Quick answer: JFK's official long-term option is the Long-Term Parking Lot near Lefferts Boulevard. It costs $55 per 24 hours at the gate and as low as $39 a day if you book at least three hours ahead, and the AirTrain ride from the lot to every terminal is free. It is also the only official JFK lot that takes tall vehicles, with an 11'6" clearance instead of the roughly 6'4" of the terminal garages. For a week's trip that is about $273 prebooked, against $658 for the same week in the Terminal 4 garage.
Leaving a car at JFK for a week is a different problem from parking for two hours. The terminal garages are metered in half-hour blocks and priced for meet-and-greets, so a long trip in one of them costs more than most flights. This page covers the long-stay options only: what the Long-Term Lot actually charges, how prebooking works, the rules that catch people out on the way back, and when an off-airport lot genuinely beats the official one. For short stays, terminal-by-terminal garages and the free waiting areas, see the full JFK airport parking guide.
JFK long-term parking at a glance
| Option | Drive-up 24-hour max | Prebooked | Getting to your terminal | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Parking Lot (Lefferts Blvd) | $55 | As low as $39/day | Free AirTrain, 15–20 min door to gate area | Trips of two days or more; tall vehicles |
| Federal Circle Station Lot | Reservation only | As low as $55/day | Free AirTrain, uncovered walkway | Prebooked mid-length stays |
| Terminal 8 Red Lot | $74 | As low as $62/day | Walk | Cheapest terminal garage, still costly past a day |
| Terminal 5 Yellow Lot | $89 | As low as $74/day | Walk | Short stays at T5 |
| Terminal 4 Blue Lot | $94 | As low as $80/day | Walk | Short stays at T4 |
| Restricted-mobility rate (ADA) | $35 per 24 hours | Not combinable | Varies by lot | Valid ADA plate, placard or permit |
These are the Port Authority's posted figures for JFK, checked in August 2026. Prebooked rates move with demand, which is why the airport quotes them as "as low as" rather than as a fixed price — always confirm the number at checkout.
How much is long-term parking at JFK?
At the gate, the Long-Term Parking Lot charges a flat $55 for each 24-hour period, so a five-day trip is $275 and a week is $385. Prebooked, the same lot starts at $39 a day, which brings that week down to roughly $273. The saving is real but it is not the whole story: booking ahead also guarantees you a space, and JFK is explicit that parking capacity is reduced while the airport works through its $19 billion rebuild.
The comparison that matters is against the terminal garages, because that is where most people default. A week in the Terminal 4 Blue Lot at the drive-up rate is $658 — more than double the Long-Term Lot, for a car that sits untouched either way. Even Terminal 8, the cheapest garage, comes to $518 for the week. If your trip is longer than about a day and a half, the Long-Term Lot wins on price by a margin no amount of walking convenience justifies.
Where is the JFK Long-Term Parking Lot?
The lot sits on the north-west edge of the airport beside the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station, reached from the Van Wyck Expressway or the Belt Parkway at the airport entrance. It is deliberately placed away from the terminal loop, which is why it is cheap and why you finish the journey on the AirTrain rather than on foot. Satellite navigation systems generally recognise "JFK Long-Term Parking Lot" or the Lefferts Boulevard station by name.
Budget 15 to 20 minutes from parking your car to arriving in your terminal's check-in hall: a few minutes to the platform, a train every 5 to 15 minutes, and under 10 minutes of riding. Add that to whatever cushion you already keep — our guide on how early to arrive at JFK assumes you are already at the terminal.
Is the AirTrain free from the Long-Term Parking Lot?
Yes. AirTrain JFK only charges a fare at two stations, Jamaica and Howard Beach, where it connects to the subway and the Long Island Rail Road; that trip is $8.75 one way. Everything inside the airport — terminal to terminal, and to the Lefferts Boulevard and Federal Circle stations — is free. Parking in the Long-Term Lot therefore never adds a transport cost at either end of your trip.
Full routes, running times and the fare rules are in our JFK AirTrain guide.
How far in advance should you book JFK long-term parking?
The booking system takes reservations up to 365 days before travel and closes three hours before your expected arrival, and the discount only exists on the prebooked side — turning up unannounced means paying the drive-up rate. Three hours is the hard floor, but during construction the practical advice is to book as soon as your flights are fixed, because the cheapest inventory sells first and a sold-out lot sends you to a $74–$94 garage.
