Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , formerly known as Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both
Newark and
Elizabeth,
New Jersey. It is about 15 miles south west of
New York City.
The airport is operated by the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the three other major airports in metro New York,
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK),
LaGuardia Airport and
Teterboro Airport (as well as the
Downtown Manhattan Heliport). Newark is the fifth busiest international air gateway to the United States; JFK ranks first. [
1]
Newark is the second-largest hub for
Continental Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant (operating all of Terminal C and part of Terminal A).
United Airlines and
FedEx operate cargo hubs.
In
2005 Newark Airport handled approximately 33 million passengers; JFK handled about 41 million and LaGuardia about 26 million, making for a total of approximately 100 million travelers using New York's airports. With these numbers, this makes New York's
airspace surpass that of Chicago's to become the busiest in the
United States.
Newark Airport was the first major airport in the New York area: it opened on
October 1,
1928, occupying an area of reclaimed marshland in New Jersey.
In 1935,
Amelia Earhart dedicated the Newark Airport Administration Building, which is considered by many to be the world's first commercial airline terminal, although that at
Croydon Airport predates it by 7 years. Newark was the busiest airport in the world until
LaGuardia Airport opened in
1939, dividing New York's air traffic and allowing
Midway Airport to take the lead. Newark was soon closed to passenger traffic and taken over by the
United States Army for logistics operations during
World War II.
The
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took over the airport in
1948 and made major investments in airport infrastructure, opening new runways and hangars and revamping the airport's terminal layout. Airline traffic resumed that year. The art deco Administration Building served as the main terminal until the opening of the North Terminal in 1953, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
In the
1970s the airport underwent a significant enlargement, including the construction of the current Terminals A, B, and C, and was renamed
Newark International Airport. Terminals A and B opened in 1973, although some charter and international flights requiring customs clearance remained at the North Terminal. Terminal C remained uncompleted until 1988.
Underutilized throughout the 1970s, Newark expanded dramatically in the 1980s.
People Express struck a deal with the Port Authority to use the North Terminal in
1981 and began operations at Newark that year. It quickly rose to become one of the largest American airlines, bringing more traffic to the airport.
Virgin Atlantic Airways began flights from Newark to
London in
1984, challenging JFK's status as New York's international gateway (however, Virgin Atlantic now has more flights going out of JFK than out of Newark). When People Express was merged into Continental in
1987, the now-demolished North Terminal was shuttered forever. Newark, however, remained a hub for
Continental, which operated out of Terminal B until the opening of Terminal C in 1988.
Today,
Continental has its World Gateway at Terminal C, having just completed a major expansion project that included the construction of a new, third concourse and a new
Federal Inspection Services facility. With its Newark hub,
Continental is the largest provider of air service to the
New York metropolitan area.
On
September 11,
2001,
United Airlines Flight 93, on its way from Newark to
San Francisco International Airport, crashed into a field in
Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers took over the plane from a team of hijackers. Based on the direction that the plane was flying at the time and information gathered afterwards, most observers believe that the hijackers intended to crash the plane into a target in
Washington, DC, such as the
Capitol or
White House. In memory of this event, the airport's name was changed from
Newark International Airport to
Newark Liberty International Airport. This name was chosen over the initial proposal,
Liberty International Airport at Newark, and refers to the landmark
Statue of Liberty, just 7 miles east of the airport. Despite the name change few locals call it by its new name. The name most often used by locals is "Newark Airport" or simply "Newark".
In
2003, Newark Liberty International Airport became the terminus of the world's longest non-stop scheduled airline route,
Continental's service to
Hong Kong. In
2004,
Singapore Airlines broke
Continental's record by starting direct 18-hour flights to
Singapore from Newark. In
2005,
Continental commenced flight from Newark to
Beijing on
June 15,
2005 and
New Delhi on
November 1,
2005: when these services began,
Continental became for a time the only airline to serve
India nonstop from the United States, and the second U.S. carrier, after
United, to serve
mainland China nonstop.
Newark Liberty International Airport covers 2,027 acres and has three runways and one helipad:
* Runway 04L/22R: 11,000 x 150 ft. (3,353 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt/Concrete
* Runway 04R/22L: 10,000 x 150 ft. (3,048 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
* Runway 11/29: 6,800 x 150 ft. (2,073 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
* Helipad H1: 40 x 40 ft. (12 x 12 m), Surface: ConcreteMost departing traffic uses Runway 04L/22R. Most arriving traffic uses 04R/22L.
