JFK Airport: What's finished and what's left to do in $19B project
Kennedy Airport construction on Wednesday. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
Traffic congestion continues to aggravate some motorists as a yearslong, $19 billion makeover remains ongoing at Kennedy Airport, but officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said recently that progress is being made on the overall project.
New Terminals 1 and 6 are expected to open next year, even as additional work continues.
But Smithtown resident Linda West, who runs Heart Wheels Senior Transportation and shuttles people who have mobility issues, said in a recent interview that driving at the airport lately has been a "nightmare."
West said she's confused by the road construction, saying the transportation hub is "a bit of a mess and it just seems like it's never-ending."
Port Authority’s JFK general manager Teresa Rizzuto said in a statement provided to Newsday that rebuilding the airport while serving passengers "is an exceedingly complex project that has also made getting to and from JFK a challenge for many of our customers during busy travel seasons."
Rizzuto said agency officials realized there also would be "inconvenience" during the upcoming summer travel season, but added that "the end result will be a spectacular new airport that will be easier to reach and a pleasure to use."
She suggested airport patrons who must drive to the facility prebook parking to guarantee a spot and repeated prior recommendations.
Port Authority officials have urged passengers to use mass transit, and as an incentive, last summer slashed the AirTrain single-ride fare by 50% from July 1 through Labor Day. The agency declined to comment on whether discounts would be offered again this summer.
Currently, large billboards on airport grounds apologize "for any inconvenience." Other signs aim to steer travelers to a parking lot on Lefferts Boulevard in South Ozone Park, Queens, that opened last June where the AirTrain stops — providing a free, quick ride to the airport.
An airport operations center that opened last year helps manage traffic by, in part, anticipating the busiest periods and making changes to roadway construction when necessary, according to Port Authority officials.
The agency also has said it is expects to forgo more than 300,000 truck trips during the course of the initiative by relying on barges to transport construction materials to and from the airport.
Some travelers are avoiding the headaches of driving.
Former Bellmore resident Nancy Antonius, 77, said she prefers the ease of public transportation. She recently she took the Long Island Rail Road to the AirTrain at Kennedy to catch a return flight to Palm Springs, California.
"It's easier for me," she said.
Antonius said the old Kennedy Airport was "outdated," praising many of the improvements.
New York is the reigning theme at the airport, with everything from works of art, to food concessions and businesses intended to reflect that, according to Port Authority officials.
Here's a look at where they said the construction project stands.
With a price tag of $9.5 billion, this largest part of the project broke ground in September 2022. Located on the south side, it will be for international travel. Encompassing a total of 2.6 million square feet, it is being built on the existing Terminal 1 site, plus those that once housed Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers can expect advanced security systems and an indoor green space among its features. Next year, 14 new gates and an arrivals and departures hall will open. The final nine gates will open in 2030.
The $1.5 billion rehab by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal, which operates the terminal, is nearly complete. The new, modern terminal has an additional 460,000 square feet and Delta is able to run all its operations from that terminal. It used to operate from two terminals. The project added 10 new aircraft parking positions and an additional domestic baggage claims carousel. Some food and beverage concessions that opened in February include Manhattan-based Bessou and Fieldtrip and Queens-based Villa Russo Café.
The $4.2 billion renovation at Terminal 6 on the airport's north side will turn it into a 1.2 million-square-foot terminal with 10 international gates, some of which are scheduled to open in 2026. A second phase of construction then will begin with the tearing down of the existing Terminal 7, which will extend Terminal 6. It will be completed by 2028. A dozen local businesses, including Brooklyn's Di Fara Pizza and chef David Chang's fried chicken eatery Fuku are slated to open early next year.
The $400 million revamping by American Airlines debuted to the public in late 2022, and includes an addition of 130,000 square feet and five new gates that fit wider aircraft. Lounges, enhanced baggage systems and state-of-the-art check-in areas are among the new amenities.
There is a $125 million concessions redevelopment underway that broke ground in 2024. Several new concessions and retail spaces already have opened to the public, including six women-owned and New York City-based brands that sell products like jewelry, home decor and jams.
Traffic congestion continues to aggravate some motorists as a yearslong, $19 billion makeover remains ongoing at Kennedy Airport, but officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said recently that progress is being made on the overall project.
