When we had an 8 a.m. flight home from JFK, we decided to pay extra for a hotel-arranged car rather than deal with trains, transfers or waiting for a rideshare before sunrise. The ride itself was exactly what we wanted. The surprise came when the final price was higher than what the hotel had quoted.
We were staying in Lower Manhattan during one of our quick trips to New York. Hotels in the Financial District can be less expensive on weekends, since many of the usual business travelers are gone.
The downside was that our JetBlue flight home departed from JFK at 8 a.m., which meant we needed to leave the hotel around 5:15.
At that hour, we weren’t looking for the absolute cheapest way to the airport. We had luggage, didn’t want to deal with multiple transfers, and wanted the certainty that a car would be waiting outside when we came downstairs.
Why We Booked A Car Through The Hotel
Public transportation was available. We could have taken the subway and AirTrain, or found our way to an LIRR station and taken the train to Jamaica before transferring to the AirTrain.
Both options would have cost much less than a private car would have.
However, they would also have required us to leave earlier, manage our luggage through stations, and allow extra time in case of overnight service changes or a missed connection.
For this trip, we were willing to pay more for a frictionless ride.
I asked the hotel to arrange a car service. The valet told me the price would be $85, plus a $5 surcharge for paying by credit card. That sounded reasonable, so I agreed.
The Ride Went Exactly As Planned
At 5:20 a.m., the phone in our room rang to let us know the driver was waiting outside.
We went downstairs, loaded our luggage and drove to JFK. There was no stress, no waiting and no concern that we might miss the flight.
From that standpoint, paying extra for the car service was worth it.
The surprise came when we reached the airport.
The driver took my credit card and handed me his phone. The screen showed a $105 charge before the tip.
I had been expecting $90 based on the hotel’s quote: $85 for the ride and $5 for using a credit card.
Instead, the total was another $15 higher.
Was The Extra Charge Legitimate?
At the time, I felt the price was higher than the hotel quoted me, and I thought I was being scammed. But I also felt like it was somewhat my fault.
I hadn’t confirmed the amount with the driver before we left, since I assumed the hotel had arranged the ride at a set rate. By the time we were standing at JFK, there wasn’t much I could do besides pay the charge.
That was my hot take when I wrote about the experience, but several readers pointed out that the additional amount may have been for tolls or other charges that weren’t included in the initial quote.
That explanation seemed reasonable.
Maybe the driver didn’t overcharge us. It might have been that the hotel gave us the base fare without explaining that tolls and fees would be added later.
Either way, the final price wasn’t what we had been led to expect, and all I could do was learn from my missteps.
Other Ways We Could Have Reached JFK
Readers pointed out that New York has plenty of early-morning transportation options.
We could have taken the LIRR to Jamaica and transferred to the AirTrain. We could have booked a yellow cab through an app, arranged a car directly with an established service or used Uber or Lyft.
Those were all valid alternatives, and I probably should have compared them before asking the hotel to make the arrangements.
That doesn’t mean choosing a private car was a mistake.
People pay more for convenience all the time. We weren’t trying to prove that we could reach JFK as cheaply as possible. We wanted the easiest option, and that was exactly what the car service provided.
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
I might still book a car through the hotel for another early flight. The part I would change is how I confirm the price.
I’d ask whether the quote includes tolls, surcharges and credit-card fees. I’d also confirm the total directly with the driver before leaving the hotel, preferably with the price provided in writing.
I’d probably also check the cost of a prebooked yellow cab, rideshare and direct car service so I’d have something to compare with the hotel’s quote.
In the end, our ride to JFK was comfortable, reliable and completely uneventful. We received the convenience we were paying for.
I just would have preferred to know the all-in price before we reached the airport.
Cover Photo by Nicolas Poupart from Pexels
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