Prices are accurate at the time of publication.
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- New York’s Stewart International Airport welcomed European low-cost carrier PLAY on June 9.
- The airline will fly daily to Reykjavik, Iceland, where passengers can connect to other destinations in Europe.
- I toured the airport, and although it’s small, Stewart is much more convenient than larger New York City airports.
New York’s Stewart International Airport is finally getting nonstop service to Europe after a three-year hiatus.
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The lesser-known airport is located in New Windsor, New York, which is about 60 miles north of Manhattan, or about an hour and a half drive.
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Two airlines currently fly out of Stewart, including Frontier Airlines…
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…and Allegiant Air. JetBlue used to serve Florida from the airport but has since suspended operations.
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Despite the dwindling operations, Stewart is starting to see new activity as international travel bounces back post-pandemic.
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On June 9, Iceland-based PLAY, Europe’s newest low-cost carrier, launched its inaugural flight between Stewart and Reykjavik. PLAY’s daily flights will start at $109 one-way.
PLAY
A nearly abandoned New York airport is getting nonstop flights to Europe for the first time since 2019 with fares starting at $109 one-way
PLAY will operate to 22 destinations in Europe via Reykjavik from Stewart, like Dublin and Paris, using Airbus A321neo single-aisle aircraft.
PLAY
The last time an international airline flew from the airport was in 2019 when Norwegian Air Shuttle flew to Ireland and Canada. The carrier operated at the airport for just two years starting in 2017.
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Source: The Business Journals
Many locals traveling from New York to Europe liked Norwegian’s service and were disappointed when the carrier left.
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Source: The Business Journals
“It is so convenient flying out of Stewart versus driving down to Westchester, or worse, New York City,” Danielle Rothman Ward told the Times Herald-Record, a magazine that covers the northwest suburbs of New York City. “Who wants to add a few extra hours of travel time to a well-needed vacation?”
Groupe ADP
Source: Times Herald-Record
PLAY is hoping to fill the market gap left behind by Norwegian. The carrier plans to shuttle tourists through the small airport, which is easier and quicker to navigate compared to New York City’s main international gateways.
Skyhobo/Getty Images
Insider took a tour of Stewart with Michael Torelli, Port Authority of NY & NJ properties and business development manager, and Alex Minton, Port Authority manager of air service development and industry relations. Here’s what passengers can expect.
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The tour started right when I left home. I tracked how long it took to get to the airport from Norwalk, Connecticut, compared to New York-JFK or Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
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According to Google Maps, my drive took one hour and 20 minutes and I faced minimal traffic. This was less time than driving to New York’s other international airports, which take at least an hour in a half with traffic, in my experience.
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Stewart was already starting to make a good impression on me, but it didn’t end there.
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I arrived at the airport around 10:45 am for an 11:00 am tour on a Tuesday morning. Driving up, I enjoyed the mountainous scenery and calmness of the town, which was a nice change from the chaos of New York City, which can make travel even more stressful.
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Arriving at the parking lot, I immediately noticed how cheap the rates were. Short term was $6 per hour or $35 per day, while long term was just $12 per day.
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This compares to $20-$42 per day at JFK and $21-$44 per day at Newark.
michusa/Shutterstock
Source: John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport
Not only was the parking cheap, but it was also a short walk to the check-in lobby. No shuttles and no sweating from long walks in the summer heat.
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For those being dropped off, curbside was easy to navigate. There were several lanes for traffic and plenty of space to unload.
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There will also be an express shuttle service to and from New York City that will be timed with the PLAY flights. The ride costs $22 for adults or $10 for children and will take about 90 minutes, depending on traffic.
Stewart International Airport
Source: Stewart International Airport
Tickets can be bought online, in the arrivals area, or onboard. While the bus is timed for PLAY, any passenger can ride on it.
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Once I parked, I headed inside the small building, which was rustic and reminded me of my hometown airport in Tallahassee, Florida. It was almost nostalgic.
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Inside, the check-in lobby was as small as I expected and it doesn’t seem like there would be long-haul flights out of such a tiny airport.
