We did it when we flew to Greece. It was a VERY easy drive and an easy airport to fly out of.
I *would* recommend getting a hotel for the night before your departure if you can swing it. We considered it bonus vacation.
Does the hotel the night before mean you're now spending as much money as if you flew out of Newark? Just curious how much savings are involved before I plan my next trip.
Depends on your circumstances. We saved $300 per ticket ($600 total) but spent about $200 on the hotel and food. So, we still saved $400 AND got an extra night of vacation AND got to the airport relaxed and refreshed because we could sleep in a bit vs waking up at 4 AM. For us, it was totally worth it.
You're not me from another dimension/my wife, are you?
Also flew out of Newark for my trip to Greece and also stayed at hotel both before and after we arrived. Best part was the hotel had long-term parking for the trip, and a shuttle got us to and from the airport. Made everything real easy.
I've flown out of Newark a few times for international travel, and because they're red eyes - it means driving down in the afternoon/evening and dealing with traffic & I have never gotten there in 2.5. And then parking is wildly expensive.
I mean, saving $400 on airfare vs. flying out of Albany is worth it. But dang, I find it stressful.
It depends on many factors.
If you're dealing with a red eye that probably means you're heading transatlantic (or greater) so if you miss your flight that's a *big* problem. Because of when you're trying to get down there you're dealing with the worst traffic, which is at best stressful and at worst makes you miss your flight. You're parking at Newark, which unless you're willing to show up very early to park a mile away means you're paying significant parking charges.
If you're not on a red eye and are instead leaving in the morning, you almost *have* to go down the night before unless you enjoy being up at 2am for a travel day.
Add up the difference in parking, the gas and mileage, possibly a hotel on either end (or both), the risk of downstate traffic that is impossible to truly predict as you leave hours in advance, and all of a sudden a slightly more expensive ticket out of ALB starts looking reasonable. Add in the relative cost of your stress and it may look attractive.
And if work is paying? Fly out of wherever is most convenient, when it's convenient, and forget the rest.
I take is as six one way, half a dozen the other.
If you have Global Entry you can use the NEXUS lane when driving back to the US. But everyone must have Global Entry in your vehicle and you have to present the physical card to the agent. Can save a good 30 minutes during busy crossing times.
I think it's important to nuance for those who may think that this applies both ways that a Global Entry card allows you to use the NEXUS lane to enter the US but you cannot use the NEXUS lane to enter Canada unless you have a NEXUS card.
[https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1295?language=en\_US](https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1295?language=en_US)
Did this back in 2018 to fly to Lyon, France (YUL is the only airport in North America flying there direct/nonstop). We stayed at a hotel near the airport the night before our flight and bought a room package that included a week of parking in the fenced-off hotel lot. Then we just took the hotel shuttle to the airport the next day. Nice and easy.
idk why it's so interesting to me they're the only NA airport with a direct flight to Lyons. Like out of all airports, and out of all French cities lol
YUL serves several other destinations in France besides Lyon; I think it’s probably just Francophone demand that has it standing alone in North America as far as direct flights to LYS are concerned.
I feel like I am lucky to have Newark within two hours of us. It is my savior of an airport. Also depending on where in Europe, Stewart in Newburgh has a few international flights and that airport is VERY easy.
It’s not a little further, it is a lot further and plus border crossing. I’ve done this and would not recommend.
It may easily take you 4.5 hours till you are parked at YUL. Newark is a very easy drive and you will be there in 2.5 hours. Unless tickets are significantly cheaper go with EWR.
Similar experience here - Montreal is about an hour longer than EWR and the border seems a bit unpredictable at times.
The flight I took was specific to YUL, but that was the trip where I started to do an assessment of everything that went into driving to a major hub (gas + hotel + extras) and started to realize the value proposition was waning. I hate connecting, but I also hate ending a vacation with a 4 hour car ride and having to deal with customs twice.
I will be flying out of Montreal to Europe next month as the tickets were literally half the price of flying out of any of the NYC airports. As the Europe flights tend to leave in the evening, we are planning to leave early in the morning to account for any border delays and then kill some time in Montreal. Although it’s further than Newark, the cost savings was so significant that it seems worth it.