Newark Liberty International Airport has three passenger terminals. Terminal A and Terminal B were completed in
1973 and have a three-story layout, with departures on the top floor, arrivals on the middle floor, and flight operations on the ground floor. Terminal C, completed in 1988, has two departures levels, one for international check-in and one for domestic check-in, with the gates and food and shopping outlets located on a mezzanine between the two check-in floors. It's worth noting that extensive renovations were completed in Terminal C from 1998-2003. The baggage claim area was renovated, and turned into a second departure level, splitting departures into International Floor/Domestic Floor, a third Concourse was added, an International Arrivals facility was added, and a 3,400 space parking garage, and new baggage processing facilities were added, including turning the former underground parking area into a new baggage claim (Which was a great use of space, as parking had been prohibited underneath the terminal as a security measure after the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993.)
Each terminal is subdivided into three numbered concourses: Terminal A, for instance, is divided into concourses A1, A2, and A3. Gate numbering is continuous through all the terminals.
Terminal A
Terminal A is the only terminal at Newark not fitted with immigration facilities: flights arriving from other countries (except Canada) cannot use Terminal A, although some departing international flights use the terminal.
*
Air Canada (Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa)
*
AirTran Airways (Atlanta, Chicago-Midway)
*
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma)
*
American Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Eagle/Vail (seasonal), Los Angeles, Miami, San Juan)
**
American Connection operated by
Chautauqua Airlines (St. Louis)
** American Connection operated by
Trans States Airlines (St. Louis)
**
American Eagle (Boston, Raleigh/Durham)
*
Continental Airlines (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago-O'Hare, Chicago-Midway, Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan)
*
JetBlue Airways (Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, San Juan [ends September 11, 2006], Tampa [begins September 14, 2006], West Palm Beach)
*
United Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco)
**
United Express operated by
Mesa Airlines (Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by
Trans States Airlines (Washington-Dulles)
*
US Airways (Charlotte)
**
US Airways operated by
America West Airlines (Las Vegas, Phoenix)
**
US Airways Express operated by
Air Wisconsin (Pittsburgh)
** US Airways Express operated by
Mesa Airlines (Charlotte)
** US Airways Express operated by
PSA Airlines (Charlotte)
** US Airways Express operated by
Trans States Airlines (Pittsburgh)
Terminal B
*
Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
*
Air India (Mumbai, Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
*
Air Jamaica (Montego Bay)
*
Air Plus Comet (seasonal)
*
Alitalia (Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino)
*
British Airways (London-Heathrow)
*
Czech Airlines (Prague)
*
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Salt Lake City)
**
Delta Connection operated by
Comair (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky)
*
El Al (Tel Aviv)
*
EVA Air (Taipei-Chiang Kai Shek)
*
Flyglobespan (Liverpool [begins May 25, 2007])
*
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam)
*
LOT Polish Airlines (Krakow, Warsaw)
*
Lufthansa (Frankfurt)
**
Lufthansa operated by
PrivatAir (Düsseldorf, Munich)
*
Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur, Stockholm-Arlanda)
*
Midwest Airlines (Milwaukee)
*
Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
**
Northwest Airlink operated by
Mesaba Airlines (Detroit)
*
Scandinavian Airlines System (Copenhagen, Stockholm-Arlanda)
*
Singapore Airlines (Singapore)
*
Swiss International Air Lines**
Swiss International Air Lines operated by
PrivatAir (Zürich)
*
TAP Portugal (Lisbon, Porto)
*
USA 3000 (Bermuda, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Punta Cana, St. Petersburg (FL))
*
Virgin Atlantic (London-Heathrow)
Terminal C (Continental Airlines Terminal)
*
Continental Airlines **
Domestic: Albuquerque, Austin, Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Daytona Beach, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Eagle/Vail/Beaver Creek/Aspen Valley, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Hayden/Steamboat Springs, Honolulu, Houston-Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Manchester (NH), Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montrose/Telluride, New Orleans, Orange County, Orlando, Phoenix, Ponce (PR), Portland (OR), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan (PR), Sarasota, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Thomas (USVI), Tampa, Tucson, West Palm Beach
**
International: Acapulco, Aguadilla, Amsterdam, Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Barcelona, Beijing, Belfast, Belize City, Berlin-Tegel, Bermuda, Birmingham (UK), Bogotá, Bonaire [begins December 16, 2006] Bristol, Brussels, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Calgary [seasonal], Cancún, Caracas, Cologne/Bonn, Copenhagen, Cozumel, Delhi, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Freeport, Geneva, Glasgow, Grand Cayman, Guatemela City, Guayaquil, Halifax, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Kingston, Liberia (CR), Lima, Lisbon, London-Gatwick, Los Cabos, Madrid, Manchester (UK), Mexico City, Milan-Malpensa, Montego Bay, Nassau, Oranjestad, Oslo, Panama City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Port of Spain, Puerto Plata (DR), Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Rome-Fiumicino, St. Maarten, San José (CR), San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Santiago (DR), Santo Domingo, São Paulo-Guarulhos, Shanghai-Pudong [begins March 2007; awaiting gov't approval], Shannon, Stockholm-Arlanda, Tel Aviv, Tokyo-Narita, Toronto, Vancouver, Willemstad, Zürich)
***
Continental Express operated by
ExpressJet Airlines (Albany, Asheville, Baltimore/Washington, Bangor, Birmingham (AL), Buffalo, Burlington, Charleston (SC), Charlotte, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Columbia, Columbus, Dayton, Detroit, Fayetteville (AR), Grand Rapids, Greensboro, Greenville (SC), Halifax, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lexington, Little Rock, Louisville, Madison, Manchester (NH), Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Moncton, Montréal, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Providence, Québec City, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), Sarasota, Savannah, St. John's (NL), St. Louis, Syracuse, Toronto, Tulsa)
AirTrain
Newark is an
intermodal airport. A monorail system,
AirTrain Newark, connects the terminals with the Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Link Station for connection to
Amtrak and
New Jersey Transit service. Passengers can use this connection to travel directly from EWR to any station along the
Northeast Corridor, including regional transit hubs such as New York City's
Pennsylvania Station.
