The Costume Institute Benefit, better known as the Met Gala, takes place every year on the first Monday in May at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue and marks the opening of The Costume Institute's spring exhibition, according to the Met. In 2027, the first Monday in May falls on May 3; the museum confirms the date and theme closer to the time. The benefit is the Costume Institute's main source of funding, and guests come from fashion, film, society, sports, business and music.
The gala is invitation-only, but the transport around it is a large operation: guests, their stylists and glam teams, designers and their staff, hosts of tables and the parties that follow. Elly8.net books that side of the night at fixed New York prices, with First Class sedans and SUVs by the hour, Sprinters for teams, and airport and Teterboro pickups in the days before. The desk works 24/7 and can sign an NDA on request.
How does car service to the Met Gala work?
Your chauffeur collects you from your hotel or home on a schedule worked back from your arrival time at the Met, joins the controlled approach to the museum on Fifth Avenue, and drops you where the organisers direct. The car then waits nearby by the hour and collects you at an agreed point for the after-party and the ride home.
The night runs on timing. Hosts and teams usually know when each guest should arrive, and the streets around the museum are controlled on the night, with a security perimeter and closures announced by the city. A car ordered on an app cannot join that approach on a schedule, and finding one afterwards on the Upper East Side, in formal dress, is not how the evening should end.
See New York prices and reserve
Where the Met is, and how far from everything
The Met Fifth Avenue is at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, on the edge of Central Park on the Upper East Side. Midtown Manhattan, where many guests stay, is about 2.5 miles (4 km) away, around 8 minutes on a clear road, and much longer on a Monday evening in May.
| From | To the Met (by road) | Clear-road time | Elly8.net fixed fare to Midtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midtown Manhattan | about 2.5 mi (4 km) | about 8 min | by the hour from US$105 an hour |
| LaGuardia (LGA) | about 8.5 mi (14 km) | about 20 min | from US$145 to US$380 |
| Teterboro (TEB) | about 14 mi (22 km) | about 27 min | from US$170 to US$445 |
| JFK | about 18.4 mi (30 km) | about 34 min | from US$210 to US$550 |
| Newark (EWR) | about 18.6 mi (30 km) | about 39 min | from US$215 to US$560 |
The fixed airport fares on the price list are to Midtown Manhattan. For a hotel or residence elsewhere, enter the address in the web booker for a fixed quote.
Before the gala: arrivals, fittings and the guest's week
Many guests arrive days early for fittings and rehearsals. The chauffeur tracks every flight and meets you inside arrivals with a name board at JFK, LaGuardia or Newark, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing; JFK publishes its terminal and ground transportation information online. Private-aviation guests usually land at Teterboro; give the desk the tail number and FBO and the chauffeur meets you there. See JFK and New York airport transfers and private jet and FBO car service.
Through the week, a car by the hour handles the fittings, showroom visits, beauty appointments and dinners without a new booking each time. New York hourly rates run from US$105 an hour in a business sedan to US$210 an hour in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum. A full-day chauffeur (8 hours) runs from US$775 to US$1,550.
Gala night: the timeline
Getting ready. Hair, make-up and dressing often happen at the hotel. If a stylist team needs to move between two hotels or a studio, a Sprinter or a second car saves the principal's car for the gala itself.
Departure. The desk works back from your arrival time: the controlled approach to the museum takes longer than the distance suggests. The chauffeur arrives early, stages near the hotel, and leaves on the agreed minute. If the host's team sends instructions, a drop-off point or vehicle details for an access list, forward them; the chauffeur's name and vehicle details are sent with your confirmation in advance.
Drop-off. The chauffeur follows police and security instructions at the perimeter and drops you where the organisers direct. Gowns with trains need space and time at the door, so we recommend a First Class sedan or SUV with a wide rear door, and a chauffeur who opens it.
During the dinner. The car stays on standby nearby, inside your hourly booking. You or your assistant can message the desk with a change at any point.
After-parties. The night rarely ends at the museum. The chauffeur collects you at an agreed point outside the controlled area and takes you on, or home. The 5-hour evening out and event night package covers a typical gala night, from US$525 in a business sedan to US$1,050 in an Executive Sprinter; longer nights continue at the hourly rate.
Teams, tables and brands
Fashion houses, brands and hosts with tables often need several vehicles: one car per principal, a Sprinter for staff and garment bags, and a car for the after-party. An Executive Sprinter carries a team and their kit in one vehicle. Companies and agencies can put every car on one corporate account with monthly invoicing and one contact at the desk, and NDAs are available on request. For red-carpet logistics in general, see event transportation, and for crew moves around shoots and fittings, film, TV and production transportation.
Chauffeurs do not discuss passengers, schedules or conversations, and the desk never names clients. Elly8.net is a car service, not a security company; personal protection, where needed, is arranged separately by the guest.
