It’s shaping up to be a miserable summer for travelers passing through New York’s busiest airport.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – which manages and oversees John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – provided an update Tuesday on what travelers can expect in the weeks and months ahead. coming, as construction of the airport redevelopment approaches peak activity.
JFK is currently undergoing a $19 billion transformation – the largest transformation of any U.S. airport to date. In this context, travelers will soon benefit from new terminals 1 and 6, in addition to the improvements recently inaugurated in terminals 4 and 8.
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Although the highlight of JFK’s redevelopment will undoubtedly be the new, upgraded terminals, the Port Authority is also investing $3.9 billion in renovating the airport’s roads.
It’s this last point that will cause the biggest headache for travelers, Rick Cotton, the agency’s executive director, said Tuesday. In some cases, the Port Authority expects traffic on airport roads to exceed 30 minutes and strongly advises travelers to seek alternative transportation to and from JFK.
All of this comes as JFK is expected to welcome more than 18 million passengers this summer, a record number that could lead to congestion at the airport.
That said, the Port Authority promises that this short-term pain will lead to long-term gains for those transiting through JFK.
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Here’s everything you need to know about traveling through JFK this summer – and the latest on developments at the new terminal.
Driving to JFK will be painful
With the start of the summer travel season just days away, you’ll need to exercise a lot of extra patience when traveling to or from JFK.
There will be a litany of road closures and traffic pattern changes going into effect over the coming weeks and months — so many that the Port Authority didn’t list them all in its Tuesday presentation.
Travelers should expect delays on all roads and terminal frontages, periodic lane closures on both highways (Belt Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway) accessing the airport, reduced road capacity in throughout the airport, as well as changes and detours in traffic patterns.
The only permanent change announced Tuesday is that access to the existing Terminal 1 from Long Island will require a detour via the JFK Expressway.
This new route will be in place for the next two years (until the new Terminal One is completed), and travelers must add at least 15 minutes of travel time to access this terminal.
The other terminals will remain accessible directly from the JFK Expressway.
As for other traffic changes, the Port Authority promises real-time instructions from Port Authority police officers. Travelers should expect extended waits at traffic signals and possible redirection to arrival or departure levels depending on traffic flow.
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As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the Port Authority showed off its Airport Operations Center, which opened in 2019 and oversees the entire airport in a single “war room.” The AOC has both an airside and a landside section, the latter of which is used by the Port Authority to monitor traffic patterns.
Once completed, the $3.9 billion highway redevelopment project will bring more than 6 miles of new roads, eight new bridges, major modifications to five existing bridges and 34 new wayfinding structures.
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In total, the improved road structure will result in a 30% reduction in decision points for drivers and a 30% reduction in traffic merging or weaving.
3,500 fewer parking spaces
If you plan to park at JFK, you’ll want to pay attention to this. The airport has lost more than 3,500 parking spaces due to ongoing construction.
Several lots were affected, mainly those near the terminal roads.
The Port Authority has opened new remote parking lots to make room for more cars, but there’s one thing you should do if you plan to park at JFK: reserve a spot well in advance.
What you should do about traffic
In addition to exercising a lot of patience, the Port Authority has some advice for travelers sailing to JFK this summer.
The first is to use public transportation. “We have a secret weapon: the AirTrain,” Cotton said.
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The agency recommends that all travelers take the AirTrain to get to the airport. (It stops at all terminals.)
The Long Island Rail Road and the E, J, and Z subway lines stop in Jamaica, which is just a 20-minute (and $8.50) AirTrain ride to and from JFK.
Alternatively, you can take the A subway line to the Howard Beach station, which is a six-minute (and $8.50) AirTrain ride from the airport.
For those who prefer to take a car to the airport, the Port Authority is opening a new “free and easy” parking lot adjacent to the Lefferts Blvd AirTrain station. This parking lot will provide drivers with free access for drop-offs and pickups and will be connected to JFK with a free 24/7 AirTrain ride.
This lot is expected to open in early June.
New JFK terminals are coming
All this road work is nothing compared to what is coming in 2026: the opening of two brand new JFK terminals.
The biggest project is the new $9.5 billion Terminal One, which will become one of JFK’s flagship international terminals.
JFK’s new Terminal One will integrate the current and former Terminals 1, 2 and 3 sites into a massive 2.4 million square foot international terminal. It will anchor the south side of the airport.
When completed, the new terminal will be the largest at JFK – nearly the same size as two new terminals at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) combined. The first major stage, which includes the new arrivals and departures hall and the first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026.
When fully completed in 2030, the new Terminal One will feature 23 gates, a redesigned check-in hall and renovated arrival areas. (The existing Terminal 1 and the recently closed Terminal 2 have 12 and 11 gates, respectively.)
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The other new terminal is Terminal 6. Once complete, the $4.2 billion project will span 1.2 million square feet and offer 10 new gates, nine of which can accommodate wide-body aircraft. The new terminal is being built next to the existing Terminal 5, which houses JetBlue Airways’ JFK hub.
Once completed, the two terminals will be connected airside, providing travelers with a smoother connection experience.
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When it opens in 2026, only five of the terminal’s ten gates will be ready; the remaining five are expected to be completed by 2028.
Conclusion
JFK is undergoing a major $19 billion renovation, and that’s leading to major headaches while construction is underway.
Travelers should expect lots of traffic and lane closures this summer, which could turn into traffic jams on some of the busiest days of the season.
The best way to avoid all this will be to take public transport. Do whatever you can to take the AirTrain to or from the terminals.
The good news is that all of these adjustments are temporary. They’ll be a headache this summer (and throughout the coming year), but at least they make way for what appears to be two beautiful new terminals.
“Where we are going is worth both the wait and the inconvenience you will encounter,” Cotton promised.
To learn more about the new JFK, be sure to check out: