Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs

by 
Bracha Arnold
 on 
May 16, 2023
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs

Three major airports serve the New York Metropolitan area – John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), and Newark Liberty (EWR). And although the three airports were all hailed as marvels of architecture and engineering when unveiled, the years have taken their toll. To address this, the New York & New Jersey Port Authorities are in the middle of an ambitious $25 billion renewal project that is slated for completion in 2030. 

We take a closer look at location intelligence data for these three airports to better understand who they serve and what can be done to turn them into ever-more appealing travel hubs for New Yorkers. 

Ready For Takeoff

The three New York area airports see millions of passengers coming through their halls yearly, with each serving a specific need. EWR and JFK serve as international travel hubs for the area, while LGA, crowned the world’s best airport post-renovation, serves as a center for more local flights, with few departures traveling more than 1,500 miles from New York. 

Digging into the trade areas for all three illustrates each airport's unique role. Although EWR, located in Newark, NJ, covers a much larger trade area – 703.1 square miles – than the other two, the trade area population is nearly identical to that of JFK, likely because New Jersey is less densely populated than the New York City boroughs. 

On the other hand, LGA covers the smallest trade area, at 196.5 square miles, likely due to its high concentration of local flights. With many business travelers selecting that airport as their destination due to its proximity to the city, travel distance to and from LGA is appropriately short. 

JFK, meanwhile, has a trade area of roughly 293 square miles and is the busiest airport in the region. Pre-pandemic, the airport saw around 62 million passengers a year, and the renovation seeks to add capacity for an additional 15 million a year. Its trade area size and huge annual passenger volume cements its status as the most prominent airport in the New York area. 

More Families in New Jersey

The renovation projects underway at the three airports aim to improve the existing infrastructure and provide passengers a more pleasant travel experience, while creating plenty of space for new businesses. And location intelligence – in particular, analyzing the psychographic and demographic characteristics of residents of census blocks that house many of the airports’ visitors (the airports’ captured market) – can shed light on these passengers’ habits and preferences. Developers and airport management can leverage this data to inform their decision-making regarding their services and amenities.

For instance, looking at census data for the census block groups making up the airports’ captured markets reveals that the share of family households within EWR’s trade area is 62.1%, substantially higher than the share at JFK and LGA (56.9% and 52.7%, respectively). This suggests that EWR may derive a greater benefit from incorporating child-friendly spaces, family parking and restrooms, and food that appeals to children than JFK or LGA. 

Hand Me My Beer

Similarly, restaurateurs and airport management can benefit from understanding their target market's dining preferences. The airports see visitors from all over the world, but catering to local tastes can help ensure steady demand for products. For example, analyzing the airports’ trade area using the AGS: Behavior and Attitudes dataset reveals that all three airports serve visitors that identify as “Vegetarians,” “Junk Food Averse,” and “Craft Beer Drinkers” at higher rates than the statewide average. (JFK and LGA visitors are compared to the wider New York State population, while EWR visitors are compared to the wider New Jersey population.) 

Still, there are variations between the airports. JFK visitors are the most over-indexed for Vegetarians and Craft Beer Drinkers, with an index of 120 and 121, respectively, compared to a statewide average of 100. LGA sees the largest proportion of Junk Food Averse travelers, while EWR passengers tend to be only marginally more Junk Food Averse than the average New Jersey resident.

The data indicates that JFK and LGA passengers may be slightly more interested in healthy, vegetarian fare than EWR visitors – and all three would likely see strong demand for a craft beer bar in the terminal halls. Identifying these preferences can be helpful for airport operators looking to add dining concepts to the terminals or restaurant chains deciding with which airport to contract. 

Taking Flight

The ongoing renovation of the three New York City area airports will improve the traveler experience and bring the airports in line with modern needs. It also offers a unique opportunity for developers to truly understand their demographics' wants and needs and cater to them. 

For more data-driven travel insights, visit placer.ai/blog.