Continental Airlines uses this rail connection to book passengers through Newark to
30th Street Station in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Wilmington Station in
Wilmington, Delaware,
Penn Station in
New York City,
Stamford Station in
Stamford, Connecticut, and
Union Station in
New Haven, Connecticut.
The monorail is free for use between all stations, however passengers wishing to exit or enter the Rail Link station must pay a $5.00 fee. NJ Transit tickets originating or terminating at the Rail Link station (denoted as ** EWR ** on their tickets) automatically include the $5.00 fee.
Other Connections
Numerous bus services run between Newark Liberty and nearby population centers, including New Jersey Transit,
Airporter, and
Olympia Trails. Express buses to Manhattan transit hubs (
Grand Central Terminal,
Port Authority Bus Terminal, etc.) cost $13. There is also bus service to
JFK Airport, which costs $23.
The airport is also served by a number of
New Jersey Transit buses. Routes 40 and 62 provide local service from downtown Newark, including
Newark Penn Station, at a fare of $1.25. Route 67 provides local service from
Lakewood and
Toms River.
The
New Jersey Turnpike has 2 exits that allow motorists to gain access to Newark Liberty International Airport. Those exits are 13A and 14.
Taxis also operate from the airport at flat rates based on destination. From the City of New York, fares are set by New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission. From New York City, the taxi fare shall be the metered rate plus a surcharge of $15.00 plus the cost of round trip tolls. This is approximately $40 to $75 depending on the exact origin. Newark Liberty is the only exception to the rule that a New York City taxi driver may refuse to take a passenger to any destination outside the five boroughs.
From Newark Airport to Manhattan, the taxi fare is a set fee plus round trip tolls.From Newark Airport to
*Battery Park to West 34th Street: $40.00
*West 35th Street to West 58th Street: $45.00
*West 59th Street to West 109th Street: $50.00
*West 110th Street to West 185th Street: $55.00
*North of 185th Street: $60.00
*New York /
LaGuardia Airport: $65.00
*New York /
Kennedy Airport: $75.00There is an additional charge of $5.00 for all destinations on the east side of Manhattan between Battery Park and 185th Street.
Continental Airlines also books passengers via bus to
Lehigh Valley International Airport in
Allentown, Pennsylvania, a 90-minute trip.
Airport information can be obtained in several ways both before traveling to the airport and while there. In addition to the Web site listed below, travelers may call the airport at +1-973-961-6000 or from within the
United States and
Canada, toll-free at 888-EWR-INFO (397-4636).
In the immediate vicinity of the airport, parking and other information can be obtained by tuning to a
highway advisory radio station at 530
AM.
Newark Airport, along with LaGuardia and Kennedy airports, uses a uniform style of signing throughout the airport properties. Yellow signs direct passengers to airline gates, ticketing and other flight services; green signs direct passengers to ground transportation services, and black signs lead to restrooms, telephones and other passenger amenities.
Former
New York City traffic reporter,
Bernie Wagenblast provides the voice for the airport's phone system, radio station and curbside announcements, as well as the messages heard onboard
AirTrain Newark and in its stations.
*
John F. Kennedy International Airport*
LaGuardia Airport*
Teterboro Airport*
Transportation to New York City area airports*
Newark Liberty International Airport (official site)
