Terminal 1
Air France, Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, Korean Air
The European and Asian carriers' terminal, with the widest choice of Priority Pass lounges.
New York JFK airport guide
John F. Kennedy International Airport
JFK is New York's big international airport: 62.6 million passengers in 2025, five terminals in a ring, and a light railway that ties them together. It is in the middle of a long rebuild, which changes a few habits, chiefly where app cars collect you. This is how to get through it quickly in both directions, checked against the operator's own pages.
The 30-second version
Download Mobile Passport Control before you fly if you hold a US or Canadian passport or a returning ESTA, and use it at JFK's passport hall. With light bags, take the AirTrain to Jamaica and the LIRR to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison: about 30 minutes in all and $14 off-peak. With luggage or in a group, the yellow cab is a flat $70 to anywhere in Manhattan plus surcharges, tolls and tip, from the official rank only. Flying out of Terminal 4, book a free security slot with T4 Reserve up to seven days ahead.
- To Midtown Manhattan
- 15 miles by highway
- Terminals
- 5 (1, 4, 5, 7 and 8)
- Passengers
- 62.6 million (2025)
- Fastest way in
- AirTrain and LIRR, about 30 minutes
- Taxi to Manhattan
- $70 flat, plus surcharges, tolls and tip
- AirTrain between terminals
- Free, every 5–10 minutes
- Wifi
- Free and unlimited (_Free JFK WiFi)
- Open 24 hours
- Airport staffed 24 hours; Terminal 4 is the only terminal open round the clock
Terminals
Terminal 4
Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, KLM, Singapore Airlines, Air India, LATAM, Avianca
The biggest and busiest, 22 airlines, the only one open 24 hours, with CLEAR and bookable security slots.
Terminal 5
JetBlue (all departures), Sun Country, Cape Air
JetBlue's home, joined to the TWA Hotel; JetBlue's international arrivals between 10:30pm and 5am use Terminal 4.
Terminal 7
Aer Lingus, ANA, Icelandair, Condor, Kuwait Airways, Norse, Air Canada, Frontier
Small and quick, with security-to-gate walks of 1–5 minutes.
Terminal 8
American, British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Alaska
The oneworld terminal, with the shared British Airways and American lounges.
Landing to kerb
Every pick-up point, terminal by terminalBefore you board: ESTA and the app
Visa Waiver travellers need an approved ESTA, applied for only on the official CBP site; the fee is about $40. If you are a US citizen, a green-card holder, a Canadian visitor or a returning Visa Waiver traveller with an approved ESTA, install CBP's free Mobile Passport Control app: JFK is on its list, and it sends you to a shorter line.
Passport control
Global Entry members use the kiosks, though even those can queue at peak times. Everyone else joins the main hall. Terminal 4 publishes live passport-control waits on the airport's arrivals page, worth a look while you taxi in.
Bags and help
Every arrivals hall has a Port Authority Welcome Center, staffed by customer service people in red uniforms who answer ground transport questions. A skycap to help with bags costs $8 plus tip.
Pay for transport with your phone
The AirTrain, subway and buses all take a contactless bank card or phone, so there is no ticket machine to queue for. If your card is not contactless, OMNY cards are sold at the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations.
The taxi rank
Only take a yellow cab from the official rank. Terminals 1 and 8: kerbside on the arrivals roadway. Terminal 4: arrivals level, with an indoor queue. Terminal 5: ground floor of the Terminal 5 car park, near the AirTrain. Terminal 7: first level of the Terminal 7 car park.
App cars
At Terminals 1, 4 and 8 ride-app cars generally collect you in front of the terminal; follow the app. For Terminals 5 and 7, pick-ups have temporarily moved to the Howard Beach AirTrain station because of construction, so ride the free AirTrain there first.
The AirTrain into town
Follow the AirTrain signs: trains come every 5–10 minutes and are free between terminals. You pay $8.75 only when you leave the system at Jamaica (for the LIRR and the E, J and Z trains) or Howard Beach (for the A train).
Kerb to gate
How early
The airport says most airlines open check-in 3–4 hours before departure and close it 45–60 minutes before, and gates appear on the boards about 3 hours out. For an international flight, aim to be at the terminal 3 hours ahead.
Getting there
The airport itself recommends public transport while the rebuild is on. From Midtown, the LIRR to Jamaica takes about 20 minutes from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison, then the AirTrain to your terminal.
Book your security slot in Terminal 4
T4 Reserve lets you book a free time at security, opening seven days ahead. CLEAR operates in Terminal 4 only; TSA PreCheck is available, with lanes varying by terminal. Terminal 7 advertises priority security access for families.
Allow for the walk
The operator's own figures for security to gate: Terminal 4 3–14 minutes, Terminal 8 2–14, Terminal 5 3–10, Terminals 1 and 7 1–5. Live security waits are on the airport's departures page.
Where to wait
Lounges are below. Flying JetBlue, the TWA Hotel is joined to Terminal 5 through the old flight tubes: the Sunken Lounge and the cocktail bar in a 1958 Constellation aircraft make the best waiting room at any New York airport.
