Northline Black Car
Frequently asked questions
Booking notice, free wait time, payment and card timing, cancellation and no-show windows, vehicles, child seats and pets — the questions whose answer is the same wherever you are going.
The four asked most, answered here
These four come up on almost every inquiry, so they are set out in full rather than folded away. Everything below them opens on a click.
How much free wait time do I get? 30 minutes on a domestic arrival and 1 hour on an international one, measured from the flight's arrival at the gate — or, if the flight cannot be tracked, from the booked pickup time. At a non-airport pickup it is 15 minutes, and on a private arrival 30 minutes domestic, 1 hour international. Past the free allowance, waiting is billed at the hourly rate for your vehicle class in one-minute increments, for the exact minutes waited, with no rounding. Free wait is a maximum, not a minimum: clear customs quickly and you leave quickly, with nothing charged for time you did not use. Delays, diversions and canceled flights are set out in the wait time and flight delay policy.
How far in advance do I need to book? Airport pickups from 15 minutes. Within the five boroughs from 15 minutes. Everywhere else from 1 hour. There is no limit on how far ahead you can book. See how booking works.
What is the cancellation policy? Sedans and SUVs are charged the full fare from 4 hours before pickup. Sprinter vans are charged from 24 hours before pickup: 50% of the fare up to 12 hours before pickup, then 100% of the fare. A no-show is charged in full 1 hour after the flight arrives at an airport or 30 minutes after the booked pickup time elsewhere, if we cannot reach you. Full detail on the cancellation policy.
Are tolls and gratuity included in the quoted fare? Tolls: are not included in the fare and are itemized in your quote. Gratuity: is not included and is entirely at your discretion. Payment methods are Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, or cash. The card is charged at the end of the trip, once the final amount is known.
Why this page is short. A question only lives here if the answer is the same on every page. "Where does my chauffeur meet me?" belongs on each airport page, because the answer differs. "Do you take American Express?" belongs here.
Booking
How far in advance do I need to book?
Airport pickups from 15 minutes. Within the five boroughs from 15 minutes. Everywhere else from 1 hour. There is no limit on how far ahead you can book.
Can I book by phone or text?
Phone and text both reach the same dispatch on (646) 222-4444. No hold is placed on the card at booking. See how booking works.
How quickly will you reply to an inquiry?
Form replies take about an hour. Anything time-critical is faster by phone or text on (646) 222-4444, where dispatch answers 24/7.
Payment
What payment methods do you accept?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, or cash. The card is charged at the end of the trip, once the final amount is known.
When is my card charged?
The card is charged at the end of the trip, once the final amount is known. No hold is placed on the card at booking.
Is gratuity included?
Gratuity is not included and is entirely at your discretion. Nothing is added automatically, and a gratuity line on the invoice can be set to zero.
Are tolls included in the quoted fare?
Tolls are not included in the fare and are itemized in your quote, so you see them before you book rather than afterwards.
Changes and cancellations
What is your cancellation policy?
Sedans and SUVs: the full fare from 4 hours before pickup. Sprinter vans, from 24 hours before pickup: 50% of the fare up to 12 hours before pickup, then 100% of the fare. Full detail on the cancellation policy.
What counts as a no-show?
Full fare applies 1 hour after the flight arrives at an airport, or 30 minutes after the booked pickup time elsewhere, if we cannot reach you by phone or text.
Wait time
How much free wait time do I get?
30 minutes on a domestic arrival, 1 hour on an international one, 30 minutes domestic, 1 hour international on a private arrival, and 15 minutes at a non-airport pickup. Beyond the free allowance, at the hourly rate for your vehicle class billed in one-minute increments, for the exact minutes waited, with no rounding. Full detail, including rail and cruise arrivals, on the wait time policy.
What is the free wait measured from — my booked time, or the landing?
From the flight's arrival at the gate, on any airport pickup we can track. If the flight cannot be tracked — no flight details supplied, or the aircraft is blocked from public tracking, which is common with private jets — the clock starts at the booked pickup time. At a non-airport pickup it starts at the booked time.
What happens if my flight is delayed?
The flight is tracked, and if it is running late and we know in good time, the pickup is adjusted. Free wait time is 30 minutes for domestic arrivals and 1 hour for international, measured from the flight's arrival at the gate — or, if the flight cannot be tracked, from the booked pickup time; beyond that, waiting is billed at the hourly rate for your vehicle class. A diversion or a change of flight number does need telling us: we rebook against the new flight and quote any difference before the car moves. If the flight is canceled outright, not charged; dispatch will contact you to reschedule, and if not, the booking is cancelled. See the wait time and flight delay policy.
Vehicles and extras
What vehicles do you have?
We run business sedans, luxury sedans, business SUVs, luxury SUVs and Sprinter vans.
Do you have child seats?
a booster is $10 a seat; a full seat is $30. Request one at the time of booking. Types stocked: a regular child seat and a booster seat.
Can I travel with a pet?
Pets are welcome when declared at booking, in a secure carrier or on the floor with suitable protection; pets over 25 pounds travel in an SUV or Sprinter van, no more than two animals per reservation, and a cleaning fee may apply.
Can I travel with a folding wheelchair or a service animal?
Can I smoke in the vehicle?
No. Smoking is not permitted in for-hire vehicles.
Corporate
Do you offer corporate accounts?
Yes. Account terms are agreed at setup — get in touch to discuss what your organization needs.
Still not answered?
If your question is specific to a route, an airport or a vehicle, it is probably answered on that page. If it is not, ask us directly — a real person reads it and replies within about an hour.
Sources: New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission base licensing rules, under which a for-hire base must hold a base license before it may accept or dispatch a trip · the prohibition on smoking in for-hire vehicles under New York State’s Clean Indoor Air Act, which covers public transportation vehicles, and TLC rules for licensed vehicles · Americans with Disabilities Act obligations on private transportation providers, including the requirement to carry service animals, and TLC accessibility requirements · gratuity, tolls and sales tax are sourced on the rates page. Everything else on this page — lead times, payment methods, cancellation windows, no-show windows, wait time and child seat charges — is Northline’s own policy.