$15 fares from LaGuardia Airport? Yes, but there are a few catches

As much as everyone hates air travel, for some people, the worst part is when you exit the airport. Cab fares, especially in New York City, can climb over $100. Ride-sharing companies’ rates aren’t much cheaper.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the region’s three main airports, is working to reduce that financial burden—at least at LaGuardia Airport. It’s teaming with Via to set a $20 cap for shared rides within New York City, the two announced this morning. The program, called LGA Connect, is live now.

Shared trips to Staten Island and the Bronx will cost a $20 flat rate, while travelers going to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens pay $15.

LGA Connect “represents an opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to introduce a solution that could meaningfully reduce congestion and expand access to a new form of public transit at New York City’s highly trafficked airports,” Via said in a statement.

Passengers will wait no more than 10 minutes for their shared ride, a six-passenger Mercedes Metris van, the company added. If there aren’t six people in the van at the 10-minute mark, it leaves anyway.

You may book LGA Connect every day from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. through the Via app or with a dispatcher at a designated LGA Connect pickup point outside the airport’s Terminal C/D.

“We are in the peak of construction of an entirely new airport with the high-volume holiday travel season now upon us,” Rick Cotton, the Port Authority’s executive director, said in a statement. “Since the agency is constantly looking for ways to reduce congestion and improve the LaGuardia experience, we welcome Via’s LGA Connect service.”

LaGuardia isn’t subway accessible. The M60 city bus is what many people use, along with traditional yellow cabs, the SuperShuttle, private bus lines, and private car services.