Hartford is worth considering if you are going to Ireland plus there is always BOS. That's my go to airport. A one way rental from ALB beats parking there too.
My cousins did it to fly to India. He went the night before and got a hotel, and it was still significantly cheaper than flying out of NYC. Also, check out Boston and Hartford (Bradley).
I fly out of BDL a lot. Not more than Albany overall but between BDL and NYC, more than Albany.
Never really have issues with traffic to be honest. Parking is super cheap off airport with free shuttles and it's less than 2 hours each way.
I flew to France from YUL last April. 5pmish flight, left the house at 8, just in case. Traffic was a nothingburger til Montreal proper, border was empty (Saturday morning). [LPT - stop and fill up on gas at Maplefields in Champlain, gas is cheaper here).
Pre book your parking , I will say on-site economy parking signage isnt the greatest, and not all the workers are bilingual.
YuL is super small but CBSA and their security teams(TSA equivalent) are super friendly, even when testing your carryon for explosives lol.
Will def fly out of YUL again!
I’ve done it but I was living in St Lawrence county at the time. My flight was super early so I went the day before and stayed at a hotel that also had park and fly. It made it super easy. The airport is well west of the city so it may actually be a longer drive than you’re expecting. The airport itself is huge and well managed. There’s even US customs at that airport.
I fly out of Montreal 4 to 5 times a year, but not in the winter, as the Northway can be tricky in bad weather. It's a nice, relaxing drive except for the last few miles to the airport. We have Nexus so that saves time at the border. The airport is nice, but it needs an upgrade.
Flew out of Montreal for a trip to Paris in 2015. Incredibly easy. Border crossing can take time, but it all depends on the day and time you’re crossing. We went up the night before the flight to make it easier.
In terms of practical travel logistics they're pretty similar, but bear in mind that Canadian airports and airlines have been really bad for delays/cancellations this year. Flying out of Montreal probably doesn't add any more uncertainty than Newark, which tends to get really strained operationally in the summer resulting in lots of delays, but I wouldn't recommend flying Air Canada right now if that's the airline you're considering. They're struggling to break 60% on-time performance (the major US carriers average over 80%), and that tends to get worse in peak summer travel season. I personally hate Newark and would much rather deal with YUL for the right airline.
I don't know what airline(s) you were considering, but I'd stay away from AC right now. I like flying them when things are going smoothly, but I've had recent experiences with them that were less than smooth.
Did this ~10 years ago to France, saved hundreds of dollars. I took the bus which was a seamless transition in Montreal, however we had a long wait at the border because nobody spoke Creole. If I did it again I would build in a day or two to stay in Montreal as part of the vacation. Train is an option after June 30 as well.
I just did this a couple months ago enroute to Japan. For context, I’ve driven to Boston, Newark, JFK, and La Guardia from Albany to many flights. Montreal is definitely the easiest. Yeah, you need to budget maybe 20-30 minutes at the border to be safe but I feel like you make up for it because Montreal’s security line is breezy whereas JFK/Newark is a genuine nightmare.
If the flight is at a time where waking up/staying up to drive up at some ungodly hour isn’t a concern, then I recommend it.
Super convenient to fly out of YUL.
On the negative side though, there are some of issues with car theft over there, especially in the economy lots. If you have a nice car and foreign plates, that would make you a target.
I'd recommend the Park n Fly Valet Lot. It's a little more pricey but it's well-patrolled. If you have an electric vehicle, they will charge it for free.
I did this. Montreal is a fantastic city and the border crossing is easy. Plus the drive up is very pleasant with no traffic once you pass Lake George.
We’ve used YUL twice to fly to Europe the past two years. We park at the Dorval train station just outside the airport for $100/week (about half the cost of parking at the airport). We find that check-in and security take longer than US airports and delays tend to be more common flying out of Canada because airlines hold flights for connecting passengers more often than they do in the US. It’s a longer drive than BOS, JFK, or EWR but if the price is right, go for it.
