Teterboro Airport (TEB): The Private Flyer's Guide
Teterboro is the New Jersey airport most private flights from New York actually leave from: about 12 miles from Midtown, built for business jets, with four FBOs and its own customs office. Here is how it works, what the rules are and what to ask before you book.
Teterboro (TEB) at a glance
- 12 minorth-northwest of Midtown Manhattan, in Bergen County, New Jersey (Wikipedia).
- 7,000 ftis the longer of its two runways (01/19); the other, 06/24, is 6,013 ft (Wikipedia).
- 100,000 lbaircraft weight limit, in place since 1977, which effectively rules out airline service (Wikipedia).
- 4 FBOsare listed at Teterboro: Atlantic Aviation, Jet Aviation, Meridian (Signature Aviation) and Signature Flight Support (ACE FBO directory).
- 11 pm–6 amis a voluntary restraint on non-essential operations, not a mandatory curfew (Port Authority of NY & NJ).
- 2 hrsis the minimum notice CBP asks for before an international flight departs for Teterboro (CBP fact sheet).
The short version
Teterboro has no airline service, four private terminals (FBOs) and a customs office on the field. The trade-offs are noise rules and a weight limit that excludes the very largest jets. Your operator usually picks the FBO; you mostly need to know where to go, what time to arrive and what to ask before you book.
Where it is and who runs it
Teterboro Airport sits in the boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie and Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County, New Jersey, about 12 miles north-northwest of Midtown Manhattan (Wikipedia). It is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and operated by AFCO AvPORTS Management. Wikipedia describes it as the oldest operating airport in the New York City area: Walter C. Teter acquired the property in 1917, and the Port Authority took full operational responsibility on 1 December 2000.
The airport is busy even by general-aviation standards. Wikipedia lists 173,625 aircraft operations in 2019 and 86,465 in 2020, when the pandemic cut traffic roughly in half. That volume is one reason the noise rules below exist.
Runways and the 100,000-pound limit
Teterboro has two asphalt runways: 01/19 at 7,000 feet and 06/24 at 6,013 feet. Since 1977, aircraft over 100,000 pounds cannot take off from the airport, which effectively bans commercial airline service; a 2003 federal bill codified the ban, citing excessive noise in the surrounding residential areas (Wikipedia). Almost every business jet is far below that figure. The exceptions are the very largest ultra-long-range types, which is why a quote for one of them may name another airport. We cover that, with manufacturer weights, in our guide Light vs Midsize vs Heavy Jet.
Four private terminals, 12 miles from Midtown
Teterboro has four FBOs (ACE FBO directory) and a customs office on the field, and no airline traffic. See live whole-jet prices and empty-leg deals from the New York airports for your dates.
The FBOs: where you actually arrive
A private flyer never walks through a terminal. An FBO (fixed-base operator) is the private terminal, ramp service and hangar company that meets your aircraft. An FBO directory lists four at Teterboro, all shown as open around the clock: Atlantic Aviation, Jet Aviation, Meridian (Signature Aviation) and Signature Flight Support. CBP’s fact sheet also shows the field divided into a north side, where customs uses Hangar 1, and a south side, where it uses the Jet Aviation facility.
Brands and ownership change, and Signature and Meridian are shown as separate entries in the directory we used, so treat the names as a starting point and confirm with your operator. In practice the operator or broker chooses the FBO as part of the trip. What it changes for you is the side of the field you arrive on, the lounge and the ride in or out. Ask your quote provider which FBO your aircraft will use, and where the car should meet you.
Noise rules and the “curfew”
Some websites call Teterboro’s quiet hours a curfew. The Port Authority’s own noise office describes something softer: a voluntary restraint of all non-essential aircraft operations between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., with operators who do not comply receiving a letter reminding them that only essential flights should operate then. There is also a mandatory departure noise limit on Runway 24 of 80 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and 90 dB(A) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Port Authority also runs a voluntary Fly Quiet program that encourages operators to follow noise-abatement procedures.
A late-evening or early-morning departure is not forbidden, but it is the kind of flight the voluntary restraint is aimed at, so ask your operator whether your timing is a problem. This is our reading of the Port Authority’s wording, not a rule on its own.
