HEADED DOWNTOWN?
Flying into an airport can be a headache, and if you don’t know public transportation, you could end up in a cab or rideshare. Here are efficient, cost-effective ways to get from major U.S. airports into their city. For international airports, see lat.ms/
Atlanta
From Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, take MARTA’s Red or Gold lines for $2.50 to downtown locations such as Peachtree Center and Civic Center. Info: lat.ms/atlantatransportation
Boston
From Boston Logan International Airport, take the Silver Line 1 bus from any terminal to South Station in downtown Boston. It takes about 15 minutes, and it’s free. For $2.25, you can take the Blue Line subway from the airport station to downtown in about 10 minutes. Both are operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Info: lat.ms/loganoptions
Chicago
From O’Hare International Airport, take Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line, which runs 24 hours a day. The ride to the Chicago Loop, or downtown, takes about 45 minutes and costs $5.
From Midway International Airport, take the Orange Line downtown. It takes 25 to 30 minutes to get to the Loop and costs $2.50. Info: flychicago.com
Dallas
From Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, take the Terminal Link Shuttle to Terminal A, then walk to DFW Airport Station and hop on the DART Orange Line. The ride to Akard Station in downtown Dallas takes about 53 minutes; a DART pass costs $3. Info: dart.org
Denver
From Denver International Airport, take the A Line to downtown Denver. It takes about 37 minutes and costs $9 ($10.50, starting in January). You’ll arrive at Denver Union Station, where you can connect with local buses and a free downtown shuttle. Info: flydenver.com
Honolulu
From the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, take TheBus (really, that’s the name) to downtown Honolulu on routes 9, 19, 20, 40, 42 or 51 or to Waikiki on routes 19, 20 or 42. The ride to downtown Honolulu is about 30 minutes, Waikiki takes about an hour. One-way adult fare is $2.75. Info: airports.hawaii.gov/hnl
Los Angeles
From Los Angeles International Airport, take a FlyAway bus to Union Station downtown, Hollywood, Long Beach, the Orange Line in North Hollywood, Van Nuys and Westwood. It costs $8 to $10 one way. If you want to access L.A.’s Metro Rail system, fliers can take a short ride on a free G Shuttle to connect to the Green Line. (To do the reverse, you must have a TAP transit card.) Info: flylax.com/en/flyaway-bus
Newark, N.J.
From Newark Liberty International Airport, take the AirTrain ($5.50) to connect to New Jersey Transit trains to Penn Station in New York City. (Trains don’t run between 2 and 5 a.m.) It costs $13 and takes about half an hour. Info: newarkairport.com
New York City
From JFK International Airport, take the AirTrain to connect with the A or E train or the Long Island Rail Road to Penn Station, where you can connect to Manhattan destinations. The subway takes 50 to 75 minutes for $7.75. The Long Island Rail Road will get you to Penn Station in 35 minutes for a maximum of $15. Costs include the $5 AirTrain fee. Info: jfkairport.com From LaGuardia Airport, take the M60 or Q70 bus to connect to the subway to Manhattan. It costs $2.75 plus $1 for a MetroCard. The bus will take you to selected subway stops. Info: lat.ms/laguardiatransporta tion
Oakland
From Oakland International Airport, head to the BART station across from the Terminal 1 baggage area. Take the BART train to Coliseum Station (several lines go there) and transfer to a Richmond-bound train to get to 12th Street in downtown Oakland. It costs $8.15 to $8.65 and takes about half an hour, depending on connections. Info: bart.gov
Phoenix
From Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, take the free Sky Train that runs every three to five minutes to 44th Street/Washington Street Valley Metro Rail station. Then take the westbound train into downtown, which takes about 15 minutes and costs $2. Info: valleymetro.org
Portland, Ore.
From Portland International Airport, take the TriMet MAX Red Line to downtown. It takes about 38 minutes and costs $2.50. Info: travelportland.com
San Francisco
From San Francisco International Airport, take the free AirTrain to the BART station. A oneway ride to the downtown Civic Center stop costs less than $10 and takes about 25 minutes. BART urges out-of-town visitors to avoid ticket lines by buying an online $21 BART voucher in advance. It’s good for a round-trip ride between the airport and any stop in the city or the East Bay. Redeem the voucher at the International Terminal G information booth just outside the airport’s BART station and be on your way. Info: bart.gov/guide/airport/sfo
Seattle
From Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, or Sea-Tac, the Link light rail will get you to downtown Seattle’s Westlake Station in 38 minutes. One-way adult fare costs $2.25 to $3.25, depending on your destination. Info: soundtransit.org
Washington, D.C., area
From Dulles International Airport, take the Silver Line Express Bus to the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station, which costs $5 and takes 15 minutes. Then take the Silver Line to your destination in D.C. Vending machines sell a SmarTrip card for $10, with $8 in fares included in the cost, which will get you to the downtown McPherson Square stop in about 40 minutes. Info: flydulles.com From Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is much closer to the city than Dulles, take an Airport Shuttle from Terminal 1 or walk from terminals 2 and 3 to Metrorail’s Airport Station. A trip on the Blue or Yellow lines to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station in downtown D.C. costs $1.85 to $3.60, depending on the time of day, and takes about 13 minutes. Vending machines sell a SmarTrip card for $10, with $8 in fares included. Info: flyreagan.com/dca/ metrorail-station