We’re nearly two months into the post-MetroCard era, and that means OMNY is in full control of NYC’s transportation system!
The full tap and go payment system is now in full effect across all of MTA’s services, including the subways, buses, and…AirTrain.
The AirTrain, the specific rail path for travelers getting to John F. Kennedy Airport, is finally getting some much needed OMNY vending machines at one of its most popular stations, Jamaica Station in Queens.
A recent Instagram post from NYC Subway Life has recently gained virality for its early look at what are soon-t0-come OMNY vending machines at the station now that all of the MetroCard machines have been gutted out and removed.
The removal of these machines marks a massive turning point for the Jamaica Transfer, long considered the “final boss” of NYC travel.
For years, the AirTrain was the last holdout for the physical MetroCard, forcing travelers to wait in notorious 20-minute lines just to buy a card they’d likely throw away 10 minutes later.
As of January 1, 2026, the MTA officially stopped selling new MetroCards across the system, and the AirTrain has followed suit by gutting its legacy hardware.
While the gates at Jamaica and Howard Beach still accept pre-loaded MetroCards (for those of you still sitting on a “rainy day” balance), you can no longer buy them on-site.
These new OMNY vending machines are the bridge for the “un-phoned”: they allow travelers to buy a physical, reloadable OMNY card using cash or credit—a necessity for international tourists or anyone not yet living the “digital wallet” life.
The upgrade also streamlines the $8.50 fare process.
Instead of the frantic “swipe and pray” at the old turnstiles, the new kiosks are part of a system-wide effort to ensure that by mid-2026, the only place you’ll see a yellow MetroCard is in a museum—or your “junk drawer” of NYC nostalgia.
While there’s no word of exactly when these shiny vending machines will be unveiled, Secret NYC has reached out to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for comment.
This story will be updated when more information is revealed.