Is New York Stewart International really The Perfect Airport?

Inexpensive domestic and international options—and a hassle-free approach to travel—is making this Orange County hub hotter than ever.

Agood friend of mine from New York City recently went on a glamorous work trip to Europe—his first experience with international travel since the covid pandemic—and when I asked him how it was, he summed it up like this: “Being there was fantastic, but getting there and back was the worst.”

Travel horror stories are nothing new these days, as endless delays, flight cancellations, agonizingly long lines and out of control restrictions—not to mention wildly expensive airfares, no matter how far in advance you book—are making traveling less and less appealing, especially from the greater New York area.

Maybe I was spoiled (or just plain lucky), but when I traveled every week all over the world while working for ATP Tour (men’s professional tennis) in the halcyon pre-pandemic days, I can’t remember any cancelled flight or serious snafus. But having heard one too many nightmare travel stores as of late, I realized something: I had totally closed myself off to the prospect of a quick, fun, spontaneous getaway to revisit some of my favorite European cities. Because just like my friend, I love the idea of being there, but hate the thought of getting there.

But I’m changing my tune thanks to the buzz I’m hearing about New York Stewart International Airport, which has been hiding in plain sight for years. Tucked away

By Mitch Rustad

in southern Hudson Valley—specifically in New Windsor, NY in Orange County—is a gem located just west of Newburgh, south of Kingston and southwest of Poughkeepsie, and approximately 60 miles north of Manhattan. Headline news? Stewart is fast becoming an ideal gateway for affordable, hassle-free flights to more than 20 major cities in Europe (keep reading).

“The biggest thing about Stewart is that it’s an international airport, and that’s so important for our region,” says Lisa Berger, Director of Ulster County Tourism & Office of Film. “People are finding that Stewart isn’t only easy to get in and out of, but also a nice jumping off point for their vacations. That expands the brand of the Hudson Valley and our ability to attract people enormously.”

Before we dive fully into Stewart’s everexpanding attributes, some quick history: Stewart was developed in the 1930s as a military base to allow West Point cadets to learn aviation. Though it closed as a US Air Force base in the 1970s, it continues to be used as a military airfield, housing the 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard. In 2018, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey rebranded the airport as New York Stewart International Airport to emphasize its proximity to New York City.

Today, Stewart has become a serious option for budget-conscious travelers hungry to shake off post-pandemic blues. The recent launch of Iceland-based PLAY airlines— Europe’s newest low-cost carrier, which debuted its inaugural flight between Stewart and Reykjavík (the airline’s hub and Iceland’s capital city) June 2022—has already been a game changer. While the airline originally offered flights four or five days per week when it commenced, that number is already expanding. “PLAY recently