New York John F. Kennedy International Airport

Official Languages: No official language at the federal level, English, Spanish commonly used in many areas

English is the main language used nationwide. Spanish is also commonly used in many states and cities, especially for services, signage, and hospitality.

Mobile Network: Mobile coverage is generally strong in cities, suburbs, and along major highways, with good 4G and widespread 5G in many populated areas. Coverage can drop significantly in mountains, deserts, forests, national parks, and other remote regions.

Roaming/SIM/eSIM: For short stays, roaming is convenient but can be expensive unless your home plan includes the United States. A local SIM can be cheaper for heavy data use, longer trips, or domestic calls, but setup may require an unlocked phone and identity checks in some cases. An eSIM is often the easiest option for compatible phones because it can be activated before arrival and avoids store visits. If you will travel outside big cities, compare networks for regional coverage, not just price.

Card acceptance is very widespread, including contactless payments in most cities, airports, hotels, chain stores, and many restaurants. Small cash amounts are still useful for tips, small businesses, parking meters in some areas, rural stops, and occasional card minimums.

Tipping is customary and often expected. In sit-down restaurants, visitors commonly leave 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, with more for excellent service. Bartenders commonly receive 1 to 2 USD per drink or about 15 to 20 percent on a tab. Taxi and rideshare tips are commonly around 10 to 15 percent. Hotel housekeeping is often tipped a few dollars per night, and porters commonly receive a few dollars per bag. Fast food, self-service, and retail tipping is less standard, though digital tip prompts are common.

Plug Type: Type A and Type B

Voltage: 120 V, 60 Hz

Adapter: Visitors from most of Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and many other countries usually need a plug adapter, and some devices may also need voltage compatibility. Many modern chargers support 100 to 240 V, but always check the label.