US trip planning 2026: the ESTA fee changes on 16 October, plus getting in from JFK and LAX
Only two things on a United States trip genuinely have to be dealt with early: the ESTA and your passport specification. Get either wrong and you will not board. The ESTA fee also happens to be changing this month. Everything after that depends on where you land, because New York and Los Angeles work very differently.
Before you fly to the US: ESTA and passport requirements
Taiwan’s Bureau of Consular Affairs lists the United States and its territories as visa-free for 90 days, counted from the day of entry and conditional on an approved ESTA. Taiwan also appears in the State Department’s Visa Waiver Program list.
- Passport: the State Department requires an e-passport, valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure from the United States.
- ESTA validity: CBP states approvals are typically granted for two years or until the passport expires, whichever is sooner. A new passport invalidates the old authorisation.
- When to apply: CBP’s answer is at any time, but preferably as soon as you begin planning the trip.
- Scope: VWP travellers arriving by air or sea need an approved ESTA, and CBP’s FAQ states that land arrivals also require prior authorisation.
- Official site: esta.cbp.dhs.gov, and nowhere else.
The fee changes this month. The Federal Register notice of 1 October 2026 sets the FY2027 rate: from 16 October 2026 the ESTA fee is US$40.62, against US$40.27 before that, with US$10.62 charged to applicants who are not approved. If your plans are already firm, filing before the 16th saves a little; do not rush an application with unverified passport details to save 35 cents. Our ESTA walkthrough has the steps.
From the airport into town: JFK and LAX
JFK to Manhattan: published fares and how to pay
| Route | Published total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AirTrain plus subway | US$11.75 | Includes the AirTrain fare; the subway alone is US$3 |
| AirTrain plus LIRR | US$16 peak, US$14 off-peak | Reaches Penn Station, Grand Central and Atlantic Terminal |
| AirTrain alone | US$8.75 | Free for under-fives; travel between terminals is free and under ten minutes |
AirTrain connects Jamaica Station and Howard Beach Station, and you can pay with a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or an OMNY card. A group ticket is US$8.75 for the first traveller and US$4.50 for each of up to four more. OMNY also caps AirTrain at US$43.50 over a rolling 30 days, after which the rest of the period is free, which matters more for long stays than short trips.
LAX into the city: the transit centre that opened in 2025
Los Angeles has changed the most recently. The LAX/Metro Transit Center station opened on 6 June 2025, connecting Metro’s C and K rail lines, six Metro bus lines and eight municipal bus lines.
- Reaching the terminals: a free, frequent shuttle runs from Bus Bays 1 and 2 at the transit centre to all LAX terminals; LA Metro states the airport is providing shuttles every ten minutes until the Automated People Mover opens.
- Metro fares: US$1.75 one way, with free transfers within two hours when you tap.
- FlyAway bus: between LAX and Union Station or Van Nuys, US$12.75 one way. The Hollywood and Long Beach routes are discontinued.
- Between terminals: free airport shuttles, from the pink LAX Shuttle signs on the lower arrivals level.
LAWA published a 2024 release saying the Automated People Mover was expected to begin service in January 2026, but as of the date checked there is no official opening announcement on its site, and the airport’s ground transport page still lists only the free shuttle. Check the airport’s own page again close to arrival.
Transit cards: OMNY in New York, TAP in Los Angeles
| City | Card | Card fee | Fares and caps |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | OMNY, or tap a contactless bank card | US$1 for a physical card | US$3 per subway or local bus ride; free for the rest of the week after 12 taps, or after US$35 on subways and local buses, or US$67 including express buses |
| Los Angeles | TAP | US$2 | Metro US$1.75 one way; capped at US$5 a day and US$18 a week |
MetroCard is being retired: the MTA published 31 December 2025 as the final sales date, with cards still accepted into 2026 and a final acceptance date to be announced. For a short trip, tapping a contactless card is simplest. Whether the US$2 TAP card fee is refundable is not stated on the official page.
Getting online in the US: eSIM, local SIM or roaming
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| eSIM | Leisure, business and multi-state trips | Install over Wi-Fi before you fly, then turn on data roaming |
| Local SIM | Long stays needing a US number | Store hours and the language barrier; no official rule found on registration |
| International roaming | Transits and very short stays | Higher rates; check the daily cap |
| Hotel and cafe Wi-Fi | In the room and over a meal | No help navigating a rental car, buying a subway fare or hailing a ride |
Data needs here differ from an Asian city trip: driving and crossing states is far more common, so navigation runs all day, and national parks and interstate stretches have genuine coverage gaps. Saving the route offline before a long drive is the practical backup.
- ・Covers New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the national park routes
- ・Pick data and days to match the trip; no physical SIM, no store visit
- ・Refundable if the signal is unstable or the plan goes completely unused
What a day of data in the US looks like
| What you are doing | Rough daily use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation on a full driving day | 500 MB and up | The biggest draw on a multi-state or national park trip |
| Subway and bus lookups | 100–250 MB | Only heavy in a city with a full network, like New York |
| Social feeds and stories | 300–600 MB | Driven by how much video you watch |
| Photo and short video uploads | 400 MB and up | Landscapes and city nights push this up |
| Bookings, tickets and opening hours | 100–200 MB | Restaurant reservations and digital attraction tickets |
A city-only trip runs around 1GB a day; for a driving route, take a tier higher or go unlimited. See how unlimited plans handle fair use.
A pre-departure checklist for the United States
- ・No physical SIM to swap, installed before you leave home
- ・Delivered in about 10 minutes, with no store to find
- ・Refundable if the signal is unstable or the plan goes unused
Support 10:00–17:00 (UTC+8), LINE @peanutmo
United States trip FAQ
What does ESTA cost?
US$40.62 from 16 October 2026, and US$40.27 before that; applicants who are not approved pay only US$10.62. These are the FY2027 rates published in the U.S. Federal Register on 1 October 2026. The only official site is esta.cbp.dhs.gov; sites charging more are not official channels.
How long is an approved ESTA valid?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection states that an ESTA approval is typically granted for two years or until the applicant's passport expires, whichever comes sooner. Renew your passport and the old authorisation lapses, so you apply again.
How long can Taiwan passport holders stay?
Taiwan's Bureau of Consular Affairs lists the United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands as visa-free for 90 days, counted from the day of entry and conditional on an approved ESTA. The U.S. Department of State also lists Taiwan in the Visa Waiver Program.
What are the passport requirements?
The State Department requires an e-passport to use the VWP, valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure from the United States. Both conditions apply.
What is the cheapest way from JFK into Manhattan?
Per the MTA: the subway route totals US$11.75 including the AirTrain fare, of which the subway itself is US$3; the LIRR route totals US$16 at peak or US$14 off-peak and reaches Penn Station, Grand Central and Atlantic Terminal. AirTrain alone is US$8.75 one way, and travel between terminals is free and takes under ten minutes. You can pay with a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or an OMNY card.
Does buying a SIM in the United States require registration?
We could not find any federal rule requiring real-name registration or a passport to buy an ordinary SIM, and equally could not find an official statement saying none is required, so we are not drawing a conclusion. Installing an eSIM before you fly removes the question.
Related reading
How the US plans compare and how to install one.
The steps, the validity and the usual reasons applications are refused.
Worth reading before a long driving route.
Match your habits to the table and the tier becomes obvious.
