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Those are just some of the improvements that travelers can expect once a $4.2 billion new terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport is completed.
Construction on the first phase of the 1.2 million-square-foot Terminal 6 is set to begin in early 2023, making room for an additional 10 gates, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday, Nov. 17.
"JFK International - the nation's door to the world - will soon be worthy of New Yorkers, providing an unparalleled passenger experience," Hochul said in a statement.
"This historic $18 billion investment will not only transform JFK into a world-class airport, but also create 4,000 jobs in the process, and I thank everyone who put in the years of hard work to move this project forward."
The project is being financed privately by the JFK Millennium Partners consortium under a lease approved by the Port Authority Board of Commissioners in 2021.
Among the most notable improvements will be in the security realm with the addition of automated TSA security lanes and biometric-based access control systems, the governor’s office said.
The project will also aim to substantially reduce traffic congestion on the terminal frontage road with a new taxi plaza and designated pick-up area for hired rides like Uber and Lyft that will be shared with Terminal 5.
Hochul’s office described the new Terminal 6 arrivals and departures hall as feeling spacious, bright, and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings throughout.
It will feature public art by New York-based artists and architectural elements depicting New York landmarks, along with more than 100,000 square feet of “world-class” shopping and dining options.
As part of the agreement with JFK Millennium Partners, the Port Authority is committing $130 million in capital funding that will cover infrastructure improvements for the new terminal, including utility enhancements and roadway improvements, Hochul’s office said.
Of the 4,000 jobs expected to be created by the terminal addition, 1,800 will be union construction jobs and at least 30 percent will be minority-and-women-owned business enterprises.
The new Terminal 6 will be home to JetBlue and Lufthansa Group, which will operate international flights out of several gates on its airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines.
Construction on the terminal will be completed in two phases with the first gates expected to open in 2026. The project is expected to wrap up in 2028.
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