What's the best car route to JFK Airport from western New Jersey I-78, during evening rush hour?

I'm flying out of JFK in a couple weeks. I will have my car, with reserved parking already lined up. I will be coming from the west on interstate 78. Should I try to avoid Manhattan and head south and go around via Staten Island? How much time should I allow? My flight is not until late, so I've got all day.

Use MapQuest. It will tell you the best way to get there.

Go over Staten Island on the S.I.Expressway, then use the Verrazano Bridge to the Belt Parkway (using the BQE will take at least 45 minutes longer). Figure 20 minutes on Staten Island, 30 on the Belt Pkwy to the Van Wyck, which should be another 20 minutes to JFK

Try google maps on your smart phone. What's good today might be horrible tomorrow. You never know with NYC traffic. Personally, every time I've been on the Belt from the Verrazano to head east, I've hit horrible traffic and I've had to get off and head north through Brooklyn to get to my destination. That's not where you want to be since JFK is east of the Verrazano. Of course, going through Manhattan is always devoutly to be missed.

So use your smart phone for dynamic instructions.

It depends on time of day, though there really isn't any "good routes." You really have to use Google Maps and select Traffic overlay before you go and keep checking on the way. At 3 p.m. Any day Belt Parkway is horrible and for no good reason too. After sitting in traffic for an hour to get to Erskine Street exit, the traffic suddenly opens up and you're like: Where did they all go? But by that time you're only two exits away from the airport.

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