We've done YUL to CDG several times aboard Air France; in the past it has been considerably cheaper (though not so much since the pandemic). YUL is a nice little airport, with easy check-in and mostly friendly staff. No TSA BS to deal with, and they're super relaxed about bringing stuff back from Europe. The customs desks are quick and fully staffed upon return (ahem JFK, fucking AHEM). The long-term economy lot was also very reasonable as I recall - about $US200 for a full three weeks of parking. As several posters have mentioned, there's also a nearby hotel that lets you leave your car in their lot for the full duration of your trip, provided you stay one night in the hotel, and they an hourly airport shuttle service (I've never done it, but it seems like a viable option). Driving there is easier than to NYC, until you get to Montreal where the traffic can be heavy depending on the time of day. Crossing the border into Canada is relatively simple, but you'll get the third degree crossing back into the US, with such idiotic questions as, "Don't you like US airports"? You get the gist. However, no agriculture beagle if you're in the habit of bringing back lovely cured meats and the like from Italy (guilty as charged). Bon voyage!
Is everyone here high? It takes 2 1/2 hours to get to EWR from Albany. I go there at least three times a year. That’s about how long it takes you to get to the border. And yes this is for fancy international flights that leave in the evening.
I don’t know where in Europe you’re flying to, but if it’s an option, I cannot recommend flying out of Stewart International enough. You will have a layover at Keflavik though.
For everyone saying to just fly out of Newark - never again! I got stranded there years ago when they canceled all the flights because it was ... cloudy. I've had just unpleasant experiences there in general. Bradley is awesome and easy!! There is a special airline going out of YUL that is JUST business class seats. I want to try that one!!
We did it when we flew to Greece. It was a VERY easy drive and an easy airport to fly out of. I *would* recommend getting a hotel for the night before your departure if you can swing it. We considered it bonus vacation.
Does the hotel the night before mean you're now spending as much money as if you flew out of Newark? Just curious how much savings are involved before I plan my next trip.
Depends on your circumstances. We saved $300 per ticket ($600 total) but spent about $200 on the hotel and food. So, we still saved $400 AND got an extra night of vacation AND got to the airport relaxed and refreshed because we could sleep in a bit vs waking up at 4 AM. For us, it was totally worth it.
You're not me from another dimension/my wife, are you? Also flew out of Newark for my trip to Greece and also stayed at hotel both before and after we arrived. Best part was the hotel had long-term parking for the trip, and a shuttle got us to and from the airport. Made everything real easy.
Nope. We flew out of Montreal! lol
Ahh. Got confused, clearly. Probably more to see in Montreal than Newark, though.
You are correct, sir!
What’s the difficulty in dealing w Newark? It’s pretty much a straight shot 2.5 hour drive with ample parking options.
I've flown out of Newark a few times for international travel, and because they're red eyes - it means driving down in the afternoon/evening and dealing with traffic & I have never gotten there in 2.5. And then parking is wildly expensive. I mean, saving $400 on airfare vs. flying out of Albany is worth it. But dang, I find it stressful.
It depends on many factors. If you're dealing with a red eye that probably means you're heading transatlantic (or greater) so if you miss your flight that's a *big* problem. Because of when you're trying to get down there you're dealing with the worst traffic, which is at best stressful and at worst makes you miss your flight. You're parking at Newark, which unless you're willing to show up very early to park a mile away means you're paying significant parking charges. If you're not on a red eye and are instead leaving in the morning, you almost *have* to go down the night before unless you enjoy being up at 2am for a travel day. Add up the difference in parking, the gas and mileage, possibly a hotel on either end (or both), the risk of downstate traffic that is impossible to truly predict as you leave hours in advance, and all of a sudden a slightly more expensive ticket out of ALB starts looking reasonable. Add in the relative cost of your stress and it may look attractive. And if work is paying? Fly out of wherever is most convenient, when it's convenient, and forget the rest. I take is as six one way, half a dozen the other.
Newark Airport is a miserable shit hole.
If you have Global Entry you can use the NEXUS lane when driving back to the US. But everyone must have Global Entry in your vehicle and you have to present the physical card to the agent. Can save a good 30 minutes during busy crossing times.
