There are eleven main airports that serve the New York / New Jersey area. These airports span a huge area from the Catskill Mountains in the north, to the famous Jersey Shore in the south. The area can be broken down into four main areas: the Catskill Mountains (Poughkeepsie [POU] and Stewart [SWF]), New York City (Teterboro [TEB], Kennedy [JFK], Newark [ERW] and LaGuardia [LGA], White Plains [HPN]), Jersey (Morristown [MMU], Caldwell [CDW]) and the Jersey Shore (Belmar [BLM] and Trenton [TTN]). Together they make up the busiest airport system in the United States, which is no surprise since the New York metropolitan area is home to over 20 million residents and sees over 50 million tourists per year.
The New York / New Jersey area is the busiest region in the world and private aviation activity peaks from the beginning of October through the end of May. Surprisingly, the busiest week for private aviation travel is not Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, as is common in other hot spots in the United States. Instead, Presidents’ Day week beats out all other holidays in the industry since it often coincides with Spring Break, school closures and families looking to take a break from the winter and head south.
Known throughout the world as a financial powerhouse, New York City is host to global economic events which cause a spike in private aviation traffic. Manhattan is home to the United Nations Headquarters which hosts global events that involve politicians from around the world. Additionally, large events held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center create an uptick in private aviation traffic and in-flight catering orders. Big sporting events, like the Big game and World Series also bring a sudden influx of aircraft.
If you are traveling to the area, choices will vary depending upon the airport and the time you have available on the ground, but overall you will have a large variety of places to visit, restaurants to dine at and accommodations to choose from. Manhattan alone is home to such an amazing mix of cultures that you can easily dine on any of the top cuisines in the world with in its 33 square miles. Add the Catskills and the Jersey Shore to the mix and you have a variety of backdrops to visit.
The top things to do when visiting New York / New Jersey include visiting the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island, skiing in the Catskill Mountains, watching a show on Broadway, hitting the beaches of the Jersey Shore, visiting the casinos in Atlantic City and high-end shopping on 5th Avenue. If you are visiting Manhattan, the Waldorf Astoria, Marriott Marquis, W Times Square and the Mandarin Oriental are all spectacular hotels to stay in. When it comes to high-class dining in Manhattan; Union Square Café is a long time favorite, as well as Daniel, Gotham Bar and Grill and Le Bernardin. If you are looking to keep it simple, try a Coney Dog from Crif Dogs or grab a slice of authentic New York style pizza at Patsy’s Pizzeria.
If you plan to stay in the Catskill Mountains, after a fun day of hiking or skiing, rest at the Mohonk Mountain House, Villa Roma Resort or enjoy the eclectic vibe of The Roxbury. If you are feeling adventurous you can even skip the hotels and camp out in the mountains. When hunger calls, visit the Terrapin Red Bistro or Currans.
For a trip down to the Jersey Shore, there are several highly-rated motels to choose from, such as the Seaport Inn and The Islander. If you are going to Atlantic City, more stylish accommodations, like Revel or The Water Club by Borgata, are available. If you are a non-smoker you may want to call ahead and ask about your hotel’s smoking policy since many allow smoking in the casino areas. For dinner, Nicholas and the Washington Inn are long time favorites for fine dining on the Jersey Shore.
Overall, the New York / New Jersey area is home to a never-ending list of things to do, eat and visit. No matter what your preference, there’s something for everyone here. The large variety of options can be overwhelming, so take time to plan ahead if you are only in the area for a quick trip as part of the cabin crew.
Questions?
If you have any questions about inflight catering for private jets in New York / New Jersey, contact weborders@airculinaire.com.
