Group Pickup & Drop-Off at Lehigh Valley (ABE), Philadelphia (PHL), Newark Liberty (EWR) & Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AVP)
Flying in or out of eastern Pennsylvania with a crowd can get complicated fast. Between construction bottlenecks on US-22 and I-78, strict commercial curb rules at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), and long highway transfers from major international hubs like Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), moving dozens of travelers and their suitcases from the baggage carousel to your hotel takes a real game plan. That’s where Allentown
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Call (412) 550-4942 for Airport Shuttle Buses in Allentown
Key Takeaways
- At Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), charter buses drop departing passengers off and pick arriving groups up along the Main Terminal commercial curb off Airport Road (PA-987).
- Pennsylvania state law (Act 124) strictly limits commercial diesel vehicle idling to 5 minutes in any 60-minute period, so always gather your entire group and all checked luggage before calling your driver to the curb.
- At Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), departing groups unload on the Upper/Departures roadway, while arriving charter bus groups board at Zone 8 on the South Commercial Roadway outside Baggage Claim.
- At Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), charter buses use dedicated outer commercial lanes at Terminals A, B, and C, and oversized vehicles cannot enter the passenger Cell Phone Lot.
- At Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), buses load and unload along the single-level Joseph M. McDade Terminal curb off Terminal Road (Exit 178 off I-81).
Tips for Allentown, Pennsylvania Airport Travel with Groups
Keep these pro tips in mind when booking an Allentown airport charter bus rental for groups flying through ABE, PHL, EWR, or AVP:
Before travel day, check each airport’s official ground transportation page for real-time roadway and terminal updates:
- Follow Pennsylvania’s 5-minute anti-idling law: Airport police at ABE and PHL, along with Port Authority officers at EWR, actively ticket commercial vehicles that wait at the curb. Both Pennsylvania Act 124 and New Jersey law restrict commercial engine idling to 5 minutes (or 3 minutes in NJ). Have your driver wait in the designated holding area until every traveler has claimed their bags and is ready to step straight onto the bus.
- Plan for US-22, I-78 & I-476 (NE Extension) traffic: Rush-hour bottlenecks on US-22 between the PA-145 (MacArthur Road) and Airport Road (PA-987) interchanges, warehouse truck traffic along I-78, and toll plaza backups on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476) toward PHL can add 30 to 45 minutes to your transfer. Build extra buffer time into your departure schedule, especially on weekday mornings (6:30–9:00 a.m.) and afternoons (3:30–6:30 p.m.).
- Share your airline and flight number when booking: Give your flight details when you reserve your vehicle so your provider can monitor early arrivals or delays in real time. After you book online through the national booking platform, a dedicated confirmation department calls you directly to verify every pickup, drop-off, and terminal stop on your itinerary!
- Match your bus size to your luggage count: Traveling with heavy checked suitcases, trade show displays for the Agri-Plex at Allentown Fairgrounds, or college athletic gear? A full-size 56-passenger charter bus gives you massive undercarriage luggage bays plus overhead racks. Smaller 18-passenger minibuses, 25-passenger minibuses, and 35-passenger minibuses offer overhead or rear storage only, so mention your bag count when requesting your quote.
- Ask about one-way & below-minimum airport transfers: Standard online bus rentals often carry a 2- to 5-hour windows, which is more time than you need for a quick 15-minute hop from ABE to Downtown Allentown. Call the live support team 365 days a year at (412) 550-4942 to ask about less time, one-way transfers, split-time packages, and exclusive phone-only discounts!
- Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) parking and transportation
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) ground transportation
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) ground transportation
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) ground transportation
Know Before You Go: Charter Bus Guidelines at Allentown, Pennsylvania-Area Airports
Every commercial charter bus, minibus, party bus, and sprinter van operating at Pennsylvania and New Jersey airports must follow airport authority and state regulations. Review this quick-reference chart so your group pickup runs like clockwork:
| Airport | Departures Drop-Off | Arrivals Pickup | Commercial Staging Area | Curb Waiting Allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABE (Lehigh Valley International) | Main Terminal commercial curb (outer lane off Airport Rd) | Main Terminal Arrivals outer commercial bus lane | Cell Phone Waiting Lot (off Airport Rd) or overflow surface lot | No (Active loading only; PA 5-min idle limit) |
| PHL (Philadelphia International) | Upper/Departures Roadway curbside at Terminals A-West through F | South Commercial Roadway at Zone 8 (outside Baggage Claim) | Off-site commercial holding / I-95 staging (No buses in Cell Phone Lot) | No (Drivers must stay with vehicle at all times) |
| EWR (Newark Liberty International) | Upper Departures Level outer curb at Terminals A, B & C | Lower Arrivals Level outer commercial bus lanes (Terminals A, B & C) | Off-site commercial staging off US-1/9 & Haynes Ave | No (Port Authority strictly enforces 3-min NJ idle rule) |
| AVP (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) | Joseph M. McDade Terminal main curb (Level 1) | Main Terminal Ground Transportation commercial curb | Cell Phone Waiting Lot on Terminal Rd or surface overflow lot | No (Active loading and unloading only) |
Charter Bus Guide to Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE)
In Hanover Township just four miles northeast of center city Allentown at 3311 Airport Rd, Allentown, PA 18109, Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) serves as the primary commercial gateway for Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. Because ABE features a compact Main Terminal connected to the Wilfred M. "Wiley" Post Jr. Concourse via an underground TSA security connector, group arrivals and departures move much faster here than at big-city hubs. Whether you are flying in a corporate team, a college athletics roster, or wedding guests, your bus can pull right up to the terminal loop without fighting multi-level garage ramps. Knowing how the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority manages commercial curb space keeps your whole group moving on schedule.
