hey everyone so i literally just landed at newark liberty international airport and honestly its a whole vibe but like in a very new york area airport kinda way and i just wanted to throw out some thoughts and advice for anyone whose never been here before cause its a bit of a beast to navigate but totally manageable if you know a few things up front and its not like its the worst airport ever but it definitely has its moments you know so i figured id share my first impressions and some tips cause lets be real flying can be stressful enough without adding airport confusion to the mix right and i know sometimes people dont realize how big these places are until they are actually there trying to figure out where to go and its a real struggle especially if you have a tight connection or just got off a really long flight and you are tired so heres my take on ewr.
Getting your bearings
basically ewr has three main terminals a b and c and they are all connected by the airtrain which is honestly pretty efficient for getting between them and to the parking lots or to the nj transit station so you can get into the city but you gotta remember that the airtrain is separate from security so if you are changing terminals you will have to go through security again and thats always a pain but its how it is and terminal c is united airlines main hub so its usually the busiest and its huge like seriously big and getting around in there can feel like a marathon sometimes and then terminals a and b are a mix of other airlines and they are a bit smaller and easier to manage but still not tiny and finding food or a coffee is generally easy enough in all terminals but sometimes the good stuff is hidden away and its not always super obvious where everything is so keep your eyes peeled and maybe check a map on your phone cause its useful and the free wifi is usually okay but dont count on it being super fast or always reliable its like most airport wifi honestly.
The peak hour survival guide
so listen if you are flying during peak hours you literally need to add like an extra hour to whatever you think you need especially for security and if you are arriving during peak its gonna be a battle just getting out of the airport its true and peak hours are basically early mornings usually from like 6 am to 9 am and then again in the late afternoons and evenings from about 4 pm to 7 pm and then holidays are just always peak its like a constant flow of humanity and the security lines during these times can be absolutely brutal and they snake around forever and its basically just a lot of waiting and thats why tsa precheck or clear is your absolute best friend here like seriously get it if you fly often through ewr or any busy airport and the airtrain also gets super packed during peak hours so sometimes you might have to let one or two go by before you can squeeze on but dont panic its just part of the experience and if you are trying to get an uber or lyft during these times the designated pickup zones can be a total madhouse with so many cars and people its just chaos and sometimes its hard to even find your driver so make sure you confirm the car and driver details really well before getting in its important.
now for the walks and those sneaky shortcuts that can save your sanity:
- first off be warned terminal c especially gates c120 and up feels like its literally miles away from everything else and its a massive trek so wear comfortable shoes dont even think about heels or uncomfortable boots cause you will regret it instantly its truly a long walk and if your connection is tight you might be running.
- getting to the rental car center also requires the airtrain and its not just a quick hop so factor in that extra time when you are landing and also when you are returning your car because it adds up its not just a five minute thing.
- hidden shortcut: if you are in terminal c and need to get from like the c100 gates to the c70-90 gates sometimes walking through the concourse is actually faster than trying to find an internal shuttle or moving walkway especially if the shuttle is taking forever and its not a super long distance sometimes it just looks further on the map but its quicker to just hoof it.
- another tip: for uber/lyft pickups at peak times sometimes its better to walk to a slightly less crowded exit or even go up one level if possible where fewer people are waiting if its an option for your terminal its not always possible but its worth a look cause it can cut down on the waiting game considerably.
- if you are just trying to meet someone arriving at a different terminal and you dont have a checked bag sometimes its quicker to take the airtrain to the terminal they are at and meet them outside security than to wait for them at the baggage claim which can take forever and then you just airtrain back together its a little workaround.
- and honestly if you have tsa precheck its literally the biggest shortcut for security lines at any time its like magic how fast you get through and if you dont have it and fly regularly you should really consider getting it cause it saves so much stress and its highly recomended.
so thats my basic rundown of ewr its not always super smooth but its functional and if you go in with your eyes open and know what to expect you will be fine and just remember comfortable shoes are your best friend here and try to stay calm cause everyone else is probably stressed too and a little patience goes a long way have a great trip everyone!