New York has a 4th airport that few people know about, but it may soon become an important hub

A simple search on the Kayak website for flights between the New York area and Orlando might surprise you. If you're not careful, there's a chance you'll buy an airport ticket you've never heard of. This is Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Orange County, New York. The points guy.

Located about 112 km northwest of Manhattan, Stewart is not one of the "big three" airports in New York - LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark, which are the most popular among travelers in the region.

Although it has a larger physical footprint than Newark, only two airlines currently serve Stewart, Allegiant and Frontier.

The situation will change soon

This summer, the airport should receive the first international flights after the pandemic. Icelandic low cost carrier Play recently announced plans to add New York Stewart as a third US destination after Baltimore/Washington and Boston.

The new international service puts Stewart on the map again, two years after the pandemic began to have a huge impact on the flight capabilities of their smaller airports.

Stuart's location on the map (and search engine)

Before the pandemic, Stewart was a rising star in the Port Authority's portfolio.

It has been a popular airport for transporting passengers during severe weather events, such as when a Singapore Airlines double-decker Airbus A380 landed there for the first time during a snow storm in January 2018.

On the subject: There are many airports in New York, and each has its own function: interesting facts

In 2019, the airport had hub links with American (to Philadelphia) and Delta (to Detroit). From here operated direct flights Allegiant and JetBlue.

The Norwegian Air Shuttle even became the "main tenant" of the airport. At its peak, the airline operated daily flights from Shannon, Ireland (SNN) and Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI). There were also two flights a day from Dublin (DUB) aboard an economical Boeing 737 MAX.

With flights stopped all over the world, Stewart's Norwegian service faced a big setback. After sustaining mounting losses, at the end of 2019, Norwegian decided to completely leave stuart.

The news didn't get better for and for the airport. A few months later, the pandemic hit the US, causing Delta and JetBlue to cancel their flights.

Employees hard at work in the background

Although capacity has been slashed, the airport has already begun construction on a new $1850 million 37-square-meter international arrivals terminal at Stuart, which was originally designed for Norwegian Airlines.

Construction was eventually completed at the height of the pandemic in November 2020. After Norwegian left, Stewart and his new international arrivals hall had a bleak outlook.

But Minton has been hard at work in the background trying to reclaim Stewart's popularity.

He recently worked with major third-party booking platforms like Expedia and Orbitz to get Stuart (SWF) listed as "New York Airport", a big win in his book.

He emailed Play's CEO when he found out they were launching US flights to sell him Stewart's service.

His efforts were crowned with success on February 1, 2022, when Play officially announced the addition of a new point to the route map in New York Stewart.

The airline will operate daily flights to Keflavik, Iceland (KEF), with many connecting flights to seven European cities, including Paris and Berlin.

Play is promoting Stewart as an alternative to flying to congested Newark or JFK airports.

Airline declaresthat reduced taxiway congestion, shorter immigration and customs queues, and a faster baggage handling system would mean that the total time from arrival at Stewart to final destination in New York would be the same as arriving at rush hour at Kennedy or Newark.

The infrastructure is more modern…

The new arrival facility for international flights is indeed a significant improvement. Prior to the pandemic, long-distance travelers had to pass through a temporary retractable wall facility to clear customs and immigration.

Passengers will now be greeted by a large mural depicting the Hudson Valley and New York City, updated signage and modernized facilities. There are new toilets built to the latest Harbor District design standards.

On the subject: A swimming pool was opened at the New York airport: from it you can watch the takeoff and landing of aircraft

A fully loaded Airbus A321neo should pass inspection in about 30 minutes, Minton said. This is a huge time saver compared to going through immigration in one of the busy halls in Newark or Kennedy.

…but getting there can be an adventure

But despite saving time upon arrival, getting to and from the airport can be the hardest and most expensive part of your trip.

Lastly, don't be fooled by the Manhattan skyline mural in Stewart's new international arrivals area. You will see the first real glimpse of skyscrapers much later.

Stewart is difficult to reach with any existing rail transport, and the Port District knows it. That's why the agency has partnered with Hudson Transit Lines to offer non-stop bus service at convenient times for international departures and arrivals of passengers traveling to or from Manhattan.

Bus transportation, priced at $20 for adults and $10 for children, will be an invaluable option for tourists visiting the city.

But a bus is only as good as its destination: the Port Authority bus station at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan.

If Midtown isn't your thing, or if you're heading to another area, Stewart might not be right for you.

In fact, the only snacks available at the reception were from a small vending machine. Large M&Ms could be purchased for $3,25, the same price as in Terminal 5 at JFK.

The journalist took the train home to the Metro-North station in Beacon, New York, where he boarded the next train bound for Manhattan. The 15-minute ride, plus a $17,50 one-way off-peak fare and then a $2,75 subway ride from Grand Central to Union Square, made him wish direct bus service was already available.

However, for those who live closer to Stewart, who rent cars or plan to park at the airport, it's much more convenient than getting around in the stressful conditions of New York City's largest airports.

Locals Can Fill Flights Too

Stewart's appeal isn't limited to budget travelers to or from New York, or those looking to save on parking.

Three million people live within 50 to 65 kilometers of Stuart Airport, according to Minton. And that population travels a lot, he told TPG.

Most residents of the area travel via other nearby airports, whether it's the "big three" near New York or via Westchester (HPN), Hartford (BDL), Albany (ALB).

“If you live within 50 or 65 km of Stuart, then you make two or three trips a year. You probably spend an hour and a half on the road, and then spend the same amount on parking,” Minton added.

In addition, there are several popular places near Stuart that can attract tourists to the area. These include the nation's largest Legoland theme park and Woodbury Common Premium outlets.

That's why the airport authority is working to educate key decision makers about Stewart's service area as it promotes new airline services.

Of course, there are many international travelers looking to save a few dollars to make the journey from Orange County, New York, to Manhattan. But there are still plenty of people in the backyard of the airport who could benefit from more convenient flight connections.

“We really go out and inform people about the benefits of the facility, its effectiveness and coverage area,” he said.

As Minton and his team look to the future, they are encouraged by the prospect of adding new airlines to Stuart. Norse Atlantic Airways is poised to become the airport's second international carrier as the airline has already received approval to add direct flights from Norway to Stuart.

What happens next is anyone's guess, but Stewart Airport is back.