Best Trips from New York
Departing JFK · EWR · LGA
New York is the best-connected US departure city, with JFK, Newark and LaGuardia putting beaches, Europe and Asia all within one nonstop flight. The best quick escape is Bermuda, a 2-hour hop to pink-sand beaches with no jet lag, from about $320 round-trip. The best-value international trip is London, a 7-hour overnight from JFK that lands you in Europe by morning, visa-free for 90 days, from around $500 round-trip. The top bucket-list flight is Tokyo, 14 hours nonstop for about $900 round-trip. Caribbean weekends like Cancun and San Juan run 3-5 hours, and European capitals like Paris and Dublin sit 6-8 hours out. Book 4-6 weeks ahead for the best fares, and use a points card to turn these flights into miles.
Mubboo Verdict: If you only book one trip from New York this year, start with London: a 7-hour overnight from JFK lands you in Europe by morning, visa-free for 90 days, from about $500 round-trip. For a bucket-list splurge, Tokyo is worth the 14 hours.
New York is the best-connected departure city in the US, with JFK, Newark and LaGuardia reaching beaches, Europe and Asia on nonstop flights. For a quick escape, Bermuda is a 2-hour hop to pink-sand beaches with no jet lag, from about $320 round-trip, and Toronto is just 1.5 hours. Caribbean and Mexico weekends run 3-5 hours: Cancun, San Juan and Nassau all sit under $400 round-trip in shoulder season, and San Juan needs no passport for US citizens. The best-value international trips are the transatlantic overnights, London, Paris, Dublin and Lisbon, all 6.5-8 hours and visa-free for 90 days on a US passport. For a bucket-list flight, Tokyo is 14 hours nonstop for around $900 round-trip, with Dubai and Singapore the other long hauls. Book Europe 2-3 months ahead and the Caribbean 4-6 weeks out, avoid Thanksgiving and Spring Break for the lowest fares, and put every ticket on a points card like the Chase Sapphire to bank miles toward the next trip.
Trending routes and current prices:
Quick Escapes
1-3hUnder 3 hours from JFK, Newark or LaGuardia, no jet lag.
Bermuda
✈ 2h$320 RT
Pink sand, no jet lag
- Best for:
- A long beach weekend close to home
- Skip if:
- You want nightlife and cheap eats
Toronto
✈ 1.5h$200 RT
A foreign city without the jet lag
- Best for:
- An easy first international weekend
- Skip if:
- You want beaches or heat
Weekend Getaways
3-6hCaribbean and Mexico beaches 3-5 hours out, all under $400.
Cancun
✈ 4h$320 RT
Caribbean beach in half a day
- Best for:
- A warm all-inclusive long weekend
- Skip if:
- You want to avoid the crowds
San Juan
✈ 4h$280 RT
Caribbean, no passport needed
- Best for:
- A beach trip without the paperwork
- Skip if:
- You want a totally foreign feel
Nassau
✈ 3.5h$350 RT
Bahamas beaches and clear water
- Best for:
- A quick island weekend
- Skip if:
- You want budget dining
Mexico City
✈ 5h$330 RT
Food, art and history for cheap
- Best for:
- A culture-and-food city weekend
- Skip if:
- You want a beach
International
6-10hTransatlantic overnights to Europe, 6.5-8 hours and visa-free.
London
✈ 7h$500 RT
Europe by breakfast, no language barrier
- Best for:
- A first European trip from NYC
- Skip if:
- You want guaranteed sun
Paris
✈ 7.5h$520 RT
The classic romantic week
- Best for:
- Museums, food and a romantic escape
- Skip if:
- You're on a tight budget
Dublin
✈ 6.5h$480 RT
The cheapest door to Europe
- Best for:
- A value transatlantic overnight
- Skip if:
- You want warm weather
Lisbon
✈ 7h$550 RT
Sun, seafood and great value
- Best for:
- Europe with mild weather and low prices
- Skip if:
- You want a major-museum blitz
Bucket List
10h+Long-haul nonstops to Asia and the Gulf, 12-18 hours.