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However, the space gets the job done. There are check-in counters and kiosks for Allegiant, Frontier, JetBlue, and PLAY, though the desks may change day-to-day.
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Torelli explained this is because the airport is “a low-cost, economical, and efficient gateway,” which focuses on reducing operational costs. One way Stewart does this is by using a common-use system, meaning each ticket counter and gate can be used by any airline. This also helps keep airfare low.
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Curbside check-in is also an option for airlines, though no carrier has used it yet.
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Despite the low cost, Torelli said Stewart still has all the “bells and whistles” of any other airport, including a board with security wait times, plenty of bathrooms, public announcements, check-in kiosks, a pet relief area, and handicap services.
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Also in the departures hall in an information desk and car rental stations, which can be picked up right from the airport…
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…and a Hudson News, though it was closed during my visit.
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After check-in, we passed through security. The checkpoint was small with just a single lane, but Torelli said wait times should not be more than 30 minutes.
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After security, there are escalators and elevators that take passengers up to the airport’s only terminal, which features eight gates.
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The first thing passengers will see when entering the concourse is another Hudson News and a cafe, where travelers can purchase last-minute snacks, books, or electronics.
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This is the only place to get real food and drinks in the tiny terminal. However, there is also a duty-free shop that will open on June 9.
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Getting to every gate is less than a minute’s walk from security. Turn left for gates 1-3…
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…or right for gates 4-8.
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Gate 8 is actually a hard-stand gate, according to Torelli, that can handle irregular operations, like diversions, and widebody planes.
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During my visit, there was a Frontier flight heading to Fort Lauderdale out of gate five.
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Passengers used a jet bridge to board and there was plenty of seating in the gate area.
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Walking through the concourse I also noticed several charging stations…
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…plenty of gate space…
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…and pretty artwork.
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I really enjoyed how small, yet efficient, the entire space was. It was a nice change from JFK or Newark’s huge maze-like terminals.
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The concourse at Stewart was extremely easy to navigate, and I could quite literally see the entire terminal from gate one to eight. I see how the convenience would calm the nerves and stress of anxious travelers.
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According to Torelli, PLAY will operate out of gate one on the far left end of the terminal.
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The gate can easily accommodate the A321neo, as well as aircraft as big as the Airbus A340 or Boeing 787.
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Outbound passengers will board their aircraft via a jet bridge, while inbound passengers will deplane the aircraft via airstairs outside, Torelli told Insider.
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Travelers will deplane this way because the international passengers will need to transfer from the jet directly to Stewart’s brand new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility.
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The $37 million project was completed in November 2020, and PLAY’s operation on June 9 was the first flight welcomed inside.
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While the walk from the plane to the building could be uncomfortable when raining, the walk is short and part of it can be covered, according to Minton.
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Inside the modern facility is a single baggage claim carousel…
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…Global Entry and automated passport kiosks…
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…bathrooms…
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…and a queue for passport control.
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Torelli explained that the new facility makes the customs process quicker and easier, saying it will take about 30 minutes from the plane to the curb. “Anything more than 35 minutes to clear customs, we’ll start thinking about what we can do better,” he said.
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Once passengers collect their luggage, they will present their passports and officially enter the US.
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For domestic passengers, there is a separate baggage claim area that is on the first level of the airport on the other side of the car rental stations.
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There are two carousels available, and the bags arrive quickly from the ramp due to airport’s small size.
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According to Torelli, the space can be connected to the new CBP facility via a large garage door, allowing a third bag claim carousel to be used during busier days.
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From baggage claim, travelers can take a one-minuted walk to the curb, parking lot, rideshare pickup, or bus to New York City.
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Overall, I was extremely impressed with Stewart. The airport may not have the fancy vendors available at JFK or Newark, but it packs a lot into the limited gate space and has the capability to accommodate large aircraft for more international flights.
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In fact, Minton said a Singapore Airlines A380, which is the world’s largest passenger jet, diverted to Stewart due to weather, and the airport, which has a 12,000-foot runway, had no issue finding the space or resources.
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I can’t wait to see Stewart continue to grow, and I hope New Yorkers and residents of the city’s suburbs see the efficiency and convenience of the small, but mighty, airport.
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