New Terminals 1 and 6 are expected to open next year, even as additional work continues.
But Smithtown resident Linda West, who runs Heart Wheels Senior Transportation and shuttles people who have mobility issues, said in a recent interview that driving at the airport lately has been a "nightmare."
West said she's confused by the road construction, saying the transportation hub is "a bit of a mess and it just seems like it's never-ending."
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- While traffic at Kennedy Airport continues to frustrate some drivers, officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the airport's transformation is forging ahead.
- Two new terminals will open next year, as other phases of the overhaul continue.
- Port Authority officials have urged passengers to take public transportation or get dropped off and picked up at a nearby Lefferts Boulevard lot.
Port Authority’s JFK general manager Teresa Rizzuto said in a statement provided to Newsday that rebuilding the airport while serving passengers "is an exceedingly complex project that has also made getting to and from JFK a challenge for many of our customers during busy travel seasons."
Rizzuto said agency officials realized there also would be "inconvenience" during the upcoming summer travel season, but added that "the end result will be a spectacular new airport that will be easier to reach and a pleasure to use."
She suggested airport patrons who must drive to the facility prebook parking to guarantee a spot and repeated prior recommendations.
Port Authority officials have urged passengers to use mass transit, and as an incentive, last summer slashed the AirTrain single-ride fare by 50% from July 1 through Labor Day. The agency declined to comment on whether discounts would be offered again this summer.
Currently, large billboards on airport grounds apologize "for any inconvenience." Other signs aim to steer travelers to a parking lot on Lefferts Boulevard in South Ozone Park, Queens, that opened last June where the AirTrain stops — providing a free, quick ride to the airport.
An airport operations center that opened last year helps manage traffic by, in part, anticipating the busiest periods and making changes to roadway construction when necessary, according to Port Authority officials.
The agency also has said it is expects to forgo more than 300,000 truck trips during the course of the initiative by relying on barges to transport construction materials to and from the airport.
Some travelers are avoiding the headaches of driving.
Former Bellmore resident Nancy Antonius, 77, said she prefers the ease of public transportation. She recently she took the Long Island Rail Road to the AirTrain at Kennedy to catch a return flight to Palm Springs, California.
"It's easier for me," she said.
Antonius said the old Kennedy Airport was "outdated," praising many of the improvements.
New York is the reigning theme at the airport, with everything from works of art, to food concessions and businesses intended to reflect that, according to Port Authority officials.
Here's a look at where they said the construction project stands.
New Terminal 1
With a price tag of $9.5 billion, this largest part of the project broke ground in September 2022. Located on the south side, it will be for international travel. Encompassing a total of 2.6 million square feet, it is being built on the existing Terminal 1 site, plus those that once housed Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers can expect advanced security systems and an indoor green space among its features. Next year, 14 new gates and an arrivals and departures hall will open. The final nine gates will open in 2030.
Terminal 4
The $1.5 billion rehab by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal, which operates the terminal, is nearly complete. The new, modern terminal has an additional 460,000 square feet and Delta is able to run all its operations from that terminal. It used to operate from two terminals. The project added 10 new aircraft parking positions and an additional domestic baggage claims carousel. Some food and beverage concessions that opened in February include Manhattan-based Bessou and Fieldtrip and Queens-based Villa Russo Café.
New Terminal 6
The $4.2 billion renovation at Terminal 6 on the airport's north side will turn it into a 1.2 million-square-foot terminal with 10 international gates, some of which are scheduled to open in 2026. A second phase of construction then will begin with the tearing down of the existing Terminal 7, which will extend Terminal 6. It will be completed by 2028. A dozen local businesses, including Brooklyn's Di Fara Pizza and chef David Chang's fried chicken eatery Fuku are slated to open early next year.
Terminal 8
The $400 million revamping by American Airlines debuted to the public in late 2022, and includes an addition of 130,000 square feet and five new gates that fit wider aircraft. Lounges, enhanced baggage systems and state-of-the-art check-in areas are among the new amenities.
There is a $125 million concessions redevelopment underway that broke ground in 2024. Several new concessions and retail spaces already have opened to the public, including six women-owned and New York City-based brands that sell products like jewelry, home decor and jams.
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