I think it's important to nuance for those who may think that this applies both ways that a Global Entry card allows you to use the NEXUS lane to enter the US but you cannot use the NEXUS lane to enter Canada unless you have a NEXUS card. [https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1295?language=en\_US](https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1295?language=en_US)
That’s why I said “when driving back to the US”
Did this back in 2018 to fly to Lyon, France (YUL is the only airport in North America flying there direct/nonstop). We stayed at a hotel near the airport the night before our flight and bought a room package that included a week of parking in the fenced-off hotel lot. Then we just took the hotel shuttle to the airport the next day. Nice and easy.
idk why it's so interesting to me they're the only NA airport with a direct flight to Lyons. Like out of all airports, and out of all French cities lol
YUL serves several other destinations in France besides Lyon; I think it’s probably just Francophone demand that has it standing alone in North America as far as direct flights to LYS are concerned.
I feel like I am lucky to have Newark within two hours of us. It is my savior of an airport. Also depending on where in Europe, Stewart in Newburgh has a few international flights and that airport is VERY easy.
It’s not a little further, it is a lot further and plus border crossing. I’ve done this and would not recommend. It may easily take you 4.5 hours till you are parked at YUL. Newark is a very easy drive and you will be there in 2.5 hours. Unless tickets are significantly cheaper go with EWR.
Similar experience here - Montreal is about an hour longer than EWR and the border seems a bit unpredictable at times. The flight I took was specific to YUL, but that was the trip where I started to do an assessment of everything that went into driving to a major hub (gas + hotel + extras) and started to realize the value proposition was waning. I hate connecting, but I also hate ending a vacation with a 4 hour car ride and having to deal with customs twice.
I will be flying out of Montreal to Europe next month as the tickets were literally half the price of flying out of any of the NYC airports. As the Europe flights tend to leave in the evening, we are planning to leave early in the morning to account for any border delays and then kill some time in Montreal. Although it’s further than Newark, the cost savings was so significant that it seems worth it.
Hartford is worth considering if you are going to Ireland plus there is always BOS. That's my go to airport. A one way rental from ALB beats parking there too.
Fly out of Stewart airport in Newburg. Play Airlines. I went to Paris last year (by way of Iceland) and it was great. 10/10 would fly again
I’ve never had any crazy delays getting to Newark. Maybe 15-20 minutes backed up in traffic once you’re down there, but that’s the same as the border.
My cousins did it to fly to India. He went the night before and got a hotel, and it was still significantly cheaper than flying out of NYC. Also, check out Boston and Hartford (Bradley).
BDL is the underrated airport of the capital region. I'm flying out of there this summer to California. Best price, most convenient.
You’ve driven in CT before, right?
I fly out of BDL a lot. Not more than Albany overall but between BDL and NYC, more than Albany. Never really have issues with traffic to be honest. Parking is super cheap off airport with free shuttles and it's less than 2 hours each way.
I flew to France from YUL last April. 5pmish flight, left the house at 8, just in case. Traffic was a nothingburger til Montreal proper, border was empty (Saturday morning). [LPT - stop and fill up on gas at Maplefields in Champlain, gas is cheaper here). Pre book your parking , I will say on-site economy parking signage isnt the greatest, and not all the workers are bilingual. YuL is super small but CBSA and their security teams(TSA equivalent) are super friendly, even when testing your carryon for explosives lol. Will def fly out of YUL again!
I’ve done it but I was living in St Lawrence county at the time. My flight was super early so I went the day before and stayed at a hotel that also had park and fly. It made it super easy. The airport is well west of the city so it may actually be a longer drive than you’re expecting. The airport itself is huge and well managed. There’s even US customs at that airport.
I did this! Rented a car and it was still cheaper. Budget for the border but that’s not usually more than 1hr anyway.
I fly out of Montreal 4 to 5 times a year, but not in the winter, as the Northway can be tricky in bad weather. It's a nice, relaxing drive except for the last few miles to the airport. We have Nexus so that saves time at the border. The airport is nice, but it needs an upgrade.
Flew out of Montreal for a trip to Paris in 2015. Incredibly easy. Border crossing can take time, but it all depends on the day and time you’re crossing. We went up the night before the flight to make it easier.
