Cheap flights to New York for 2022

New York is a sought-after travel destination all year round. Visitors find New York to be an exciting city with funky suburbs, shopping galore and the famous Manhattan skyline that makes up the city's concrete jungle.

Australians can land at any of New York's three main airports, depending on which route you fly. The easiest is to fly direct from Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne to Los Angeles then onward to New York. Demand for flight deals to NYC are always strong, so there's no doubt you'll be able to find great deals.

See our latest New York flight deals

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Save up to 40% off flights

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Up to 50% off worldwide flights

Available on select dates when you book Express Deals. Destination include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and more. T&Cs apply.

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How long does it take to fly to New York City from Australia?

• From Sydney: Approximately 21 hrs 30 mins + with one stopover, landing at JFK Airport
• From Melbourne: Approximately 21 hrs 40 mins + with one stopover, landing at JFK Airport
• From Brisbane: Approximately 20 hrs 20 mins + with one stopover, landing at JFK Airport
• From Perth: Approximately 25 hrs 15 mins + with one stopover, landing at JFK Airport

Which airlines fly to New York City from Australia?

While you can't book a direct, non-stop flight to New York from any Australian city, you can book one-stop fares with the following airlines:

• American Airlines
• Delta
• Qantas
• United Airlines
• Virgin Australia

When's the best time to book Christmas flights to New York?

Flights to New York should be booked a minimum of three months in advance to ensure maximum savings, though four to five months in advance is ideal according Skyscanner. Keep an eye out for flight deals around 14-weeks in advance (September and October) for last-minute sale fares for the Christmas season where you stand to save at least 18% compared to the median fare for the year.

You will score a great deal when departing on or before 8 December. Book to take off on 2 December for the most savings though don't book your flight later than 13 December as this is when prices start to rise.

Return flights before Christmas are ideal on 15 December just before they peak. Unfortunately, flights around Christmas Day and New Year's Day are the highest, but you can still find good savings for return fares on 10 January or later.

NYC insider flight tips

• The shortest flight times to NYC from Australia are always via Los Angeles (LAX). Virgin, Qantas and American Airlines offer this route from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to New York International Airport (JFK). Make sure you leave enough time between connecting flights as you’ll have to clear customs and baggage at LAX.
• United Airlines offers several stopover combinations from Australia into LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and sometimes into Newark Airport (EWR). These flights are often among the most economical and offer the chance to add one or two destinations to your trip for free.
• If you’d rather avoid flying into LAX, there are plenty of flight deals to NYC via Asia with Asian carriers such as China Eastern, China Southern or Korean Aair. Travellers from Perth can fly via Asia or the Middle East with an airline such as Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Qatar.
• You could save money on your flight to NYC by finding the cheapest flight from your airport to anywhere in the USA. Local budget airlines, such as JetBlue, Southwest and Spirit Airlines can then get you to New York. Some major cities have more than one airport so pay attention to which airport you fly in and out of.

How to get into New York City from the airport

New York’s main airport is JFK and the most economical option to get to NYC is the AirTrain system which runs 24/7 every day of the year. You’ll need to get to Jamaica or Howard Beach Station and change to the subway for NYC. From La Guardia (LGA) take the Q70 or M60 bus to the subway or all the way to the city. Newark Airport (EWR) is a bit further out and has a light rail system to Airport Station which is served by New Jersey Transit for services to New York’s Penn station.

Visitors can buy and top up a MetroCard in advance or on arrival to cover subway and bus fares. If travelling with two or more people, you might save some money by taking a taxi from the airport or booking a private transfer.

Taxi stands are outside the baggage claim area of each airport with dispatchers in uniforms to help you. It’s a flat fee from JFK and takes up to an hour to NYC. La Guardia is closer, taking up to 40 minutes by metered taxi. Be cautious of taxi touts who will overcharge you. NYC Airporter operates shuttle services from and between all three airports to Grand Central, Penn Station or the bus terminal.