People type “NYC” into a search box and take whichever airport is cheapest. That works if someone is meeting you. It is a poor trick if you land at Newark at 22:40 with two bags and a hotel on the Upper East Side.
Which airport
JFK still takes the bulk of long-haul from Europe, the Gulf, Asia and South America. Immigration queues vary by terminal; Terminal 4 and Terminal 1 are the ones we see most on intercontinental tickets. The AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach is reliable; it is not fast if you are already exhausted.
Newark (EWR) is often the better United and some European routings. It is a genuine New York airport, not a “nearby” compromise, but factor the PATH or a car into Manhattan. Weather delays here stack with the rest of the United East Coast operation.
LaGuardia (LGA) is rebuilt and usable, and still has fewer long-haul widebodies. We quote it for domestic connections and a handful of Canadian/Caribbean flights. If your specialist sends LGA on a trip that started in Doha, ask why — there is usually a connection hidden in the itinerary.
When fares move
Transatlantic prices for summer weekends and late-December are a different market from a Tuesday in early February. If your dates can slide by 48 hours, say so on the request. Award availability on SkyTeam, Oneworld and Star is a separate problem; we quote cash fares unless you tell us you want a miles plan.
What to put on the form
If you already know the hotel borough, add it in the first email after the acknowledgement. “Manhattan, arriving evening” is enough for us to avoid a routing that lands LGA after the buses thin out.