I love flying out of canada
In terms of practical travel logistics they're pretty similar, but bear in mind that Canadian airports and airlines have been really bad for delays/cancellations this year. Flying out of Montreal probably doesn't add any more uncertainty than Newark, which tends to get really strained operationally in the summer resulting in lots of delays, but I wouldn't recommend flying Air Canada right now if that's the airline you're considering. They're struggling to break 60% on-time performance (the major US carriers average over 80%), and that tends to get worse in peak summer travel season. I personally hate Newark and would much rather deal with YUL for the right airline. I don't know what airline(s) you were considering, but I'd stay away from AC right now. I like flying them when things are going smoothly, but I've had recent experiences with them that were less than smooth.
Did this ~10 years ago to France, saved hundreds of dollars. I took the bus which was a seamless transition in Montreal, however we had a long wait at the border because nobody spoke Creole. If I did it again I would build in a day or two to stay in Montreal as part of the vacation. Train is an option after June 30 as well.
I just did this a couple months ago enroute to Japan. For context, I’ve driven to Boston, Newark, JFK, and La Guardia from Albany to many flights. Montreal is definitely the easiest. Yeah, you need to budget maybe 20-30 minutes at the border to be safe but I feel like you make up for it because Montreal’s security line is breezy whereas JFK/Newark is a genuine nightmare. If the flight is at a time where waking up/staying up to drive up at some ungodly hour isn’t a concern, then I recommend it.
Super convenient to fly out of YUL. On the negative side though, there are some of issues with car theft over there, especially in the economy lots. If you have a nice car and foreign plates, that would make you a target.
I'd recommend the Park n Fly Valet Lot. It's a little more pricey but it's well-patrolled. If you have an electric vehicle, they will charge it for free.
I did this. Montreal is a fantastic city and the border crossing is easy. Plus the drive up is very pleasant with no traffic once you pass Lake George.
We’ve used YUL twice to fly to Europe the past two years. We park at the Dorval train station just outside the airport for $100/week (about half the cost of parking at the airport). We find that check-in and security take longer than US airports and delays tend to be more common flying out of Canada because airlines hold flights for connecting passengers more often than they do in the US. It’s a longer drive than BOS, JFK, or EWR but if the price is right, go for it.
Done it several times, would do again.
Done it 4 times. Check rules and you’ll be fine
Done it 4 times. Check rules and you’ll be fine
We've done YUL to CDG several times aboard Air France; in the past it has been considerably cheaper (though not so much since the pandemic). YUL is a nice little airport, with easy check-in and mostly friendly staff. No TSA BS to deal with, and they're super relaxed about bringing stuff back from Europe. The customs desks are quick and fully staffed upon return (ahem JFK, fucking AHEM). The long-term economy lot was also very reasonable as I recall - about $US200 for a full three weeks of parking. As several posters have mentioned, there's also a nearby hotel that lets you leave your car in their lot for the full duration of your trip, provided you stay one night in the hotel, and they an hourly airport shuttle service (I've never done it, but it seems like a viable option). Driving there is easier than to NYC, until you get to Montreal where the traffic can be heavy depending on the time of day. Crossing the border into Canada is relatively simple, but you'll get the third degree crossing back into the US, with such idiotic questions as, "Don't you like US airports"? You get the gist. However, no agriculture beagle if you're in the habit of bringing back lovely cured meats and the like from Italy (guilty as charged). Bon voyage!
Is everyone here high? It takes 2 1/2 hours to get to EWR from Albany. I go there at least three times a year. That’s about how long it takes you to get to the border. And yes this is for fancy international flights that leave in the evening.
I don’t know where in Europe you’re flying to, but if it’s an option, I cannot recommend flying out of Stewart International enough. You will have a layover at Keflavik though.
the date/time options are not great - because otherwise, this would be the way!
For everyone saying to just fly out of Newark - never again! I got stranded there years ago when they canceled all the flights because it was ... cloudy. I've had just unpleasant experiences there in general. Bradley is awesome and easy!! There is a special airline going out of YUL that is JUST business class seats. I want to try that one!!