Flights New York (JFK) - Lima (LIM)

About the flight from JFK to LIM

John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) is the sixth-busiest airport in the United States and the main route into North America from the rest of the world. JFK is in the Queens neighborhood of New York, and is 16 miles (27 km) southeast of Manhattan. Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) is Peru’s largest and busiest airport. It is not located in Lima itself, lying in the city of Calloa, which is 7 miles (11 km) away from the capital. 11 airlines provide flights New York (JFK) - Lima (LIM) and the flight is a long one, clocking in at 3,629 miles.

The vast majority of flights New York (JFK) - Lima (LIM) are stopover flights, with around 250 of these a week. These vary in length from 10 hours to 35 hours – most involving a layover in Mexico City (MEX). Direct flights New York (JFK) - Lima (LIM) go once a day with Latam Airlines. This flight takes seven hours and 46 minutes.

Public transportation, parking, and ride-shares at JFK and LIM

Getting to JFK from Manhattan is straightforward. The best option is either to take the Subway to Jamaica Station or to Howard Beach station. Once at either of these stations, it’s possible to board the JFK AirTrain, which takes passengers around the airport to all terminals. Taking the Long Island Railroad to Jamaica Station is the quickest option, but it’s also more expensive than taking the subway. There are short and long-term parking options at JFK.

To get from LIM to the city center, its best to get the dedicated Lima Airport Taxi service. This takes around half an hour (with light traffic) and costs around 15 USD (as of October 2019). It’s also possible to take the bus (which is really a minivan used for public transport), which takes between one and two hours. This is very cheap – costing less tahn a dollar (as of October 2019) – but there is no fixed timetable and it is quite cramped.

Practical information

There is no need to get a visa before traveling to Peru, as long as you are not intending to stay for more than 183 days, at which point one is required. It is necessary to carry your passport.

High season in Lima stretches from December to April. During this period temperatures in Lima hover around the 70's(°F) and 80's(°F), it is sunny, and there is little rain. New York for this period is mostly cold and rainy, with winter snows.

The currency in Lima is the Peruvian Sol. There is currently a good exchange rate to the dollar for the Sol, with one dollar being exchanged on average for around 3.4 Sol, which is available in all the usual denominations.

An international driver's license is not necessary to either drive or hire a car in Lima, unless you are staying for more than 30 days, but the legal driving age is different in Peru to the USA, at 18.

What to see in Lima

Visit the Iglesia de Santo Domingo

Best known for being the tomb of three saints: St. Martin de Porres, St. Rose of Lima and St. John Macias, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo is a beautiful set of religious buildings, including a small basilica and large convent. Building started in the 1530s and carried through right until 1766. Because of this lengthy building time, the buildings are a mixture of architectural styles, and are a major reason for the center of Lima being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you haven’t got lots of time, the Convent is the section to prioritize visiting.

Walk around the Plaza de Armes

A relic of the Spanish Empire, the Plaza de Armas was for a long time the center of colonial Lima, with its central bronze foundation erected four hundred years ago. None of the buildings that now stand in the square are original, but this is in a way what makes the place so interesting – it has architectural representatives from every period of modern Peru’s history.

Eat the food

Lima is known as a hub for fine cuisine, and one of the best ways to spend time there is by hopping between eateries. Some of the best are Central, a restaurant dedicated to reinventing traditional Andean food for the modern age, Maido, a Japanese-Peruvian establishment, and Astrid y Gastón Casa Moreyra, the flagship restaurant of Gastón Acurio. In terms of individual dishes, the must tries are ceviche (quickly marinated and un-cooked fish), Lomo Saltado, a stir-fried beef dish, and Aji de Gallina, a meal of shredded chicken in a thick creamy sauce.

Read more about Lima

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