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Cornell University Cornell Brooks Public Policy

Getting to Ithaca

If you intend to fly to Ithaca, the region is serviced by two airports.

The local airport is Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport. It is serviced by Delta, American Airlines and United. Direct or connecting flights to Ithaca are possible from many major cities.

Car rentals are available from Avis, Budget and Hertz.

The airport is serviced by Ithaca Airline Limousine and by taxi.

The Syracuse Hancock International Airport is 60 miles from Cornell–a drive of about 90 minutes. Flights to this airport are more numerous and more frequent than direct flights to Ithaca. This airport is served by six airlines: Air Canada, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, Jet Blue and United.

The following companies offer transportation service from Syracuse to Ithaca (by reservation):
Century Transportation
Ithaca Airline Limousine

Driving Directions

From New York City metropolitan area

  1. Take the New York State Thruway (I-87) north to exit 16.
  2. Take Rt. 17 west to Binghamton and merge onto I-81.
  3. Follow directions from I-81 below.

From I-81 N–Points South and East

  1. Take Interstate 81 North to Exit 8 (Whitney Point).
  2. At the exit ramp, turn right at Rt. 26, then left at Rt. 11.
  3. Travel 2.3 miles and merge onto Rt. 79.
  4. Travel on Rt 79 for 26 miles.
  5. Turn right onto Pine Tree Rd., then travel 1.6 miles.
  6. Turn left at Rt. 366. Rt. 366 becomes Hoy Rd. as you enter the Cornell central campus. You will pass the parking garage on the right as you approach the traffic booth.
  7. Obtain your free visitor parking pass by telling the booth operator that you are a Johnson recruiter.
  8. Travel back from the booth to the parking garage and park in any visitor parking space on the first floor. Walk to Sage Hall-follow Hoy Rd. to Campus Rd. and make a right. Walk one block to the intersection of Campus Rd. and East Ave.

From the New England area

  1. Take I-90/New York State Thruway west to exit 25A and merge onto I-88.
  2. Take I-88 west to I-81 N (117 miles).
  3. Follow directions from I-81 above.

From points West

  1. Take the New York State Thruway (I-90) east to exit 42 (Geneva).
  2. Take Rt. 96 south to Ithaca.

From Syracuse and points North

  1. Take Interstate 81 south to Exit 12 (Homer/Cortland).
  2. Follow Rt. 281 to Rt. 13 south. Follow Rt. 13 south approximately 15 miles to the intersection with Warren Rd. Turn left onto Warren Rd. and follow directions from Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport below.
    1. As you leave the airport, turn right on Brown Road, then turn left at the light onto Warren Road. Continue straight through the light at Rt. 13, and stay on Warren Road, passing the Cornell golf course.
    2. At the next stop sign (after a brief downhill curve), turn left onto Forest Home Drive, which becomes Caldwell Road. Follow the road around a narrow curve, over a one-lane bridge, and up a steep hill to a traffic light at Rt. 366.
    3. Turn right on Rt. 366 (Dryden Road) and travel one mile. Rt. 366 becomes Hoy Road as you enter the central campus. You will pass the parking garage on the right as you approach the traffic booth.
    4. Obtain your free parking pass by telling the booth operator that you are a Johnson recruiter.
    5. Travel back from the booth to the parking garage and park in any visitor parking space on the first floor. Walk to Sage Hall-follow Hoy Rd. to Campus Rd. and make a right. Walk one block to the intersection of Campus Rd. and East Ave.