FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS coming into the United States from Europe, Central and South America, New York and its airports provide the first glimpses of the country. Even if you come into the city from a domestic destination, there is a great chance you will touch down in LaGuardia Airport.

In addition to the smaller New York Stewart International Airport and Teterboro Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey manages the three big New York City airports. In total, John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports served more than 132 million passengers in 2017. Last year, just less than 57 percent of the passengers passing through JFK and EWR were international-bound. The chief airport among the big three, John F. Kennedy International Airport has been a mainstay in the region for more than 60 years and serves more international passengers year over year than any other airport in the nation.

LGA and JFK sit on opposite sides of Queens. Although the airports are all managed by the Port Authority, each airport serves dramatically different demographics and purposes.

John F. Kennedy ranks as the busiest airport in the country when it comes to international travel alone. British Airways, the fourth-largest carrier operating out of JFK, served 1,395,414 passengers in the 12 months preceding January 2019. Newark Liberty ranks next in terms of international passengers, with Air Canada, SAS and Lufthansa the biggest carriers to serve the international market out of the airport. Domestic travelers will invariably look toward LaGuardia, whose biggest carrier remains Delta Air Lines.

The true difference between the airports is exceptionally visible when you begin to break down the services available at each. Newark and LaGuardia have three and four terminals, respectively, while JFK houses six.

For the most part, getting to the airports proves a relatively painless process. Newark and JFK both connect to metro systems. JFK connects by way of the AirTrain system to Jamaica Station. A $5 metro card charge gets passengers access to the AirTrain, which offers connections to all six terminals. Newark connects to the Newark Liberty International Airport Station also by way of the AirTrain.

In serving millions of people each month, the New York City-area airports function almost as a single entity split into three pieces. Each offers convenient access to New York, but each serves a different purpose, as well. As opposed to other airports, where different terminals might cater to different demographics, the sheer size of New York and the number of travelers transiting through the region created a need for multiple airports to handle the people and freight coming and going. The airports and region continue to grow, with eclectic arrays of services, ranging from shoe shining to currency exchange services, satisfying any and all types of travelers.