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Can you use contactless to pay for JFK AirTrain?

Governor Kathy Hochul, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that AirTrain JFK will begin accepting fare payments using the MTA's OMNY “Tap and Go” contactless payment readers starting Tuesday, October 10th.



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Governor Kathy Hochul, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that AirTrain JFK will begin accepting fare payments using the MTA's OMNY “Tap and Go” contactless payment readers starting Tuesday, October 10th.

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AirTrain JFK operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. AirTrain is free unless you start or end your journey at Jamaica and Howard Beach Stations. There, the fee is $8.25 USD, payable only by MetroCard.

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Next up for OMNY is the JFK AirTrain, which currently only accepts payment of its $8.25 fare with cash loaded directly onto MetroCards.

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The new fare payment system will accept contactless debit/credit cards, digital wallets and OMNY cards. Fare gates that accept MetroCards will remain available and an option for customers.

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The New York City subway system began rolling out Apple Pay Express Transit back in May 2019, and it was available at all stations by the end of 2020.

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Both public transportation options involve the JFK AirTrain light rail that brings you from the airport to the connecting subway or train station. A subway ride and AirTrain costs $11.15. A faster commuter train to and AirTrain costs between $13.25 to $15.25.

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AirTrain travels to the Jamaica LIRR Station from JFK every 5 to 10 minutes. The AirTrain ride to the Jamaica Station takes about 10 minutes.

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You don't have to sign up or download an app to use OMNY; simply use your contactless credit or debit card, smartphone, wearable device, or OMNY card to tap and go. OMNY currently supports full-fare and Reduced-Fare pay-per-ride options.

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The increase came just a year after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey raised the AirTrain fare to $8 from $7.75. Port Authority officials called the most recent raise an “automatic inflation-based adjustment” in a December press release that highlighted the agency's 2023 budget.

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Using Express Mode with Apple Pay.
  1. Open Wallet and select a payment card.
  2. Tap the more icon, then View Card Details.
  3. Tap Express Transit Settings and confirm your preferred card.


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Subway. By far the cheapest way to get to JFK is the subway, departing Manhattan every few minutes. You'll want to take the subway to Sutphin Boulevard – Archer Avenue – JFK Airport, on either the A, E, J, or Z trains.

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Subway: The closest subway station to JFK Airport is Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue/JFK Airport. To get there, you can take the AirTrain from JFK Airport to Jamaica, and transfer to the subway.

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There are 4 ways to get to Manhattan from JFK Airport: by taxi, private shuttle, subway and bus. A taxi or private shuttle will be the quickest but the most expensive option, followed by the bus and then the subway being a good balance between cheap and quick.

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Once you have swiped the card to enter the subway, it cannot be used again for 18 minutes. Unlimited Ride MetroCards are not accepted by the JFK AirTrain, Express buses or PATH trains. See below for other transportation systems that accept this card.

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The parking lot is very large, so there are shuttles that roam the parking area to transport travellers to the AirTrain. It is an 8-minute ride from the parking lot to the terminals. The AirTrain is free of charge to and from the Lefferts Boulevard station.

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The AirTrain service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The trains run on a schedule from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (every 2-8 minutes) and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (every 6-12 minutes).

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