Food prices
Airport food and drink is capped at street price plus 15%, bottled water is $2 under the airport's value scheme, and some bills add a surcharge of up to 3%. Only US dollars are accepted.
Lounges
Passes marked Book a pass are sold through GetYourGuide, which shows the price, hours and terms before you pay; we may earn a commission.
Every lounge in detail
Air France Lounge
- Where
- After security, by gate 1
- Access
- Air France and SkyTeam premium passengers; Priority Pass members, maximum stay 3 hours
- Hours
- 07:00–00:00
The most polished Priority Pass option in Terminal 1.
Turkish Airlines Lounge
- Where
- After security, between gates 2 and 3
- Access
- Turkish Airlines premium passengers; Priority Pass members on international flights only
- Hours
- 09:00–00:00
Good for evening departures to Europe, when it is at its fullest service.
Book a passPrimeclass Lounge
- Where
- After security, near gates 8 and 9
- Access
- Priority Pass, with pre-booking available
- Hours
- Vary by day, for example 09:00–01:00 on Tuesdays
The flexible fallback when the airline lounges are full.
VIP ONE Lounge
- Where
- Landside, behind check-in counters E and F
- Access
- Priority Pass
- Hours
- 08:00–00:00
Before security, so useful when you arrive hours before check-in opens.
Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club
- Where
- After security, near gate A2
- Access
- Chase Sapphire Reserve and eligible Chase cardholders, under Chase's rules
- Hours
- 05:00–23:00; Chase lists temporarily limited operations
The best food in Terminal 4 if your card gets you in.
The Centurion Lounge
- Where
- Level 4, on the left after security
- Access
- American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders, under Amex's rules
- Hours
- 05:00–22:00
A reliable cocktail and a proper meal for eligible cardholders.
Delta One Lounge and Delta Sky Clubs
- Where
- Delta One between concourses A and B by the main checkpoint; Sky Clubs on concourses A and B
- Access
- Delta One for Delta One passengers; Sky Clubs within 3 hours of a same-day Delta or partner flight. Delta no longer sells single-visit passes
- Hours
- Delta One 04:30–23:00
Delta One is the finest airline lounge at JFK if your ticket includes it.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
- Where
- Above gates A4 and A5
- Access
- Upper Class and eligible Flying Club members; Priority Pass 05:00–13:30, showers $15
- Hours
- 05:00–08:00 and 14:00–23:30 for Virgin passengers
Priority Pass members get a morning window into one of the airport's best lounges.
Minute Suites
- Where
- Terminal 4 near gate B39; Terminal 8 near gate C37
- Access
- Private rooms by the hour; Priority Pass covers 1 hour
- Hours
- 24 hours
A door that shuts and a daybed: the answer to a red-eye connection.
JetBlue BlueHouse
- Where
- After security, opposite gate 526
- Access
- JetBlue Mosaic 4 members, eligible JetBlue cardholders and transatlantic Mint passengers
- Hours
- 05:00–22:00
JetBlue's own lounge, worth it if your status or card gets you in.
British Airways and American lounges
- Where
- Above the gates: Greenwich (business), Soho (top-tier status) and Chelsea (first class)
- Access
- By cabin and oneworld status
- Hours
- British Airways lists 04:30–00:30
Chelsea for first-class passengers is the pick; Greenwich is the business lounge most travellers will use.
Eat and drink
Paris CaféTWA Hotel, via Terminal 5 (landside)
A proper sit-down brasserie in the restored 1962 TWA terminal, the place to eat before a JetBlue flight or after a late landing.
Connie cocktail loungeTWA Hotel, via Terminal 5 (landside)
Cocktails inside a restored 1958 Lockheed Constellation parked on the hotel's apron. A drink to remember before a long flight.
Sunken LoungeTWA Hotel, via Terminal 5 (landside)
The red-carpeted 1960s lounge under the departures board: a drink, and some of the most famous seats in aviation.
TWA Hotel Food HallTWA Hotel, via Terminal 5 (landside)
Quick, good food for a layover without the queues of the gate area.
Brindle RoomTerminal 7 (airside)
A sit-down bar and kitchen, the most relaxed meal in Terminal 7.
Le Grand ComptoirTerminal 7 (airside)
A wine bar with cheese and charcuterie for a European departure in the right frame of mind.
Terminal 5 RooftopTerminal 5 (airside), by gate 528
Not a restaurant but the open-air deck to take your coffee to, with a dog run beside it, 6am to 10pm.
The hotel at New York JFK
TWA Hotel
For an early flight, a late landing or a long wait: the one we would book.
The only hotel at JFK, and the one we would book anyway. Flying from Terminal 5 you walk to check-in through the 1962 flight tubes without going outside, and the AirTrain covers every other terminal through the night. The windows are soundproofed glass, and the 24-hour food counters and gym mean a late landing or a dawn flight is no hardship.
There is no room service, and check-out is at 11am, so keeping the room for an evening flight means paying for a late check-out.
