For anyone who is eligible for reduced fare on NYC transit systems - including those age 65 and over and those with a qualifying disability - I have written a guide on how to access ½ price discounted fares. The normal fare is $3, and the discounted fare is $1.50. All data is per the MTA website: https://www.mta.info/fares-tolls/subway-bus/reduced-fare 
 

Who qualifies for the Reduced-Fare program?

Any person aged 65 or over, or any person with a qualifying disability:

•     Receiving Medicare benefits for any reason other than age
•     Serious mental illness and receiving Supplemental Security Income
•     Blindness
•     Deafness or hearing loss
•     Ambulatory disability
•     Cognitive disability
•     Other physical disability

There is no reduced-fare program for students/children. However, children under 44" tall ride free on subways.

You must apply for reduced fares either in-person after you arrive, or by mail in advance. There is no online application option as of this writing.
New York has used a variety of fare-collection methods over the decades. The current iteration that will be in use May 2026 is the OMNY (One Metro New York) Card: https://omny.info
It is very similar to Spokane Transit Authority's Connect Card, if you are familiar with that. The OMNY card has now replaced the prior MetroCard.  Both regular customers and reduced-fare can use the OMNY card to pay fares.
 

Reduced Fare ID requirements

In all cases, you will need an ID card to apply. The following accepted forms of photo ID are relevant to our group:

•     Valid driver's license (or legal equivalent) from any state
•     Valid passport from any country
•     Birth certificate + photo ID
•     Medicare card + photo ID
•     Valid state photo ID

[As a side note, all airline travel in the US now requires a valid form of Real ID. For more info, see: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification ]
 

Applying In-Person

To apply in-person, you must visit -- once you arrive -- one of the MTA customer service centers, which are open 24/7. These are present near all the major airports and railroad hubs. Be sure to brig your accepted ID with you. For more info, see: https://www.mta.info/contact-us/customer-service-centers 

• JFK: Take the AirTrain from JFK to the Jamaica-179 St station. A customer service center is located there. (The AirTrain portion itself does not offer a reduced fare; all passengers leaving the airport are charged the standard $8.50 fare.)
• La Guardia: Take the free bus route LGALink Q70 to the Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av station. A customer service center is located there. Enter at Roosevelt Av and 75 St.
• Newark: Take the AirTrain from the airport to the mainline train station. From there, take a train to New York Penn Station, a customer service center is located there. There are multiple train options from Newark to NY Penn, including NJ Trainsit Rail and Amtrak. If you buy a train ticket from NJ Transit or Amtrak, then the AirTrain fare is included, else the AirTrain has $8.50 fare for all passengers leaving the airport.
• Penn Station: On-site at 34 St-Penn Station | Enter at 33 St and 7 Av
• Grand Central Terminal: On-site at Grand Central-42 St | Enter at 42 St and Park Av
• Hilton Midtown hotel where we'll be staying: While none are immediately adjacent, two options within 15m walk include going south to Times Square or north to Columbus Circle:
  • Times Sq-42 St. Enter at 42 St and 7 Av.
  • 59 St-Columbus Circle. Enter at 58 St and 8 Av.

Applying by Mail

To apply by mail, collect ALL of the following documents in an envelope and mail it to the address listed below:

1. Download and complete an application.

    For people 65 and older: https://www.mta.info/document/28261 
    For people with disabilities: https://www.mta.info/document/28266 

2. Include a passport-style photo. It should be 2 inches by 1.5 inches.

3. Include a copy of a valid ID as proof of age. Accepted forms of ID are listed above.

4. For riders with disabilities, include documentation of a qualifying disability. A list is on page 5 of the application. An examiner will review this and may contact you for more information.

5. Mail your application and documents to the address below -- ensure plenty of time to spare before our trip, as New York MTA may take their time getting it back to you (quote: "new customers who apply by mail may experience longer processing times of up to three months before receiving a Reduced-Fare OMNY Card"):

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Once you have it in hand, you must load money on your Reduced-Fare OMNY Card before you can use it. You can load money using cash, credit, or debit. There are a few ways to do it:

•     Use an OMNY vending machine at a subway station.
•     Add value or set up automatic refills with a free online account.
•     Visit a store that reloads OMNY Cards.
•     Call the OMNY Call Center at 877-789-6669.

You can check your card balance by tapping your card at an OMNY vending machine. You can log in to your free OMNY account online to check your card balance.

If this all seems like too much of a hassle, you can of course just pay regular fare with a standard OMNY card. Automated vending machines across NYC allow riders to pay with cash, card, or mobile wallet to obtain a card which can be used to pay fares without a special application process, but you will not be able to take advantage of the ½ price fares.

Hope this is helpful!

Iain Fisher