Start with the flight and destination
Send the airline, flight number, travel date and whether the journey is an arrival or a departure. Include the terminal when known and a mobile number that will work after landing. For the other end of the trip, provide the full street address, hotel or building name, and the entrance you will use. A Midtown hotel, a Park Slope home and a White Plains office need different journeys. If someone else is arranging the car, include their contact alongside the passenger’s. For several travelers arriving on different flights, list each flight and decide whether they should share one departure or take separate cars.
Arrivals: reach the right meeting area
Allow for leaving the aircraft, any immigration or customs formalities, collecting luggage and reaching the agreed pickup area. JFK’s current Terminal 5 and 7 car-service advisory directs passengers to Howard Beach via AirTrain. At LaGuardia, the official car-service areas are across the street for Terminal A, garage level 2 for Terminal B and the arrivals inner lane for Terminal C. At Newark, follow the terminal’s ground-transportation signs and the instructions for your reservation. Teterboro needs the FBO name and landside meeting address. HPN asks travelers to arrange transportation in advance and keep the terminal curb clear except for active pickup and drop-off. The airport pages below explain these arrangements in more detail.
Departures: plan from the airline’s deadline
Use the departing airline’s check-in guidance and your terminal to work backward to a pickup time. Allow for loading, road conditions, terminal drop-off and the steps inside the airport. Give the actual passenger entrance: a hotel’s lobby and garage may be on different streets. In Manhattan, cross streets help identify the building; for a Brooklyn or Queens address, include the neighborhood as well as the street number. Westchester, Greenwich and Long Island journeys need the exact town and address. If the car needs to collect another traveler, add that stop and its expected duration before the quote is prepared.
Direct transfer or hourly service
A direct transfer fits a single airport pickup and one destination. Added stops can be quoted when you describe them in advance; another address does not automatically require an hourly reservation. Hourly service is useful when the vehicle stays through appointments or waits while you make several stops. For example, an airport arrival followed by a hotel check-in and an office visit may call for a held car if you want it available throughout. A dinner ride several hours after a hotel drop-off may work better as a separate reservation. Hourly bookings have a three-hour minimum. Include the waiting and expected finish time when comparing the options.
Match the vehicle to passengers and luggage
Choose among sedan, SUV, S-Class and Sprinter options using the people and bags traveling together. Count checked bags, carry-ons, strollers and larger equipment separately. The assigned interior and luggage space matter alongside the vehicle class. For child seats or accessibility needs, describe the requirement before selecting the vehicle. If a group splits between hotels, list the passengers and bags at each drop-off. An inside greeting is a separate arrangement from where the vehicle may collect you; ask about assistance in advance and follow the airport’s current car-service instructions.
Keep the itinerary and quote together
Ask for the complete price and how waiting, tolls, parking and changes are treated. Keep the pickup instructions with the reservation and send revised flight or terminal details through the booking channel. If you are delayed after landing, share your readiness update before moving to another meeting point. For an airport-to-airport connection, provide both flight numbers, airports and terminals when known. The schedule needs to cover arrival formalities, baggage collection, the road transfer and the departing airline’s check-in cutoff. Driving time alone is not enough to assess the connection.
Questions before booking
What flight information should I send?
Send the airline, flight number, date and terminal when known, plus a passenger contact. Share flight or readiness changes through the booking channel so the pickup arrangement can be updated.
Where will I meet the car?
Use the current meeting instructions for your airport and terminal. JFK Terminals 5 and 7 currently use Howard Beach via AirTrain; an inside greeting does not mean the car can use a restricted terminal curb.
How much waiting time is included?
Check the waiting allowance and any extra-time charges on your written quote before booking. Agree on how the flight time, baggage collection and passenger readiness affect the pickup.
Can I arrange both legs of a round trip?
Yes. Provide the flight, date, address and passenger details for each direction. Choose separate transfers or a held hourly itinerary according to the waiting and stops you need.