Major Roadways to ABE
Your driver can reach the ABE terminal loop directly via US-22 by taking the Airport Road North (PA-987) exit straight into the main entrance. Groups traveling from wider regional corridors connect easily from I-78, PA-33, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476).
Charter Bus Drop-Off for Departures
For departures at ABE, your charter bus pulls onto the Main Terminal loop road and unloads along the designated outer commercial curb directly in front of the ticketing lobby. Have your passengers keep their boarding passes handy and step off together so your driver can unload the undercarriage luggage bays within Pennsylvania’s 5-minute active loading window. If your group is departing on the Landline motorcoach service to PHL or EWR, your private shuttle can also drop everyone off right near the Main Terminal check-in counters.
Charter Bus Pickup for Arrivals
Arriving groups exit the lower-level underground concourse tunnel straight into the Main Terminal Baggage Claim area on Level 1. Once every suitcase is off the carousel, walk through the glass sliding doors to the outer commercial bus lane where your driver will pull up for curbside boarding.
Staging & Waiting Rules (How to Call Your Bus)
Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority police prohibit charter buses and minibuses from parking or idling unattended along the Main Terminal curb. While your flight lands and your group collects its checked bags, your driver will stage in the ABE Cell Phone Waiting Lot just off the main Airport Road entrance or in the designated surface overflow area near Lehigh Valley Aviation Services. Do not call your driver to the curb until your entire headcount is assembled with all luggage in hand. Once you text or call, your bus will roll up to the terminal curb in under three minutes.
Recommended Meeting Point
Have your entire group gather inside the Main Terminal Baggage Claim lobby near the visitor information desk and rental car counters. Waiting indoors keeps everyone comfortable during chilly Pennsylvania winters and keeps the exterior sidewalk clear. Once the last bag arrives, step out the main doors together to meet your bus.
Charter Bus Guide to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
From Allentown, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) at 8000 Essington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19153 sits about 65 miles south via the PA Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476 South) and I-95 South. Many Lehigh Valley groups book a long-distance charter bus in Allentown to PHL for direct international flights and coast-to-coast departures.
Pickup & Drop-Off at PHL
Departing charter buses drop passengers off along the Upper/Departures Roadway directly outside your airline’s terminal (Terminals A-West, A-East, B, C, D, E, or F). For arrivals, PHL strictly prohibits charter buses from using the standard passenger car pickup lanes; instead, your group must exit Baggage Claim on Level 1 and cross to the South Commercial Roadway at Zone 8 (Charter Buses). Because PHL’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot off Island Avenue does not permit full-size commercial buses, your driver will stage off-site along the Essington Avenue / I-95 corridor until you call that your group is waiting at Zone 8.
Common Itineraries from PHL
After loading at PHL’s Zone 8 commercial island, groups typically ride north up I-476 for 75 to 90 minutes straight to Downtown Allentown venues like the PPL Center and the Renaissance Allentown Hotel. We also run direct airport transfers from PHL to college campuses including Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College, and Lehigh University in neighboring Bethlehem. If your group has extra time before hotel check-in, your driver can easily route through the Promenade Saucon Valley in Center Valley for a group lunch stop!
Charter Bus Guide to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) & Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
Compare bus types in one search to keep your entire travel party together on one schedule.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Located about 75 miles east of Allentown straight down I-78 East at 3 Brewster Rd, Newark, NJ 07114, EWR is the top choice for Lehigh Valley corporate teams, student travel groups, and tour groups taking international flights. Charter buses drop departing passengers off on the upper Departures level curb at Terminal A, Terminal B, or Terminal C. For arrivals, groups meet their bus on the lower Arrivals level along the designated outer commercial bus islands—and because Port Authority rules ban oversized buses from the EWR Cell Phone Lot, your driver stages off-site near US-1/9 and Haynes Avenue until everyone has cleared customs and baggage claim. Keep New Jersey’s strict 3-minute commercial anti-idling limit in mind so your group boards promptly once the bus pulls up!
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP)
Situated about 55 miles north of Allentown via I-476 North and I-81 North (Exit 178) at 100 Terminal Rd, Avoca, PA 18641, AVP is an easy regional alternative for groups splitting time between the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. All commercial flights operate out of the modern, single-level Joseph M. McDade Terminal, making group navigation a breeze with no sprawling terminal trains required. Your charter bus or minibus loads and unloads right along the main Terminal Road commercial curb just steps from the baggage claim carousels. Drivers wait in the free AVP Cell Phone Lot on Terminal Road and pull up to the curb in less than two minutes once your group is ready to roll.
