Why Teterboro Is The Preferred Private Jet Airport For People Traveling To And From New York City

Teterboro Airport is located across the Hudson River in New Jersey, 12 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Rather than commercial airports like LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), it is the airport of choice for private jets visiting New York City. Owned and managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Teterboro Airport (TEB) is the oldest airport in the New York metropolitan area, having a history dating back to 1919. 

American businessman Walter C. Teter purchased the land in 1917 and allowed North American Aviation to open a factory there. The first flight from Teterboro took place in 1919, and in 1926, Colonial Air became the first company to use the airfield to deliver mail. Between the Great Wars in a time that became known as the "Golden Age of Aviation," famous aviators like Charles A. Lindbergh, Richard E. Byrd, and Amelia Earhart spent time at the airport.

Teterboro is the closest airport to Midtown Manhattan

Today, Teterboro is the airport of choice for A-list celebrities who want to pop in and out of New York without being noticed. Teterboro Airport (TEB) has a weight limit banning planes that weigh over 100,000 pounds, making it non-viable for airline use. 


Teterboro has two asphalt runways, the 6,013-foot-long 06/24 and the 7,000-foot-long 01/19. Because both runways can handle a Boeing 737, the American aircraft manager applied for a weight limit exemption so its corporate 737 business jets could use the facility. Despite hard lobbying from Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upheld the weight limit ruling, which remains in effect today. 

In an emergency, a larger plane would be permitted to land at Teterboro, as was the case with US Airways Flight 1549. The aircraft lost power to both engines following a bird strike after taking off from LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Despite Teterboro being the obvious place to land, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger decided the Airbus A320 would not make it and ditched the plane in the Hudson River. Miraculously, all of the 155 passengers and crew onboard were rescued by nearby boats.

Teterboro has five private jet terminals

Occupying an area of 87 acres, Teterboro Airport is home to five Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), a name given to private jet terminals. The five FBOs at Teterboro are:

  • Atlantic Aviation Teterboro
  • Jet Aviation Teterboro
  • Meridian Teterboro
  • Signature Flight Support Teterboro
  • Signature Flight Support South Teterboro

When traveling to or from Manhattan to Teterboro Airport, your route will depend on the time of day and amount of traffic. The two access points used between the city and Teterboro are The Geoge Washington Bridge and the Lincoln Tunnel. The drive time is approximately 38 minutes.

While most people think private jets are for celebrities and sports stars, most private jet charters are for businesses looking to get from A to B quickly. While it could take days for someone to travel commercially between specific destinations, if you charter a private jet, you can get to where you want to go quickly and hassle-free.

Paramount Business Jets works with all the FBOs at Teterboro and can arrange an aircraft to suit your requirements at the best price. To contact Paramount Business Jets, call +1-877-727-2538 anytime, night or day.

Photos: airbus777 via Flickr. Quist via Wikipedia Signature Aviation.