Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover; How Many Ways to Leave an Airport?

When passengers land at most domestic and international airports, they are faced with a myriad of choices on ways to leave the airport to get to their final destinations. From taxis, buses, private coaches, limousines, shuttles, trains, hotel and parking lot shuttles, long distance vans, public transport including public buses or light rail, rental cars, scheduled buses, shared ride options, to having a friend or family member pick them up, the process of informing passengers on all their options and helping them make the right choice definitely needs improvement.

Marketing efforts seem to have primarily focused on enhancing the onsite airport experiences and amenities for passengers: terminal upgrades, Wi-Fi access, duty free shopping, airline lounges, comfortable gate areas (like San Diego International Airport’s rocking chairs), more varied food and beverage options, new art exhibitions, better wayfinding signage, cleaner restrooms, more streamlined baggage handling, automated check-in stations, and information kiosks.
Arriving passengers (not the ‘road warriors’) may find it somewhat overwhelming to locate and arrange their own ground transportation that suit their individual needs. The wide variety of choices available can and should meet the needs of many, if not all, passengers; but there seems to be limited information for travelers to tap. Somewhat problematic is how to segment the ground transportation offerings in such as way as to make the choices easier to identify and select. Too many choices that are not well organized can create frustration for travelers and will impact their overall perception of the airport.

I’d love to see well placed, multilingual, automated, and easy to use kiosks where passengers can enter some crucial bits of personalized information on their specific needs and requirements, and with just a few clicks, be provided with several of the top customized options available at that particular airport. Hopefully, soon.

In lieu of this automated ground transport advisor/assistant I envision for the future, here are a few noteworthy options ranging from the economical to the ultimate. When researching the ground transport options, I found that the majority of transport choices are in the economical category with limited information accessible online.

I found very few, other than traditional limousine providers that provide real luxury and personalized offerings to leave the airport in style. However, I did come across one exceptional new service offered at Heathrow Airport that’s fit for kings and queens, and other travelers who want to be transported to and from the airport in ultimate luxury and style.

ECONOMICAL (and convenient)

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

For passengers arriving at SFO, BART is a very fast, easy, inexpensive way to get into the city of San Francisco as well as around the Bay Area. Trains arrive at the SFO International Terminal every 15 minutes and in just 30 minutes you arrive in downtown San Francisco. A one-way ticket from the airport to downtown is just $8.10 per person, which is certainly much lower than a shared ride or airport taxis. It’s easy to find specific fares from the airport to any station by using the QuickPlanner.

John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)

First-hand reports from several of my well-traveled colleagues confirm that AirTrain JFK is one of the easiest ways to get to, from, and around JFK International Airport. AirTrain connects with MTA New York City Transit subways and buses and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), providing a low-cost, easy way to travel by mass transit to major destinations in New York and New Jersey.
Fares start around $7.50 and up, depending on your final destination. Although the website said you don’t have to worry about traffic conditions, it did post a report on an AirTrain Service Disruption from July 17-August 19 between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sunday to Friday. So try the service during regular daytime hours.
Another excellent benefit is that AirTrain within the airport is free and frequent, operating 24/7 and includes stops at airline terminals, parking lots, hotel shuttle areas and rental car facilities.