Two allowances make the booking forgiving in both directions. You may enter up to two hours before your booked start time, and exit up to two hours after your booked end time, at no extra charge. Cancellation is free up to one hour before your booked entry, and amending a booking costs nothing.
What happens if your flight is delayed and you come back late?
Inside the two-hour grace period after your booked exit time, nothing happens. Beyond it, the extra time is charged at the posted drive-up rate rather than at your discounted prebooked rate, so a long delay can quietly cost more than the original booking. If you already know you will be back late — a missed connection, a rebooked flight — amending the reservation is free and almost always cheaper than paying the overstay.
What happens if you park at JFK for more than 30 days?
A single booking cannot exceed 30 days, and this is the rule most likely to cause a genuine problem. If you intend to leave a vehicle at JFK for longer than 30 days in any lot, you must register it with ABM Parking when you arrive, by calling +1 (718) 244-4168. Vehicles left beyond 30 days without that registration are treated as abandoned and towed at the owner's expense.
Can you park an oversized vehicle or van long-term at JFK?
The Long-Term Parking Lot is the only official JFK facility built for it, with a posted clearance of 11'6" against roughly 6'4" in the terminal garages — a limit that regularly catches out SUV owners, and one that counts your roof box or bike rack, not just the vehicle. Measure the highest point on the car before you drive out. If you are close to the line, the Long-Term Lot is an open surface lot rather than a structure, which is what gives it the headroom.
Accessible parking and the ADA rate
Drivers with a valid ADA plate, placard or permit pay a maximum of $35 per 24 hours. The discount is applied as a courtesy only once your charges exceed $35 for the day, and it cannot be combined with a prebooked rate. Accessible spaces exist in every JFK lot, including the long-term lot near both the Howard Beach and Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain stations. One exception worth planning around: the Federal Circle Station Lot offers no ADA discount, and its walkway to the AirTrain platform is uncovered.
Is off-airport parking cheaper than JFK's Long-Term Lot?
Often, yes — off-airport operators around Rockaway Boulevard and South Conduit Avenue advertise daily rates below the official lot and run their own shuttle buses to the terminals. What you trade for the saving is the AirTrain: a scheduled shuttle that waits for other passengers is less predictable than a train every 5 to 15 minutes, which matters most on the return leg late at night. Two operators are authorised to work with the airport directly; the rest are independent businesses, so check the shuttle's operating hours against your arrival time before booking on price alone.
For a trip of two or three days the difference is usually small enough that the Long-Term Lot's simplicity wins. For two weeks or more, off-airport is worth pricing seriously.
Which JFK parking lots are closed in 2026?
Two of the colour-coded terminal lots are shut for the rebuild: the Terminal 1 Green Lot and the Terminal 7 Orange Lot, with drivers redirected to the Terminal 8 Red Lot. The Terminal 4 Blue Lot is open but running at reduced capacity. None of this affects the Long-Term Lot, and because the AirTrain connects every lot to every terminal free of charge, a closed lot beside your terminal is an inconvenience rather than an obstacle — park where there is space and ride a few stops. If you are not sure which building you are flying from, check the JFK terminals guide first.
Choosing the right lot for your trip length
| Trip length | Cheapest sensible choice | Roughly what it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 hours | Terminal garage, metered | $16–$24 |
| Up to 24 hours | Terminal 8 Red Lot | $74 drive-up, from $62 prebooked |
| 2–7 days | Long-Term Parking Lot | $78–$385 drive-up, from $273 for a week prebooked |
| 1–4 weeks | Long-Term Lot prebooked, or off-airport | Compare per-day rates and shuttle hours |
| Over 30 days | Long-Term Lot, registered with ABM on arrival | Drive-up rates; call +1 (718) 244-4168 |
| Waiting for an arrival | Cell Phone Lot or Lefferts wait lot | Free |
If you are only collecting someone, you do not need to park at all: JFK runs two free waiting areas, and the driver never has to enter the terminal loop. Live flight times are on our JFK arrivals page, and if the sums here have you reconsidering the car altogether, the JFK transfer cost guide compares a week of parking against a return car service.