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Why Are Specialty Grocers Thriving in 2023?
The CAVA Craze: A Location Intelligence Perspective on the Mediterranean Marvel
How Will Primark’s US Expansion Impact Target?
All Eyes on Eyewear
Northwestern U.S. Grocery Dive
Return of the Lunch: Salad Chains Are Thriving
Retail Media Networks – Off the Beaten Track
Bet Your Bottom Dollar: Discount and Dollar Stores Drive Foot Traffic
Ulta & Lululemon: Discretionary Spending On The Up
The Score After Q1: Sporting Goods Chains
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs
Off Price: Strength in The Face of Retail Challenges
Visits Improve for Home Improvement
Walmart, Target & Wholesalers in Q1 2023 – The Return of Mission-Driven Shopping?
Department Store Roundup: Q1 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: April 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index, April 2023 – A Rebound on the Horizon?
How Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Impact the Retail Space?
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic
Thrift Stores: Vintage Visits Drive New Age in Apparel
The Windy City: A Hub of Post-Pandemic Opportunity
Diving into Dining Traffic - Q1 2023
Bring On The Joe
A Dollar (or more) For Your Thoughts: Five Below and pOpshelf
Dining Out With The Cheesecake Factory
Retail Foot Traffic Recap – March 2023
Digging Into 2023: McDonald’s and Chipotle Update
Placer.ai Office Index: March 2023 Recap
How Did Key Retail Categories Perform in Q1 2023?
Northeastern USA Grocery Dive
Movie Theaters Storylines for 2023
Ollie's Bargain Outlet: Discounters are Evolving
Leveraging Brick-and-Mortar Retail in 2023
America’s Evolving Work Patterns: A Deep-Dive into New York and Chicago
Placer.ai Mall Index March 2023
Tuning Into Record Stores
Five Franchises To Watch in 2023
What’s Next For Domestic Tourism?
It’s Showtime! Movie Theaters in the Spotlight
5 Limited Time Offers (LTOs) Driving Restaurant Traffic
Department Store Deep-Dive: Belk
Regional Grocery Chains Staying Ahead of the Competition
Five Chains that Rightsized for Success
Unlocking the Potential of Offline Retail Media Networks
Dining Out With Darden
What’s in Store for Self-Storage?
Nike & lululemon Update: Strong Performance Amid Expansion Plans
Many Ways to Win: Midwest Grocery Deep Dive
Retail, Reinvented: The Rise of the Pop-Up Shop
Navigating a New Normal in Business Travel & Commutes
Placer.ai Office Index: February 2023 Recap
Retail Categories Staying Strong in Volatile Environment
Ulta Beauty: Poised for Success into 2023
Placer.ai Mall Index February 2023: Reasons for Continued Optimism
Catching Up With DICK’s & Hibbett
The Miami-Dade Arena: An Advertising Slam Dunk
Car Washes Revving Up Visits
Tuesday Morning and Sunrises in Home Furnishing
Dining & Valentine’s Day Recap
2023: The Year of the Discount Store
Aldi’s Success Highlights Growing Demand for Value Groceries
5 Retail & Service Categories Holding onto Pandemic Gains in 2023
Visitor Insights from Super Bowl 2023
2023 First Look: Home Improvement Update
How Are Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs Faring in 2023?
Department Store Deep-Dive: Nordstrom
Off-Price: Taking Off in Uncertain Times
Checking in On Middle-Class Hubs
Who Attends the Super Bowl?
Placer.ai Office Index: January 2023 Recap
Focusing On Fitness: Q4 and January Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: January 2023 – Returning Mall Normalcy?
Location Intelligence Insights Into Concert Attendance
Winning Dining Strategies for 2023
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Location Intelligence Breakdown: Coffee Caps-Off 2022
Digitally Native Brands Lean Into Brick & Mortar
Washington, D.C. Population Changes & Migration Trends
A Location Intelligence Perspective on Macy’s Rightsizing
Amazon-Powered Shopping: The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Grocery?
Cold Weather, Hot Visits: Diving into Winter Resorts
Wawa and 7-Eleven: Leaning Into the “Slurpee Effect”
2022 and Beyond: Catching Up With McDonald’s & Chipotle
Let’s Have Some Fun! Going Out Is In
Placer.ai’s Q4 2022 Quarterly Index
Placer.ai Adds Industry Executives to Leadership Team To Drive Company's Next Phase of Growth
5 Emerging Retail Formats: 2023’s Brick-and-Mortar Evolution
Grocery Update: Zooming in on the Lone Star State
2022 Office Recap: The Year of the TGIF Work Week
What Lies Ahead for Brick-and-Mortar Luxury in 2023
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: December 2022 Recap
Looking Back on 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season
Post-Pandemic Migration Trends in New York
Top Retailers for 2023
The Live Sports Advertising Opportunity
Domestic Migration to the Mountain States: Small Shifts with Big Implications
New Year, New Food: 5 Dining Trends For 2023
Announcing Placer.ai’s COVID RECOVERY DASHBOARD
This is Why Shop-in-Shops Are Everywhere
Super Saturday 2022 Recap