New York John F. Kennedy International Airport

Official Languages: English

English Became the Official Language at Federal Level by Executive Order in March 2025, and It Is What You Will Hear and Read Almost Everywhere. Spanish Is the Strong Second Language, Used by More than Forty Million People and Standard on Signage across the Southwest, Florida and the Big Cities

Mobile Network: Coverage Is Strong across Cities, Suburbs and Interstate Corridors, with 5G in Most Populated Areas and 4G Almost Everywhere Else. The 3G Networks Were Switched Off in 2022, so a Handset Older than Roughly 2018 May Not Connect at All. Signal Thins Fast in Mountains, Deserts and the Interiors of National Parks

Roaming/SIM/eSIM: An eSIM Is the Simplest Route for a Compatible Phone, Because It Activates before You Land with No Store Visit and No Identity Check. A Local Physical SIM Can Be Cheaper on a Long Stay but Usually Needs an Unlocked Handset. Roaming Is the Most Expensive Option Unless Your Home Plan Already Covers the United States. Whichever You Pick, Compare Coverage Maps Rather than Headline Prices If You Are Leaving the Big Cities

Cards and Contactless Payments Work Almost Everywhere, and a Growing Number of Stadiums, Cafes and Transit Systems Are Card-Only. Keep Twenty to Forty Dollars in Small Bills for Tips, Street Food and Parking Meters. The Shelf Price Is Not the Final Price — Sales Tax Is Added at the Register and Differs by State and by City

Tipping Is Expected Rather than Optional, and the Baseline Has Moved Up. 18 to 20 Percent of the Pre-Tax Bill Is Now Standard in a Sit-Down Restaurant, and 15 Percent Reads as a Complaint. Bartenders Take 1 to 2 Dollars a Drink, Taxi and Rideshare Drivers 10 to 15 Percent, Housekeeping a Few Dollars a Night, and Porters a Couple of Dollars a Bag. Tablet Prompts at Self-Service Counters Are Genuinely Optional

Plug Type: Type A and Type B

Voltage: 120 V, 60 Hz

Adapter: Visitors from Europe, the UK, Australia and Most of Asia Need a Plug Adapter. Phone and Laptop Chargers Are Almost Always Rated 100 to 240 V and Work as They Are, but a 230 V Hairdryer, Shaver or Travel Kettle Will Not — Check the Label before Packing It