · checked 13 Nov 2026
- Google Trends, US, past 7 days, collected Saturday 14 November 2026, 6:45pm to 7:03pm ET Checked at source · checked 14 November 2026
- The Baltimore Banner Checked at source · checked 14 Nov 2026
- Amtrak: Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station (NYP), 351 West 31st Street, New York, NY 10001 Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- Greyhound New York stops Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026
- FlixBus New York stops Reported elsewhere · checked 15 November 2026
- Megabus New York stops Checked at source · checked 15 November 2026