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Navigating Newark Airport
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January 12, 1998: 7:32 p.m. ET
How to get around, shop and rest at the New York area's No. 3 takeoff point
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NEWARK, N.J. (Biztravel.com) - If you've never passed through Newark International Airport, you'll find it's as easy as A, B, C - literally.
The New York region's No. 3 airport is organized into three terminals: A for American, United, and TWA; B, the International Building; and C, for Continental Airline's hub (the airline responsible for about 57 percent of Newark's departures).
While John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) spans some 5,000 acres spread over nine terminals, the more compact Newark International Airport covers only about 2,000. Yet the number of domestic and international passengers at Newark has steadily risen from 12 million passengers in 1982, to 23 million in 1987, to an estimated 30 million in 1997.
The monorail launched in 1995 symbolizes Newark Airport's state-of-the-art modernization. Fully automated, the free monorail connects the three terminals, transporting travelers to and from long-term parking lots to terminals and on-site auto rental offices (Avis, Hertz, Budget, National, and Dollar).
At the renovated International Building, the U.S. Customs Department has made it a goal to get passengers through the customs gates in about 35 minutes. The newly installed 220-foot luggage carousels will certainly help. Afterwards, passengers can visit the recently opened concierge booth, where trained staff member will recommend lodging and transportation services in both New York City and New Jersey.
During extended layovers, take the monorail to Terminal C, which offers a greater variety of shops, restaurants, and amenities than in the other terminals. The best dining bet there is The Garden State Diner, which offers fast, efficient service from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Choices range from full bacon-and-egg breakfasts to hamburgers, Delmonico steaks, and grilled chicken breast sandwiches.
Other Terminal C food options include four Au Bon Pain eateries, (known for their reasonably priced soups, salads, and sandwiches), Jake's Coffeehouse (specializing in cappuccino, sandwiches, and dessert), Wok 'n' Roll (for cheap, fast-food Chinese), and several reasonably priced bar/lounges (including the Plank Road Brewery, Icehouse and the Airport Saloon, where pints of draft Budweiser and Red Dog go for $3.85).
Shoppers in Terminal C will find Benjamin Books for the widest variety of hardcover and paperbacks; Sports Emporium for caps and athletic shirts; and Successories for T-shirts, caps, and sweatshirts. Stressed out? Try the Meditation Center, where one can pray, meditate, or simply hide out from all the hustle-and-bustle.
Amenities at terminals A & B are limited, consisting mainly of fast-food eateries like Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut; and duty-free shops, newsstands, and one flower shop.
But you can make the most of your waiting time by joining one of the many private airline clubs, which also function as on-the-road business centers. One business traveler, for instance, says he uses Continental's President's Club Lounge, because "the atmosphere is quieter." Open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., the lounge is the most spacious club at Newark and costs $200 for an annual membership fee (or is free for business and first-class customers on international flights). The President's Club Lounge also operates a second smaller club in Terminal C.
United's Red Carpet Club (membership fees are between $175 to $400 for Mileage Plus members) and American's Admiral's Club ($300 membership) both offer free laptop hookups, fax machine, copying service, laser printing, and credit card telephone. Free pastries, coffee, cappuccino, orange juice, newspapers and magazines are among the usual staples. Free liquor is also served in the Red Carpet's international lounge.
Conference rooms are free for the first hour at both the President's Club or the Red Carpet Club, with a charge of $25-$35 per hour for any additional use. The Admiral's Club's conference room costs a flat $35 per hour. A host of smaller lounges at Newark include Delta's Crown Room, Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse, and the SAS Euro-Class Lounge. British Airways' Executive Club Lounge will open in April 1997 at the International Building.
Among hotels, the Newark Airport Marriott is the only one located on the airport grounds. Its 590 rooms are frequently sold out weeks in advance from Monday through Thursday (prices range from $159 to $174, midweek), so it's wise to book well ahead. Amenities include two restaurants, a business center, an indoor and outdoor pool, and a health club. Several other hotels dot the airport's perimeter, including Courtyard by Marriott, Howard Johnson's, Days Inn, Hampton Inn, Ramada, Holiday Inn Newark North, Holiday Inn Jetport, and Newark Airport Hilton.
As for leaving the airport, taxi cabs are readily available, even at rush hour, and cost $30, plus tolls and tip, to midtown Manhattan. If taxis are unavailable, call the Airport Limo Service at (800) 624-4410, which charges $50, plus tip and tolls, for the same trip. But the cheapest route into town, of course, is by express bus. The Olympia Airport Express bus shuttles between Newark Airport and Penn Station, Grand Central Station, or the World Trade Center every half hour, and costs a mere $7 each way. The New Jersey Transit bus to Port Authority also costs $7. Getting through the Lincoln or Holland Tunnels to Newark during the morning and evening rush hours will take at least an hour, but during off-peak you'll likely zip through the tunnels and arrive at the airport in only 35 minutes.
If you're driving, the airport is 16 miles from Manhattan and easily reachable from the New Jersey Turnpike exits 13A or 14. Daily parking costs a maximum of $22 per day and long-term costs $7 per day. Special parking near terminals is set aside for people with disabilities.
For further questions about Newark International Airport, call (201) 961-6000; for directions to the airport, call (888) EWR-INFO; and for ground transportation, call 1-800-AIR-RIDE.
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