Gov. Hochul Announces the Creation of an Ultra-Modern and Airy International Terminal at JFK

By Yehudit Garmaise

A new, ultra-modern international terminal, with state-of-the-art security, will be opening at John F. Kennedy Airport in 2026 and completed in 2030, announced Gov. Kathy Hochul, who hopes that the new 2.4 million-square-foot terminal, with high ceilings, natural light, and modern architecture, will be among the world’s top-rated.

The new international airport, which will be JFK’s largest, will be called, “The New Terminal One” and will include 23 gates, “bright and airy check-in halls, an indoor green space, family-friendly amenities, and spaces for lounges, said Gov. Hochul, who added that she wanted the new terminal to be “infused a with uniquely New York sense of place.”     

Originally, the new terminal’s ground-breaking was planned for 2020, but COVID pushed that back to mid-2022, when Gov. Hochul aims to “completely transform JFK into a world-class airport that is worthy of New York and the region.”

"As we recover from this pandemic, I want to ensure that everyone traveling to New York has a welcoming and streamlined experience, and that New Yorkers have the modernized transportation hubs they deserve," Gov. Hochul said. "The time to get large infrastructure projects done is now, and I'm committed to getting JFK's brand-new Terminal One underway and completed as soon as possible."    

The full cost of the $9.5 billion project will be privately financed by a consortium of private financial partners: including Carlyle, JLC Infrastructure and Ullico.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which has already completed three major terminal projects, will upgrade the new international terminal’s infrastructure, such as improving roads, parking, utilities, and creating a new electrical substation.  

JFK’s new international terminal, which will be built in phases, will create more than 10,000 jobs, including more than 6,000 union construction jobs, to replace Terminal 1, which Hochul called “undersized and outdated,” the 59-year-old Terminal 2, which she called “aging and obsolete,” and Terminal 3, which was demolished in 2013. 

The Port Authority Board of Commissioners, at its meeting this Thursday, will vote on the proposed lease agreement of JFK’s new international terminal.  

"Our airports are our portals to the globe, and they must be welcoming, safe and representative of our dynamic, world-leading city,” said Mayor-elect Eric Adams. “This massive investment in JFK Airport will modernize our most important port, improve the travel experience for flyers, and inject billions-of-dollars into our local economy.  

Photo by Flicker