JFK Airport Guide

JFK is about 20 miles from downtown New York if traveling by car, or about 16 miles by using public transportation. Consider cost, congestion, and the time each journey takes when choosing how to get to and from the airport.

It is possible to walk between terminals at JFK, but we wouldn’t advise it. All the walkways border busy roads and crossings can be difficult. A simpler and safer option is to use the AirTrain, which is free for journeys between terminals and runs regularly throughout the day.

There is no dedicated international terminal at JFK Airport, as airlines are split across all five terminals and offer a range of domestic and international destinations.

The following airlines can be found at each terminal:

·       Terminal 1: Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Air Serbia, Air Senegal, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Azores Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Cayman Airways, China Eastern, Eastern Airlines, EgyptAir, EVA Air, Flair Airlines, ITA Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Neos, Philippine Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Viva Aerobus, Volaris.

·       Terminal 4: Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air India, Avianca, Caribbean Airlines, China Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, El Al, Emirates, Etihad, Hawaiian Airlines, Kenya Airways. KLM, LATAM, Singapore Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, XiamenAir.

·       Terminal 5: Cape Air, JetBlue.

·       Terminal 7: Aer Lingus, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, ANA, Condor, Ethiopian Airlines, Frontier Airlines, HiSky Europe, Icelandair, Kuwait Airways, LOT, Norse Atlantic Airways, Sun Country Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines.

·       Terminal 8: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Level, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian.

International arriving passengers must claim all checked backs and recheck with the airline of your connection. This is true if your bags and cases are checked to the final destination and your flights were booked together and with the same airline.

CLEAR is available in Terminal 4 at JFK, which can drastically cut down the time spent waiting to get through security.

JFK Airport is open 24-hours a day, but you may have to return to landside areas once security closes if you plan to stay in a terminal overnight. Different services, facilities, and amenities have their own opening hours, which can influence how busy or noisy the terminal is.

TSA at JFK is open for as long as flights are operating from the terminals. It usually opens 3 hours before the first flight of the day and until the last departure of the day.

There are a range of lounges across the different terminals at JFK Airport. Some are linked to an airline and others are available to book. Lounges include:

·       Terminal 1: Air France Lounge, Lufthansa Lounge, Korean Air Lounge, Primeclass Lounge, Turkish Airlines Lounge, VIP ONE Lounge.

·       Terminal 4: Air India Lounge, American Express Centurion Lounge, Delta One Lounge, Delta Sky Club Lounge, Emirates Lounge, Etihad Lounge, Primeclass Lounge, Virgin Clubhouse.

·       Terminal 5: USO Lounge.

·       Terminal 7: Aer Lingus Lounge, Alaska Lounge, Lounge @ T7.

·       Terminal 8: AA/BA Lounge, American Admirals Club, Chelsea Lounge, Greenwich Lounge, Soho Lounge.

Designated smoking areas can be found outside Terminals 4, 5, and 8, outside of the buildings. There are no smoking areas inside the terminals or beyond security.

Currency exchange services at JFK can be found in Terminals 1, 4, and 7 with CXI, ICE, and SDI stations. There are also some ATMs which can provide local currency.