US Airport · New Jersey

Newark Liberty (EWR)

Newark Liberty International (EWR) is one of three major New York City-area airports and a primary hub for United Airlines. It sits about 16 miles southwest of Midtown Manhattan in northern New Jersey, immediately adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike. EWR is the closest of the New York airports to Manhattan by direct distance and is favoured by many business travellers heading to Midtown. The three terminals (A, B, C) are connected by an AirTrain people mover that also serves the on-airport NJ Transit / Amtrak rail station. One quick factoid: EWR's Terminal A reopened in 2023 as a brand-new building, replacing the original 1970s structure on the same site.

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Terminals at EWR

Terminal A
American, Alaska, Air Canada, JetBlue, Frontier, Spirit, Delta
Brand-new terminal opened in 2023 with modern amenities and concourse layout.
Terminal B
Most foreign-flag international carriers, plus some domestic operations
Older terminal handling many trans-Atlantic carriers; international arrivals processed here for non-United flights.
Terminal C
United mainline domestic and international, United Express
United's main EWR home with a Polaris Lounge and multiple United Clubs across three concourses (C1, C2, C3).

Getting to Newark Liberty

Mode Details Cost Frequency
Rail (NJ Transit / Amtrak)AirTrain (free between terminals; $8.25 to exit) connects to Newark Liberty International Airport Station for NJ Transit Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains, plus Amtrak Northeast Regional. Penn Station Manhattan in 25-30 minutes.AirTrain to NYC about $15.75 combined; Amtrak much higherAirTrain every 3-5 min; NJ Transit every 15-30 min
Rideshare / TaxiRideshare pickup at all terminals' designated zones; taxis flat-rate to Manhattan from EWR.Taxi flat-rate roughly $75 to Midtown plus tolls; rideshare $50-100 to ManhattanOn demand
NYC Express busNewark Airport Express runs scheduled coaches to Bryant Park, Port Authority and Grand Central in Manhattan.$22 one-way; $40 round-tripEvery 15-30 min
Hotel shuttlesHotels in the Newark and Elizabeth airport cluster run free shuttles from the lower (arrivals) curb of each terminal.Free with stayEvery 15-30 min

Parking at EWR

Tier Rate Shuttle Best for
Terminal Parking (P1, P2, P3, P4)$45/day maxAirTrain (free) connects all parking and terminalsTrips under 48 hours
Daily Parking$28/dayAirTrain (free)Trips 2-7 days
Economy P6 Lot$22/dayFree shuttle every 10-15 minLong stays on a budget
Off-airport private lots (Newark / Elizabeth)$13-22/day typicalOperator-run shuttle every 10-15 minPre-booked budget parking

Lounges at EWR

United Polaris Lounge
📍 Terminal C, near Gate C120
United Polaris long-haul international business; some Star Alliance long-haul partners
United Club
📍 Multiple — Terminal C (C1, C2, C3)
United Club membership, eligible business/first travellers, paid day pass
Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
📍 Terminal A
Air Canada eligible business and Aeroplan elite status; Star Alliance partners
British Airways Galleries Lounge
📍 Terminal B
BA Club World/First, Oneworld eligible status
Lufthansa Lounges
📍 Terminal B
Lufthansa Senator/HON, Star Alliance long-haul business
The Club EWR
📍 Terminal A
Priority Pass, paid day pass, eligible premium credit cards
Art & Lounge / Centurion Lounge
📍 Terminal C
Amex Platinum, Centurion, Business Platinum cardholders

Top destinations from EWR

Destination Country From
London (LHR)United Kingdom$449Open route guide →
Paris (CDG)France$449Open route guide →
Rome (FCO)Italy$449Open route guide →
Los Angeles (LAX)United States$249Open route guide →
New York (JFK)United States$79Open route guide →
Miami (MIA)United States$169Open route guide →

Airlines at EWR

United Airlines British Airways Virgin Atlantic Lufthansa Air India Singapore Airlines Emirates Cathay Pacific JetBlue Airways Spirit Airlines American Airlines Delta Air Lines Alaska Airlines

5 things you didn't know about Newark Liberty

Verified by the CompareFlights team
  1. 1Newark Liberty was the first major commercial airport in the New York metro area — founded 1928, eight years before LaGuardia and 20 years before Idlewild (now JFK) opened.
  2. 2EWR is operated jointly with JFK and LGA by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — making the three airports a unified system for landing-fee and slot-allocation purposes.
  3. 3Terminal A renovation (completed 2022) was the most expensive single-terminal project in Port Authority history at $2.7 billion — entirely funded by airline lease revenue, not taxpayer money.
  4. 4EWR has more direct flights to Europe (combined US + foreign carrier capacity) than any other US airport, narrowly edging JFK in 2023.
  5. 5The AirTrain extension to NJ Transit was first proposed in 1990 and completed in 2003 — 13 years from proposal to opening, one of the most delayed airport-rail projects in US history.

Frequently asked about EWR

Which terminal does United use at EWR?

United operates almost entirely from Terminal C, which is divided into three concourses (C1, C2, C3) connected airside. Terminal C handles both domestic and international United flights, including the Polaris Lounge for long-haul business passengers. Some United Express regional flights occasionally use Terminal A overflow gates.

How early should I arrive at EWR for an international flight?

Three hours before departure is the standard recommendation for both Terminal B (foreign carriers) and Terminal C (United international). Evening trans-Atlantic banks at Terminal C are particularly heavy. EWR has long had unpredictable security wait times — do not cut it under two and a half hours even with TSA PreCheck.

Is EWR closer to Manhattan than JFK?

By straight-line distance EWR is slightly closer to Midtown Manhattan than JFK (about 16 miles vs 16.5 miles), and rail journey times are comparable at 25-30 minutes via NJ Transit to Penn Station vs LIRR to Penn Station. Traffic on I-78 and the Lincoln Tunnel often makes EWR the faster choice for Midtown.

What's the cheapest way from EWR to Manhattan?

AirTrain ($8.25 to exit) plus NJ Transit Northeast Corridor train to Penn Station ($7.50 typical) totalling about $15.75 in 25-30 minutes is the cheapest direct rail option. The Newark Airport Express bus to Midtown runs $22. Rideshare and flat-rate taxis are $50-100.

Does EWR have a hotel inside the airport?

Yes — the Marriott Newark Airport sits inside the airport ring road, accessible by a short shuttle ride from the terminals. There is no hotel directly connected by walkway to a terminal. Several other airport-area hotels in Newark and Elizabeth offer free shuttles.

Nearby airports

John F. Kennedy (JFK)
22 mi E
New York's primary long-haul gateway
LaGuardia (LGA)
16 mi NE
Main domestic short-haul New York airport
Teterboro (TEB)
10 mi NE
Major general aviation and corporate jet airport
Long Island MacArthur (ISP)
60 mi E
Smaller alternative on Long Island