Customs and international flights
Teterboro has an on-site U.S. Customs and Border Protection office for general aviation. According to CBP’s fact sheet for the airport, clearance services run seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. under permission-to-land procedures, and the pilot must contact CBP at least 2 hours before departing the foreign airport, with a tolerance of 30 minutes either way on the estimated arrival time. Teterboro processes passenger flights only, and CBP must be told in advance about live animals, weapons, hunting trophies or commercial imports. Passengers carry passports and visas as usual; your operator handles the paperwork.
If you are planning to fly out of the country, outbound arrangements go through CBP directly for commercial operators, and your charter company will manage this. The practical point is timing: a late-night arrival from abroad can fall outside the hours above.
Practical tips before you book
A short checklist
- Ask which airport is quoted. Most New York quotes name Teterboro, but a heavy jet or a particular operator may use another field. Our New York private-jet hub guide covers the options.
- Ask which FBO and which side. It decides where the car meets you.
- Mention late or early times. The voluntary quiet hours run 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- For international trips, check customs hours. Clearance is listed until 11:15 p.m.
- Bring the luggage list. See flying private with pets, skis and extra luggage.
For where flights from Teterboro go next, see our route guides to Palm Beach and Miami, and How Much Does a Private Jet Cost? for how whole-jet pricing works. If your dates are flexible, look at empty-leg flights from New York too.
How this guide was built
Location, runway lengths, the weight limit, ownership and operations counts come from Wikipedia’s Teterboro Airport article. The voluntary quiet hours and the Runway 24 noise limits are from the Port Authority’s Teterboro noise office page, and the customs hours and notice rules from CBP’s general-aviation fact sheet for Teterboro (February 2024 edition). The FBO list comes from the ACE FBO directory and may lag ownership changes. The tips and the reading of the noise rules are ours, not cited rules. We do not state charter prices because they change with date and demand; live prices on NY Jet Desk are provided by Villiers.
Sources
- Teterboro Airport — Wikipedia (location, runways, weight limit, ownership, operations).
- TEB Airport Noise Office — Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (voluntary restraint, Runway 24 limits, Fly Quiet).
- KTEB GA Airport Fact Sheet — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (customs hours, notice, arrival points).
- FBOs at Teterboro Airport — ACE FBO directory (FBO names, 24-hour listing).
Retrieved October 2026. Rules, hours and FBO brands change; confirm with your operator before you fly.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Teterboro Airport and how far is it from Manhattan?
Teterboro Airport is in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the boroughs of Teterboro, Moonachie and Hasbrouck Heights. Wikipedia puts it about 12 miles north-northwest of Midtown Manhattan. It is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and operated by AFCO AvPORTS Management.
Why can't airlines fly from Teterboro?
Aircraft above 100,000 pounds cannot take off from Teterboro, a limit in place since 1977 that effectively bans scheduled airline service. A 2003 federal bill codified the weight ban, citing excessive noise in the surrounding residential areas (Wikipedia). Business jets are well under the limit, with the very largest ultra-long-range types as the exception.
Does Teterboro have a curfew?
Not a mandatory one. The Port Authority describes a voluntary restraint on all non-essential aircraft operations between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., and a separate mandatory departure noise limit on Runway 24 of 80 dB(A) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and 90 dB(A) at other times. Some third-party sites call the quiet hours a curfew, but the Port Authority's own wording is voluntary.
Can I clear U.S. customs at Teterboro?
Yes. U.S. Customs and Border Protection runs a general-aviation facility at Teterboro for passenger flights. CBP's fact sheet lists clearance services 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. under permission-to-land procedures, with permission requested at least 2 hours before departure from the foreign airport. Your operator arranges this, and a late-night arrival from abroad may need to land elsewhere.
Which FBO should I use at Teterboro?
You rarely have to decide: the operator or broker usually arranges the FBO as part of the trip, and the choice mostly affects which side of the field you arrive on and the lounge or ramp services. A directory lists four FBOs at Teterboro, Atlantic Aviation, Jet Aviation, Meridian (Signature Aviation) and Signature Flight Support, all shown as open 24 hours. Ask your quote provider which one your aircraft will use.
Planning a flight from Teterboro?
Get a free live estimate for your dates, or browse today’s empty legs. No obligation.
Part of the NY Jet Desk guides — data and route guides for flying private from New York. See also the hub: Private Jet Flying from New York: The 2025 Numbers.