Tokyo
✈ 14h$900 RT
The ultimate long-haul payoff
- Best for:
- A once-a-year bucket-list trip
- Skip if:
- You can't take a recovery day
Dubai
✈ 12h$850 RT
Luxury stopover in the Gulf
- Best for:
- A long-haul trip with a layover option
- Skip if:
- You hate extreme summer heat
Singapore
✈ 18h$1,100 RT
The world's longest nonstop
- Best for:
- A bucket-list Asia gateway
- Skip if:
- Ultra-long flights wreck you
Seoul
✈ 14h$950 RT
Food, tech and late nights
- Best for:
- A long-haul food-and-culture trip
- Skip if:
- You want a beach
When to go where
Spring
- Tokyo — cherry blossoms and mild 60°F days in late March and April
- Lisbon — warm, dry and far less crowded than summer
Summer
- Toronto — warm festival season and long days, a short hop away
- Dublin — long daylight and mild 65°F weather for Ireland
Fall
- Paris — mild weather, fewer tourists and lower shoulder-season fares
- London — cheapest transatlantic fares of the year after Labor Day
Winter
- Cancun — escape the cold with 80°F Caribbean beaches
- San Juan — warm and passport-free over the holidays
- Dubai — perfect 75°F weather in the Gulf's peak season
What your budget buys, from New York
Weekend Getaway
$400-900 all-in
A 3-4 night Caribbean or Mexico beach trip, flights plus a mid-range hotel.
e.g. Bermuda, Cancun, San Juan, Nassau
International Week
$1,200-2,500 all-in
A week in Europe, transatlantic flights, a central hotel and daily spending.
e.g. London, Paris, Dublin, Lisbon
Bucket-List Trip
$3,000+ all-in
A 10-day Asia or Gulf trip, long-haul flights, hotels and in-country travel.
e.g. Tokyo, Dubai, Singapore
Frequently asked questions
What is the best quick trip from New York?
Bermuda. It's a 2-hour nonstop from JFK or Newark to pink-sand beaches with no jet lag, from about $320 round-trip. Toronto is the other easy quick escape at 1.5 hours, with no passport hassle beyond crossing into Canada.
What is the cheapest international trip from NYC?
Dublin and London are the best-value transatlantic flights, often $480-550 round-trip in shoulder season, a 6.5-7 hour overnight. US citizens are visa-free for 90 days in both, and a Newark or JFK red-eye lands you in Europe by morning.
How long is the flight from New York to Europe?
Most of Western Europe is a 6.5-8 hour nonstop from JFK or Newark: Dublin 6.5 hours, London 7, Paris and Lisbon 7-7.5, Rome 8.5. They're 5-6 time zones ahead, so an overnight flight plus an early arrival beats jet lag.
What is the best bucket-list flight from NYC?
Tokyo, a 14-hour nonstop from about $900 round-trip, is the top long-haul pick. Dubai (12 hours) and Singapore (18 hours) are the other bucket-list flights. All are 11-14 time zones ahead, so plan a recovery day on arrival.
When is the cheapest time to fly from New York?
Book domestic and Caribbean flights 4-6 weeks out and Europe 2-3 months ahead. Avoid Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, when fares spike. January through March is cheapest for Europe; shoulder months cut Caribbean prices too.
Do I need a passport for these trips?
Yes for all the international destinations, and check it's valid for 6 months beyond travel. Puerto Rico (San Juan) needs no passport for US citizens, since it's a US territory. For Europe, US passport holders are visa-free for 90 days under the waiver program.
Which New York airport should I fly from?
JFK has the most long-haul nonstops to Asia, Europe and the Caribbean; Newark is strong for Europe and often cheaper; LaGuardia covers domestic and short hops. Compare all three, since fares and nonstop options vary by route and a Newark flight can save real money.
Is TSA PreCheck or Global Entry worth it from NYC?
Yes. With three busy airports, security and customs lines in New York are long. Global Entry covers both TSA PreCheck and a fast customs lane on the way home from international trips, and it pays for itself if you fly a few times a year.
Know where you want to go? Search flights:
Plan your trip from New York
Flying from somewhere else?
Some links on this page are affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.