Long Island MacArthur Airport is a reliever-type airport to the more frequently traveled Greater New York Area airports like Kennedy International Airport.
It is small compared to the larger area airports. The small size is an advantage.
Your experience flying in and out of MacArthur can be less stressful than the bigger airports.
It is definitely an option worth exploring for a quick weekend getaway to Long Island.
We will discuss how to get to the airport, the airlines that fly out of it, and why you should consider flying out of this great airport.
How to get to Long Island MacArthur Airport?
Getting to Long Island MacArthur Airport is easy because the airport is centered right in the middle of the island.
You will need to commute to Ronkonkoma, New York. The airport is about an hour from New York City and an hour and 30 minutes from Montauk, New York.
The airport is accessible by both car traffic and public transportation.
Long Island Expressway
Taking the Long Island Expressway From The West
If you take the Long Island Expressway from the west, get off at exit 57 follow the service road to Veterans Memorial Highway, and proceed south.
You will follow Veterans Memorial Highway South. You will pass a Walmart in a shopping center and a wooded area is known as the Connetquot River State Park.
The highway will also bring you past an industrial or business area, so you will see some office buildings and warehouses.
When you are at the Lakeland Avenue intersection, you will see one of the runways! You’re in the right spot!
Keep driving down Veterans until you reach the Johnson Avenue intersection and turn left.
You should notice airport signage. Follow the signage until you reach the airport terminal.
Taking the Long Island Expressway From The East
Taking the Long Island Expressway from the east, use exit 60. Next, make a left turn at the second light, Ronkonkoma Avenue.
At the Lakeland Avenue intersection, turn left and follow until the next traffic light.
You will then make another left onto Veterans Memorial Highway and follow until you reach Johnson Avenue.
Make a left onto Johnson Avenue and follow until you see the airport.
Sunrise Highway
If you are taking Sunrise Highway, navigate to Exit 49 Johnson Avenue. Follow the service road to the Johnson Avenue exit and make a turn to put yourself on Johnson Avenue.
Follow Johnson Avenue for a few miles until it brings you to the Long Island Macarthur Airports Terminal area.
Long Island Rail Road
Getting to Long Island Macarthur Airport using the Long Island Rail Road is simple.
Just hop on the Ronkonkoma Line (The Main Line) and take it to the end, Ronkonkoma Train Station.
The station is located one mile north of the airport. You can catch the airport shuttle or catch an uber to the terminal.
What Airlines Fly Into and From Long Island Macarthur Airport?
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is a low-budget airline that is one of the primary carriers at Long Island MacArthur Airport.
Currently, Southwest flies to the following locations nonstop out of Islip:
- Baltimore
- Fort Lauderdale
- Nashville
- Orlando
- West Palm Beach
- Tampa
It’s clearly evident that Southwest flies to many tourist destinations out of MacArthur.
Unfortunately, to fly anywhere else in the United States, you will most likely need to fly to Baltimore. Baltimore is a hub of Southwest Airlines.
They only fly the spacious and reliable Boeing 737.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines is an ultra-low-budget airline that rivals the notorious Spirit Airlines.
Ticket prices are affordable, and great for a quick weekend getaway.
They are Long Island’s second most common airline at the airport, flying to the following destinations:
- Atlanta
- Fort Lauderdale
- Orlando
- Tampa
- West Palm Beach
Seasonal Destinations also include:
- Myrtle Beach
- Raleigh/Durham
Frontier Airlines flies the Airbus A320 on shorter flights and the Airbus A321 on longer flights.
Breeze Airways
Long Island MacArthur’s newest airline is named Breeze Airways, another ultra-low-cost airline. This airline was created in 2021.
This airline flies mainly out of reliever-type airports (like MacArthur Airport) or underserved locations.
The overall flight offerings are limited at this moment. Breeze Airways currently flies to two destinations out of Long Island MacArthur Airport:
- Charleston
- Norfolk
- New Orleans
They operate the brand-new Airbus 220, Embraer 190 & 195.
Why Fly Out of Long Island MacArthur Airport Over Other Area Airports?
You should consider flying out of MacArthur for the ease of getting to the gate.
Basically, all you need to do is park your car, walk a few steps, check in, get through security and you’re ready to go flying. This process will take you less than an hour.
Long Island Macarthur Airport is not large compared to Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Islip serves close to a million passengers per year.
You will find a parking spot. Security will be a breeze to get through.
Also, with three airlines flying only a handful of flights daily, you can likely anticipate an on-time departure when you choose Long Island MacArthur Airport.
