Last year, on the heels of a headline-grabbing renovation, New York’s LaGuardia Airport took a victory lap of sorts: It was found, according to Lyft data, to have the fastest pickups of any airport in the country, thanks, in part, to careful and collaborative planning between LaGuardia engineers and the rideshare company.

But New York City’s other big airports haven’t exactly been standing still. The $2.7 billion redevelopment of Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport was awarded “Best New Terminal” at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards. Praised for its soaring, light-filled spaces, locally inflected amenities, and state-of-the-art security checkpoints, Terminal A ticks all the boxes of contemporary terminal design.

It is also a case study in best practices when it comes to rideshare pickup. While the curbside area at Newark’s Terminal C, built before rideshare, must accommodate the entire range of vehicles, from personal vehicles to rideshare to buses to shuttles, Terminal A’s has space intentionally set aside for rideshare. And it’s had a big impact. According to Lyft data, between 2019 and 2022, pickup wait times at Newark were trending upward; however, since January 2023, when Terminal A opened to the public, pickup times have decreased by roughly 30%.

Standing on the center-island divider at Newark’s Terminal A’s arrivals section, Lyft’s Mike Chisolm, who works with airports to optimize the passenger experience, points to a series of curbside Lyft pickup bays. Each is marked by bright LED dynamic signs (meaning the information could be changed if needed, for example, to switch a curbside loading spot from one transportation provider to another). Lyft’s pickup position on the outer lanes, alongside shuttles and public buses, might seem less than ideal, but Chisolm notes that the outer lanes actually have a subtle benefit. Drivers do not have to merge with those private vehicles that are picking up relatives and loved ones, the way rideshare vehicles on the inner lanes do. That means less congestion — and faster pickups.

And while curbside space, particularly during peak hours, comes at a premium, Lyft uses technology to “virtually” increase the physical capacity of the pickup areas. When conditions warrant, drivers who have just dropped off departing passengers can be “rematched” with an arriving passenger; rather than having to return to a “staging” lot down Earhardt Boulevard, they can simply circle back on the airport roadway. Cars can also be “predispatched” to the pickup area — significantly cutting the wait times for passengers.

The improvements at Terminal A are, likely, soon to be replicated across the airport. The Port Authority has released a “Vision Plan” that calls for a new Terminal B and significant enhancements to Terminal C, which would include plans to overhaul the terminal frontage roadway, most likely making it more like Terminal A, with more space — and more clearly delineated space — for rideshare. The plan is urgently needed: According to Lyft data, rideshare volume at Newark has been increasing at a rate of 33% since 2022.

At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, meanwhile, there is short-term pain in the interest of long-term gain. As part of a $19 billion redevelopment plan, many rideshare passengers must currently board a shuttle bus to a temporary pickup lot. However, riders can look forward to a new roadway network, which will improve access to all terminals, as well as enhanced pickup areas with new signage and wider, larger pickup lanes and — if LaGuardia and Newark are any indicators — faster pickups.

Airports — decisions made in concrete and steel — don’t get rebuilt overnight. Terminal by terminal, however, New York’s airports are getting better, from the runways you land on to the rideshare that picks you up.