Getting to the terminal
Joined to Terminal 5 by the original flight tubes; from every other terminal, the free 24-hour AirTrain to the Terminal 5 stop
- Soundproofed rooms behind a 4.5-inch glass curtain wall
- Food Hall counters and the gym open 24 hours
- Four-hour day stays bookable direct for a long layover
- Heated rooftop infinity pool facing the runway, open all year
The catch: construction
Yes. The Port Authority is building a New Terminal One and a new Terminal 6, with first gates scheduled for 2026, and the airport strongly recommends public transport while the work goes on. In practice that means two things for you: app-car pick-ups for Terminals 5 and 7 have moved to the Howard Beach AirTrain station, and the roads around the terminal ring are slower than the map suggests.
Insider notes
The AirTrain is free inside the airport, and doubles as the car-hire and hotel shuttle: you only pay at Jamaica or Howard Beach. Up to five people travelling together pay $8.75 for the first and $4.50 for each extra, a maximum of $26.75.
On the LIRR, peak fares apply on weekdays 6–10am and 4–8pm; travel outside those hours and Jamaica to Manhattan is $5.25 rather than $7.25.
The taxi flat fare only applies to Manhattan. To Brooklyn the meter runs, which suits our two Brooklyn hotels: they are closer to JFK than Midtown is.
Travelling with children
Under-5s ride the AirTrain free. There are play areas in several terminals, marked on the airport's map, lactation rooms and pods throughout, and nursing suites in Terminal 7, which also offers priority security for families. With a pushchair, car seats and bags, the flat-fare taxi or a pre-booked driver beats the train.
Step-free and assistance
Book wheelchair assistance through your airline before you fly. The airport offers Sunflower lanyards for hidden disabilities from the Terminal 4 Welcome Center, the Aira service for blind and low-vision travellers, and American Sign Language interpreting through Convo Now.
Left luggage
Terminal 4 has a baggage storage service for passengers of any terminal, from a few hours up to 72 hours. You need a confirmed ticket, and you can book ahead. With the AirTrain free between terminals, it is easy to reach from anywhere at JFK.
Delays and your rights
US rules are simpler than Europe's: there is no fixed compensation for a delay. Under the Department of Transportation's 2024 rule, if your airline cancels or makes a significant change (3 hours or more on a domestic flight, 6 hours or more on an international one) and you decline what it offers, you are owed an automatic cash refund, within 7 business days for card payments. If your flight left from an EU or UK airport, EU261 or UK261 may also apply.
A long wait or an early flight
The TWA Hotel is JFK's only on-airport hotel: 512 rooms in and beside the restored 1962 terminal, joined to Terminal 5, with a rooftop infinity pool and day-stay rooms for long layovers. It is one of our ten New York hotels, and the place we would book for a dawn departure.
At night, Terminal 4 is the only terminal open round the clock, and Minute Suites in Terminals 4 and 8 rent private rooms by the hour, 24 hours a day.
Getting to our ten hotels
Our Manhattan and Brooklyn hotels are typically 35–50 minutes from JFK by road, and the TWA Hotel is a free AirTrain ride away. The transfers page has every option, timed and priced, and the way we would reach each hotel.
Questions people ask
Good questions about New York JFK
How early should I get to JFK?
Most airlines open check-in 3–4 hours before departure and close it 45–60 minutes before. Aim for 3 hours before an international flight, and book a free T4 Reserve security slot if you fly from Terminal 4.
How much is a taxi from JFK to Manhattan?
A flat $70 to anywhere in Manhattan, plus a $0.50 MTA surcharge, $1 improvement surcharge, $5 on weekdays 4–8pm, the congestion charges, a $2 airport access fee, tolls and tip. The meter should show Rate #2, JFK Airport.
What is the fastest way from JFK to Manhattan?
The AirTrain to Jamaica and the LIRR to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison: about 30 minutes in all, $14 off-peak or $16 peak.
How much is the AirTrain at JFK?
$8.75, paid only when you enter or leave at Jamaica or Howard Beach. Rides between terminals, car parks and the car-hire centre are free, and under-5s ride free.
Where do Uber and Lyft pick up at JFK?
In front of Terminals 1, 4 and 8. Pick-ups for Terminals 5 and 7 have temporarily moved to the Howard Beach AirTrain station because of construction.
Can I use Mobile Passport Control at JFK?
Yes. CBP's free app works at JFK for US citizens, green-card holders, Canadian visitors and returning Visa Waiver travellers with an approved ESTA.
Which terminal is British Airways at JFK?
Terminal 8, with American Airlines. Virgin Atlantic and Delta are in Terminal 4, and Air France is in Terminal 1.
Is there a Priority Pass lounge at JFK?
Several: Air France, Turkish, Primeclass and VIP ONE in Terminal 1, Air India and the Virgin Clubhouse (mornings) in Terminal 4, Minute Suites rooms in Terminals 4 and 8, and the Gameway gaming lounge in Terminal 5.
Is there a hotel at JFK airport?
The TWA Hotel, joined to Terminal 5, is the only on-airport hotel, with 512 rooms and day stays. Every other terminal reaches it on the free AirTrain.
Image credits: Charles from Port Chester, New York (CC0) · Acroterion (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Jonathan Riley (CC0) · Oleg Yunakov (CC0) · RightCowLeftCoast (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mybirthday647 (CC0)