Why Does the LGA Website Show Different Taxi Surcharges?

TLC's rules are right; the LaGuardia page is out of date. On October 12, 2026, the Port Authority's LaGuardia taxi page said taxi trips get a "$1.00 peak time surcharge" on weekdays 4–8 p.m. and a "$0.50 surcharge" from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Those were TLC's amounts before the fare rule TLC adopted on November 15, 2022. Under TLC Rule 58-26 today, the rush surcharge is $2.50, the overnight surcharge is $1.00, and there is a $5.00 surcharge on trips to and from LaGuardia, which the airport page doesn't mention.

TLC sets taxi fares by rule under the City Charter. The Port Authority runs the airport but does not set the meter. This page explains the difference. It is not legal advice.

LaGuardia page vs TLC rules, line by line

The surcharges also explain why the airport's estimated fares look low next to a real receipt. The page says its estimates leave out "tips, tolls, or Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) congestion pricing". For the actual add-ons on a Manhattan trip, see how much is a taxi from LaGuardia to Manhattan?

Where the old numbers come from

TLC's 2022 fare rule, adopted November 15, 2022, says: "The rush hour surcharge is increased from $1.00 to $2.50" and "The nighttime surcharge is increased from $0.50 to $1.00." The same rule created "a new surcharge of $5.00 ... for all taxi trips to and from LaGuardia Airport." So the LaGuardia page shows the surcharges from before that rule. Full history: NYC taxi fare history.

The JFK page has the same problem

The Port Authority's JFK taxi page says of the Manhattan flat fare: "There are no extra charges for these trips for peak times or night." But Rule 58-26(b)(1)(i) adds $5.00 to the $70 flat fare for trips beginning on a weekday after 4 p.m. and before 8 p.m. (not on legal holidays). There is no overnight surcharge on the flat fare, so that half is fine.

The JFK page's FAQ also says the flat fare comes with "a $1.75 airport access fee." The taxi access fee has been $2.00 since March 15, 2026 (Port Authority schedule; TLC fare page). The details are on the airport access fee page.

How to handle a passenger dispute

1. Stay calm and keep the meter running. Don't add or remove charges by hand. The meter is programmed with TLC's rates.
2. Show the source. Open TLC's Taxi Fare page on your phone. It lists the $2.50 rush, $1.00 overnight and $5.00 LaGuardia charges.
3. Point out the date. The airport page's $1.00 and 50-cent figures are the amounts from before TLC's November 2022 fare rule.
4. Give a receipt. If the passenger still disagrees, TLC's fare page tells passengers to file overcharge complaints with 311. A complaint can lead to a summons and a hearing, so keep your trip record.
5. If you get a summons, your defense is that you charged TLC's approved rates. Read passenger complaint summonses and overcharging rules.

Overcharging is serious: the first offense is $350 if you plead guilty before a hearing, $500 after, and $10 or more above the approved fare means revocation under 80-02(e)(1). That is why you should never "fix" the meter to match a website.

Related

Every taxi surcharge in one place: NYC taxi fare: every surcharge. Taking the LaGuardia taxi line: LaGuardia taxi line and dispatch. Green cabs pay the LaGuardia surcharge only one way: can green cabs charge the LaGuardia surcharge?. When LaGuardia pickups peak: airport pickups by hour. App drivers have a different airport rule: 80-19(f).

More: LaGuardia Airport, Manhattan and the airports topic.