LaGuardia Airport

Traveling to and from New York City can be one of the most arduous tasks if you don’t do a little research before you start your trip. Because the city is so busy one can expect traffic delays and should certainly plan accordingly to be sure that you get to the airport well before your flight is scheduled to take off. LaGuardia Airport is the closest of the three airports that bring travelers into the Big Apple. It is located in Queens. Though LaGuardia is built with catering to domestic flights in mind, it does offer a few options for international travelers as well. If you are flying to Europe, this is NOT the airport you want to use because there are no direct flights to Europe available. Each year nearly 25 million travelers pass through LaGuardia Airport to and from New York City.

The site was originally an amusement park in the 1920’s but was soon converted into a private airfield as the fantasy of flight became more prominent in the American way. The commercialization of this airfield would never have been made possible without the proverbial influential fire of Fiorello La Guardia, the New York mayor who served from 1934 to 1945. It all came about when he was traveling to New York and noticed that his ticket stated he was to touch down in New York. His flight was destined for Newark Airport; though Newark is a major artery of transportation bringing travelers into NYC, it is technically located within New Jersey state lines. He ordered that the flight be re-directed to New York and it touched down in Brooklyn at Floyd Bennett Airfield. He used his political power and prowess to urge New York citizens to support the construction of a new airport that catered specifically to New York City.

Though the existing private airfield on the tip of Queen was small, it was perfectly located near the newly constructed Queens-Midtown tunnel. Construction of LaGuardia Airport officially began in 1937. The airport was the first in the world to host an Admirals Club, opened by American Airlines who helped play a pivotal role in the development of LaGuardia Airport. The popularity of this once tiny airfield grew exponentially over the years, and turned out to be a great success. Muting the mouths of its opponents and shattering all expectations. It soon became so popular by travelers that it was unable to handle the increased amount of traffic that frequented its terminals. LaGuardia continues to be a major gateway for travelers and businesspeople entering and leaving New York City. If you plan on traveling through LaGuardia and desire some more information about the airport as well as the different airline services that are available you can call them at 718-533-3400 for such inquiries.