A major transformation is underway at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The airport, which is among the busiest in the world, is getting two brand-new terminals, as well as an overhaul of several other existing terminals.
Perhaps no upgrade is as exciting as the new Terminal 6, which just celebrated one year since construction began. As part of this milestone, the terminal redevelopment team, JFK Millennium Partners, along with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, shared a sneak peek at what travelers can expect once the facility opens in the first quarter of 2026.
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JFK’s new Terminal 6
JFK’s new Terminal 6 will span a whopping 1.2 million square feet and offer 10 new gates, nine of which are capable of handling wide-body jets. The new terminal is being built adjacent to the existing Terminal 5, which is home to JetBlue Airways’ JFK hub.
Once complete, the two terminals will be connected airside, giving flyers a more seamless connecting experience (assuming that the carriers operating from these facilities offer connecting tickets).
The Lufthansa Group has already announced that it will become the new terminal’s first tenant, moving the Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines operations from the existing Terminal 1 to Terminal 6 in early 2026.
The Port Authority confirmed this week that “advanced discussions with other air carriers are underway” to move to the new terminal. At the outset, only five of the $4.2 billion terminal’s 10 gates will open, with the remaining five due to be completed by 2028.
Several other amenities have already been teased. This includes the longest departures curb at JFK (with translucent canopies), meaning that there shouldn’t be too much roadway traffic getting to the terminal (something that the existing Terminal 1 suffers from on a nightly basis).
The terminal will be home to up to five airline lounges — Lufthansa already confirmed that it will open a new outpost there — as well as a new arrivals lounge. It remains to be seen which carrier will lease the arrivals lounge, but it likely won’t be Lufthansa since most of the airline’s New York-bound flights arrive in the afternoon and evening.
Terminal 6 will share a new ground transportation center and taxi stand with Terminal 5, and it’ll also be connected to both the Terminal 5 and Terminal 7 AirTrain stations.
The new facility will also house a centralized Transportation Security Administration checkpoint with the latest screening technologies, as well as a Customs and Border Protection immigration area for international arrivals.
Based on the newly released renderings, the new terminal looks like it’ll become one of the nicest in the country when it opens. From the circular skylight at the center of the check-in area to the bright and airy Grand Hall in the departures area, this facility should be largely reminiscent of the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Many more details are expected to be unveiled in the coming months. “Selection of the future food and beverage, retail and duty-free concession brands is underway, with partners to be announced once chosen,” reads the Port Authority’s press release.
When Terminal 6 is complete, the existing Terminal 7 is expected to be demolished.
JFK’s new Terminal One
In addition to the new Terminal 6, the airport’s existing Terminal 1 is being transformed as part of a $9.5 billion project.
The new Terminal One at JFK will incorporate the current and former sites of terminals 1, 2 and 3 into a massive, 2.4 million-square-foot international terminal that will anchor the south side of the airport.
When complete, the new terminal will be the largest at JFK — nearly the same size as LaGuardia Airport’s two new terminals combined. The first big milestone, which includes the new arrivals and departures hall and the first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026.
When fully complete in 2030, the new Terminal One will feature 23 gates, a redesigned check-in hall and overhauled arrival spaces. (The existing Terminal 1 and recently shuttered Terminal 2 have 12 and 11 gates, respectively.)
Other JFK upgrades
All of this work is being conducted as part of the JFK Vision Plan, a major strategic initiative from the Port Authority to reimagine the airport.
In fact, two parts of the JFK Vision Plan are already operational. American Airlines led a $400 million modernization of its JFK home that includes new gates, three new premium lounges and an overhauled check-in area.
As part of the expansion, British Airways and Iberia moved into Terminal 8, with other Oneworld alliance carriers having co-located into the space since then.
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines invested in a $1.5 billion upgrade at its Terminal 4 hub at JFK. This expansion includes 11 new gates, two new Sky Clubs and an overhauled check-in area.
Sure, all of this work might mean lots of traffic and headaches right now, but it looks like it’ll all be worth it once the project is complete.
For more about the new JFK, be sure to check out:
- JFK’s new Terminal 6 just hit key redevelopment milestone amid major airport makeover
- Chase’s interesting new JFK lounge is now open
- First look: Delta’s revamped JFK terminal with 11 new gates and 2 new Sky Clubs
- Big disruptions coming as New York-JFK redevelopment begins next week
- Big changes coming to JFK as 60-year-old Terminal 2 closes for good
