Delta Hog

Looking for an award routing STL-Europe (this one is Athens, but I have checked other cities and seen the same thing) and the lowest award levels often have a "different airport" notation for arriving LGA but departing JFK, then to ATH.

Has anyone experienced this? I have been to/through both airports so know that they're not near one another.

Is the shuttle reliable? Costly? Included in the air ticket since the airline is the one routing me through the disjointed connection?

Will checked bags go all the way through or will I have to collect at LGA and check at JFK?

Not sure I want to do this.

USFlyerUS

You'll need to collect your bags at LGA and re-check at JFK. Transportation from LGA to JFK is not included in the ticket.

If you do it, leave plenty of time to account for traffic. In theory, the MCT LGA->JFK should account for that, but I'd add even more buffer than whatever the MCT is. It's not hard to get from one to the other by taxi.

I've seen similar routings on revenue tickets, too. I avoid them. To me it's not worth the hassle, but I appreciate to some it may be.

moondog

I'm hard pressed to think of any other pair of major airports that are closer to each other.

Delta Hog

10 miles per google. Through Brooklyn traffic, per memory.

They're not close to each other. The fact that other major metropolitan airports are also not close to each other, is irrelevant.

guv1976

I don't know if it's still the case, but on intercontinental itineraries, DL would cover the cost of ground transportation on a JFK <==> LGA connection. But not AA.

Delta Hog

Thanks. These things were my concern and probably kill my interest in this routing.

guv1976

If you're going through Brooklyn, you're being taken for a ride.

Without checked baggage, the transfer is doable with public transportation. I'm sure that some people have done it with checked baggage, too.

UKtravelbear

Why?

Hundreds if not thousands of people make this trip daily (in both directions) the vast majority without any issue at all.

JJeffrey

AA doesn't serve STL-JFK nonstop. The aa.com search results will prioritize this routing as it's still only one stop even though it involves an airport change. That is why you're seeing it offered and why it is priced accordingly.

As noted the transportation between LGA and JFK is not included and you're responsible for your luggage.

Really not much else to digest here, basically a personal decision of whether you want to save a few miles and do the LGA/JFK shuffle or spend more and do an easier one-stop via PHL or ORD.

Also looking at the schedules for this summer the timing is really bad for this, you have leave STL on the early morning ~6am flight to LGA then have 7-8 hrs to make the transfer before the afternoon flight to ATH. So if you do go this route, you have plenty of time for the LGA to JFK transfer.

Delta Hog

Queens!! Geez. I thought you transited Brooklyn in between but nope.

Lonedaddy

If it saves a large chunk of miles it is worth it we did it a couple of years ago SDF-LGA-JFK-LHR. We just booked a car to take us across town but you could use an uber. It was midday and we had 4 hrs plus so we tried it. The luggage was a pain, but we had flagship checkin at JFK so that went smooth. Other option was SDF-CLT-JFK-LHR we figured less could go wrong going crosstown vs another flight. Now EWR -JFK that is another story.

enviroian

OP I did this last year. I flew into JFK from MXP, then a quick and painless uber drive 23 minutes to LGA.

guv1976

How soon is this trip? If it's several months off, there's some chance that there will be a significant schedule change, which would entitle you to change to a different award routing for no additional miles.

And, of course, all AAdvantage flight awards are now fully refundable, so if the redemption cost on the LGA-JFK routing -- or one of the better routings -- should come down, you could always cancel and rebook.

Delta Hog

Well, maybe.

Here is another thing that made me laugh out loud. LOL, yes, it happened.

Checked MEX as an alternative to Europe. STL-DFW-MEX would be an assumed AA itinerary; STL-ORD-MEX wouldn't be too out of the way.

The lowest miles routings are STL-LGA/JFK-MIA-MEX.

LAUGH. OUT. LOUD.

Why in the world would I fly to NEW YORK and MIAMI from St. Louis to go to Mexico City?

STL-DFW-MEX makes so much sense that I guess it's way more expensive, I suppose.

jerry a. laska

More on the LGA-JFK shuffle here:
Minimum Connection Time LGA-JFK

MCT is still 4:00.