What to send the desk before the night
The more the chauffeur knows in advance, the calmer the evening. With your booking, or as soon as you have them, send:
- Your arrival time at the museum, if the host's team has given one, and the hotel or address you leave from.
- Any host instructions: drop-off point, access-list details for the vehicle, or a contact on the host's team.
- Who travels with you: a plus-one, a stylist or an assistant, and whether anyone needs a separate car.
- The outfit: a gown with a train, a structured piece or a headpiece changes which vehicle we recommend.
- The after-party plan: the address, if known, and roughly when you expect to leave the museum.
- The way home or onward: a late flight from Teterboro, a hotel change or the drive to the country the next morning.
The desk turns that into a timed plan and sends you the chauffeur's name, phone number and vehicle details before the day.
Vehicles for a gala night
- First Class sedan: the classic choice for one or two guests, with the most refined ride.
- First Class SUV: more headroom and a wider door, helpful with structured gowns or a guest plus a stylist.
- Business SUV or business sedan: for team members and guests who do not need the top tier.
- Executive Sprinter: for a group or a team with garment bags and kit.
Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, and seven years or newer for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley.
Elly8.net vs a taxi, an app ride or the subway
For an ordinary trip, New York's yellow taxis are good value. From JFK, the Taxi and Limousine Commission sets a flat fare to Manhattan of US$70, plus surcharges, tips and tolls. App rides are everywhere in Manhattan, and the subway runs under Lexington Avenue a few blocks from the museum.
None of these suits gala night. A taxi or app ride cannot be timed to your arrival slot, cannot wait during the dinner, and cannot be found easily on a controlled street afterwards; app prices rise sharply when an event empties. A pre-booked chauffeur fits the night: a fixed price, a known car and chauffeur, a timed arrival and a car waiting when you leave. See Uber Black vs a pre-booked chauffeur and black car vs limousine.
Prices in New York
All prices are fixed, all-in per vehicle, including chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet; tolls and parking are billed at cost, and prices do not change for the gala.
- JFK to Midtown: from US$210 to US$550. LaGuardia: US$145 to US$380. Newark: US$215 to US$560. Teterboro: US$170 to US$445.
- By the hour: from US$105 to US$210 an hour, 3-hour minimum.
- Evening out and event night (5 hours): from US$525 to US$1,050.
- Full-day chauffeur (8 hours): from US$775 to US$1,550.
- Corporate roadshow day (10 hours): from US$945 to US$1,890.
How to book
- Enter the pickup and drop-off, with the flight or tail number for arrivals. Midtown airport fares are fixed on the New York page; for other addresses use the web booker.
- Choose the vehicle, and add notes: arrival time, host instructions, gown or garment bags.
- Select Reserve now and pay by card, or book on account. Confirmation comes by email, and chauffeur details follow in advance.
First Class vehicles go quickly for the first Monday in May, so reserve as soon as the invitation arrives.
Rides in New York City are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
After the gala
Some guests leave for the country the next day. Elly8.net covers The Hamptons, Westchester and Greenwich and Philadelphia, and the New York signature day trip is a 10-hour Hamptons day from US$970 in a business sedan.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Met Gala?
The Met says the Costume Institute Benefit takes place annually on the first Monday in May. In 2027 that is May 3, but the museum announces the date and theme itself, usually months ahead, so treat May 3 as expected rather than confirmed until it does.
How much does a car for the Met Gala cost?
The 5-hour evening out and event night package in New York runs from US$525 in a business sedan to US$1,050 in an Executive Sprinter, with First Class sedans and SUVs in between. Longer nights continue at the hourly rate, from US$105 to US$210 an hour. Prices are fixed and all-in.
Can the chauffeur drop me at the steps?
The chauffeur goes as far as police and the organisers allow and follows the drop-off instructions given to guests. Streets around the museum are controlled on the night, so the exact point is set by the event, not by the car. Forward any instructions you receive.
Where do I find the car after the dinner?
The desk agrees a pickup point outside the controlled area before the night, and the chauffeur waits there or moves in when you message. Hourly bookings keep the car close by during the dinner, so there is no new request to place.
Which car is best with a gown?
A First Class SUV gives the most room for structured gowns and trains, with a wide rear door. A First Class sedan suits most evening wear. Tell the desk about the outfit and any stylist travelling with you when you book.
Can you meet a private jet at Teterboro?
Yes. Send the tail number and FBO, and the chauffeur meets you there. Fixed transfers from Teterboro to Midtown Manhattan run from US$170 in a business sedan to US$445 in an Executive Sprinter.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes, on request. Chauffeurs do not discuss passengers, schedules or conversations, and the desk does not name clients. Companies and agencies can book on account with monthly invoicing.
What is the cancellation policy?
More than 72 hours before pickup, cancellation is free; 72 hours or less costs 10%; 48 hours or less, 50%; 24 hours or less or a no-show, 100%. Refunds go to the original card.
