I have $20 worth of unused credits sitting in my Uber account, but when I flew into LaGuardia (LGA) last month I found a much better deal on ground transportation to Manhattan with Dial 7car service.
I am a budget traveler so limousines and black car services are not my thing — but this car service was the cheapest and fastest way to get my family of three and our bags to the hotel.
The driver was punctual, polite and pleasant and the cars were comfortable, convenient and commodious.
The regular fare from LaGuardia to downtown is $34 plus tolls and tax, but I used a discount code for $5 off. Unlike Uber, car services are regulated and required to carry insurance.
How to Book Dial 7 Car Service from New York Airports
You can call Dial 7 at (212) 777-7777, but it is easier and cheaper to book ahead online. The airport specials available with online booking are as follows:
From LaGuardia Airport
$34
From JFK Airport
$48
From Newark Airport
$48
Rates do not include tolls or gratuity.
Special coupon codes are frequently available. Check these sources:
For instance, I recently spotted this deal on Twitter: $5 off LGA rides (Code: DECAIR1); $7 off JFK/EWR rides (DECAIR2).
When you get to the airport and have gathered your bags, you simply call Dial7 and they will direct you to your waiting driver outside.
There are many similar car services in New York — this is just the one I happened to try.
Everything worked seamlessly, on the busiest travel day of the year! It beat standing in the cab line in the rain or taking the airport shuttle bus and stopping at a dozen hotels.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen fares this low from New York to Scandinavia!
$145 nonstop JFK-OSL, including taxes and fees!
To be fair, a round trip ticket is $467.30 — still a terrific bargain, especially since it includes fuel surcharges.
This week’s Bloomberg Business Week featured an interview with Norwegian Airlines CEO Bjørn Kjos, about the airline’s bid to launch low cost service to Europe.
Norwegian Airlines placed orders last year for an astounding 222 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s!
Will it work? Previous low-cost, low-fare ventures have consistently faltered because the cost of fuel for transoceanic flights is enormous. Kjos, an attorney and former fighter pilot for the Norwegian military, has heard the skepticism before. ‘They haven’t had the tools to do it,’ he says. ‘The Dreamliner is the first airplane that can do it.’
The Business Week article prompted me to take a look at upcoming fares.
