A $19 billion renovation is in the works to reinvent NYC’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) as a world-class gateway, with two new terminals set to rise across five old sites. The anchor of the project: Terminal One.
JFK’s massive new Terminal One will be the airport’s largest terminal to date, with passenger check-in zones, security checkpoints, baggage claim areas, boarding gates, lounge space and retail dining, and duty free shops.
Encompassing 2.6 million square feet, it isn’t just an upgrade–it’s a record breaker.
To put its size into perspective, the New Terminal One (NTO) will be nearly as large as the Empire State Building (if you laid it on its side), larger than the new JPMorgan Chase headquarters on Park Avenue, and more than triple the size of the new Grand Central Madison hub, according to NYT.
Once finished, it will be the largest standalone terminal in the United States, rivaled only by Denver International.
What To Expect Inside The Largest Terminal At JFK
The NTO is designed to be a “world-class gateway,” which in NYC terms means plenty of natural light, high-end art, and tech that actually works.
- “Glance-and-Go” Tech: Enhanced biometric passenger processing designed to get you through security in seconds
- The Greenery: A massive 3.5-acre courtyard and garden located between the terminal and the parking garage for a pre-flight breath of fresh air
- A “Butterfly” Design: The terminal features a striking “spine” of skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows
- Sustainability: It will house the largest rooftop solar array in New York City (13,000 panels!)
- 23 Mega-Gates: Once fully complete, it will feature 23 gates specifically designed for wide-body international aircraft
At completion, the New Terminal One will measure nearly the same size as LaGuardia Airport’s two new terminals combined.
Which Airlines Are Moving In?
If you’re flying internationally after 2026, there’s a good chance you’ll be passing through here. The terminal is already racking up a massive roster of global partners:
- Air France
- KLM
- Etihad
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Korean Air
- EVA Air
- Air Serbia
- SAS
- Neos
- Philippine Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Air New Zealand
- Royal Air Maroc
- Air China
- China Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Qatar Airways
- EGYPTAIR
- China Eastern Airlines
- Azores Airlines
The Timeline: When Can You Fly Out?
You won’t have to wait until the end of the decade to see it. Construction is moving in two major phases:
- Phase A (Opening 2026): The first 14 gates, the main arrivals hall, and the departures hall are scheduled to go live
- Phase B (Full Completion 2030): The final nine gates will open, bringing the terminal to its full 23-gate glory
From its “five Eiffel Towers” worth of structural steel to the 300,000 square feet of shopping and dining, the New Terminal One is set to turn JFK from a place you tolerate into a place you actually want to visit.
JFK New Terminal One Construction Update
Get a recent “hard hat” look at the construction progress and a visual sense of the terminal’s massive scale in the video below:
