JFK Airport: Its Future as a ‘21st Century Transportation Hub’

By Paul Riegler on 4 October 2018
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On Thursday, New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, presented a $13 billion plan to fix John F. Kennedy International Airport and turn it into a “21st century transportation hub.

“The transformation of JFK Airport… will ensure New York remains the nation’s front door to the world,” said the governor.

The plan calls for two new terminals, a $7 billion, 2.9 million square foot (270,000 square meter) terminal on the airport’s south side, and a $3 billion 1.2 million square foot (111,500 square meter) terminal on the airport’s north side.

Pan Am Worldport after Delta moved in

Pan Am Worldport after Delta moved in

Construction is expected to start in 2020 and portions of the new terminals will open in 2023. Construction is expected to be completed by 2025.

The first, to be developed by the Terminal One Group, a consortium of four airlines – Air France, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and Lufthansa – will replace the current Terminal 1 building, which first opened in 1998 and is undersized for its purpose, as well as Terminal 2, which opened in 1962 as the home of Northeast and Northwest Airlines and was later used by Pan Am and now Delta, and the site of the former Terminal 3, know as the Worldport, the iconic terminal built by Pan Am that was demolished in 2014.

The terminal will add 22 international gates that will accommodate larger wide-body aircraft such as an Airbus A380 as well as one additional gate, 24 security checkpoint lanes, 116,000 square feet (10,776 square meters) of airport lounge space, cultural exhibits, interior green space, and children’s play areas. The new terminal will be operated by Munich Airport International and connected to Terminal 4, which opened in 2001 and is home to over 30 non-U.S. airlines as well as Delta Air Lines.

The second terminal will be developed by JetBlue and connect to Terminal 5, the airline’s current terminal. The $3 billion terminal will replace the current Terminal 7 building, which opened in 1970 as a home for BOAC and Air Canada, and also utilize the vacant space that was occupied by Terminal 6, the former National Airlines Sundrome, designed by I.M. Pei.

This terminal will have 12 international gates, all designed for large, wide-body aircraft as well as 30,000 square feet (2,790 square meters) of airport lounge space and 15,000 square feet (1,400 square meters) of recreational space.

The project will also include improvements to the roads that lead to JFK as well as to the AirTrain that many travelers and airport workers use to access the airport.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

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