One of the nice things about limousine service is that it can make the end of really long travel day quite pleasant. You could have been flying all day long and now you’ve just landed at the airport. Your final leg awaits you, from the airport to your home. Wouldn’t it be nice just to relax in the back of the limousine on the way home? JFK to Stamford, Connecticut is one the more frequently traveled routes that we do. So naturally many consumers have asked us about limousine service pricing from JFK to Connecticut.
Pricing of Limo Service NYC to Stamford, CT
There are quite a few ground transportation options available from JFK, but unlike taxi rides, limousine service must be booked in advance. So if you’re coming back to JFK, it’s best to book something early and when you arrive it is so much easier to simply meet your waiting chauffeur and not have to deal with any last minute travel arrangements.
Hourly Pricing of Limousine Services
In terms of prices, limousine service charge by the hour and the hourly rate that you pay will depend upon the quality of service that you have contacted, the number of passengers you have and the type of vehicle that you have requested. For airport transfers, many limo companies have a flat rate, but this is usually restricted to their local operating area. If you are going out of state, like from New York to Connecticut, you will usually be charged the hourly rate.
The length of the ride from JFK airport to Connecticut depends of course on how far north you are going. If you are going from JFK to Southern Connecticut, for example a place like Stamford, then your ride is only likely to last 1 hour. If you are going further afield, say to the middle of the state to a place like Hartford, that trip could last you from two to two and a half hours on the road.
Travel Time Between JFK/NYC and Stamford
One practice that is standard in the limousine industry and that is unique compared to taking public transportation, or taking a taxi, is called garage to garage pricing. What this means is that limo companies will charge you for a trip as soon as they leave their garage, and the meter keeps running until they return to base. What this means for the passenger is that even though you are taking a one-way trip, your cost is effectively for a round trip. The reason limo companies due this is because by law, they perform pre-arranged trips. Unlike a taxi service, they cannot just pick up people on the street. So this cuts down on the amount of calls they can receive. And limousines should be cleaned after every reservation. In order to stay profitable and also prepare the drivers and vehicles for each pre-arranged trip, it is necessary to charge from garage to garage.
The reason for this explanation is that unlike a taxi, when you take a limousine from JFK to Connecticut, and you are in the car for 1 hour, you will mostly likely be billed for 2 hours, as the chauffeur needs that same amount of time to go back to where he started from. This is known as garage to garage as I mentioned, but the additional time might be billed as ‘travel time’ on your invoice.
Choosing the Right Vehicle for the Trip
Another factor that impact the cost of your reservation is the type of vehicle you choose to hire. This of course will depend on how many people you have in your party. For just 2 or 3 people, the simplest and most economical option would be to use a black car service, like a Lincoln Town Car.
In New York City, black car service starts around $55 per hour. So for a two hour trip, your base fare would $110 plus tips, tolls, and any additional surcharges that might apply. Many limo companies charge an automatic gratuity of 15%-20% on top of the fare. So for this hypothetical fare of $110, with gratuity it would be more like $132, plus any tolls which would run about $20. So your $110 trip will really cost more like $150. Just keep in mind that this is a low-ball hypothetical example. Of course, this is still more than a taxi ride or Super Shuttle might cost, but remember, you are paying more for privacy and exclusivity when you rent a limo.
If you have more people in your party, costs will rise as along with the size of the vehicle you choose. A more luxurious four door sedan, like a Mercedes or Audi will likely cost in the range of $100 per hour. For a larger SUV that would seat 6, like a Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator will cost a bit less, maybe $80-$90 per hour. If you are a bigger group and need a 15 passenger van, that will cost you around $65-$75 per hour.
Not to be forgotten, the traditional stretch limo is also a nice option. It has a lot more luxury features than your standard sedan or SUV and it creates quite an impression when you pull up in one. Prices for these can range widely, the range being $75-$120 per hour.
High Quality vs. Lower Price
It is also worth keeping in mind that you get what you pay for in the client services industry. Generally speaking, the fancier and the newer the vehicle, the more expensive it will be. Even if you were to find two limo companies with the exact same vehicles, with one being more expensive than the other, I would recommend you look more closely at the higher priced alternative.
While it may seem counter intuitive to go with the higher priced option, the reason you might want to do so is that the more expensive one in many cases has a better service record, takes better care of their clients, and consequently costs more as it must pay higher wages to attract and retain quality employees. Many times you might be able to get away with a lower cost alternative that doesn’t hesitate to cut corners. But there may come a day when you are really counting on that service for something very important; do you think think the bargain company you hired would be up to the challenge if push came to shove? In other words, is it worth risking a total failure just in order to save a couple dollars? It’s something to think about.
Premium Ground Transportation in NYC
Before we conclude this blog, I want to bring to your attention to premium category of limo companies and vehicles. For just as there are some customers who are always looking for the cheapest service, at the other end you also have luxury clients who aren’t as worried about the price as they are receiving the best possible customer service and companies willing to solve their problems.
For the premium quality service, you should also expect premium vehicles, such as specialty or exotic cars, or simply the best limos in the business. Whether it be a Rolls Royce sedan or Mercedes Benz Sprinter luxury van, prices in the premium category can start in the $150-$200 per hour range and up.
Getting the Best Value
Brilliant Transportation has an outstanding and unique fleet of premium luxury vans, all custom converted Mercedes Benz Sprinter vans. These vans are outfitted more like private jets inside than a traditional passenger van.
Every luxury and convenience has been provided and Brilliant does airport transfers from JFK to Connecticut and surrounding areas in New York every day of the week.
We understand at Brilliant that our pricing and our vehicle may not be for everyone in every circumstance. After there, there may be circumstance when an inexpensive sedan would be a better fit for a particular airport transfer than a 7 passenger luxury van. And we are okay with that. There are alternatives out there.
But if you require the best for your next limousine reservation please don’t hesitate to contact Brilliant Transportation at 1-800-543-1001 to receive a custom quote.