Rendering of Terminal One (Courtesy of The Port Authority of NY/NJ)
Dec. 13, 2021 By Christian Murray
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday plans for a $9.5 billion terminal that will anchor the south side of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The international terminal will be a 2.4 million square foot facility that will be built out in phases starting in 2022. The Port Authority reached a revised agreement with a consortium of financial sponsors in order for the project to move forward.
The massive new facility, which will become the new Terminal One, was expected to begin in 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19 which brought the airline industry to a near halt.
“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,” Hochul said.
The state-of-the-art terminal will be built on the current sites of terminals 1, 2 and 3. Terminals 1 and 2 will need to be demolished. Terminal 3 was demolished in 2013.
Rendering of Terminal One (Courtesy of The Port Authority of NY/NJ)
The new terminal will have 23 gates when it is complete, as well as bright and airy check-in halls and arrival spaces designed to enhance the customer experience. Travelers will also be offered New York-inspired dining and retail amenities, as well as lounge space.
As part of the project, the Port Authority will undertake a number of infrastructure upgrades and improvements including roads, parking, and utilities—as well as a new electrical substation.
The development is expected to bring more than 10,000 total jobs, including 6,000 union construction jobs.
New York City Mayor Elect Eric Adams said the project was very much needed.
“Our airports are our portals to the globe, and they must be welcoming, safe and representative of our dynamic, world-leading city,” Adams said. “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.”
Construction of the new terminal is scheduled to begin in mid-2022 and the first phase—which will include the arrivals and departures halls—is expected to open in 2026. The terminal will be built in phases, subject to international passenger traffic levels, with full completion anticipated in approximately 2030.
Rendering of Terminal One (Courtesy of The Port Authority of NY/NJ)
The Port Authority Board of Commissioners will vote on the plan at its meeting this Thursday.
The full cost of the terminal will be privately financed by the NTO consortium, which includes financial firms such as Carlyle, JLC Infrastructure and Ullico. A joint venture of Munich Airport International and CAG Holdings is the operating and technical services partner to the consortium.
The announcement comes at a time when three other sections of JFK Airport are in the process of being transformed.
Terminal 6 is scheduled to undergo a $3.9 billion redevelopment. The terminal is located on the airport’s northside and connects with JetBlue’s existing Terminal 5.
Meanwhile, Terminal 4 will soon be undergoing a $1.5 billion expansion led by Delta. Additionally, work began in December 2019 on a $425 million expansion of JFK’s Terminal 8, led by American Airlines and British Airways.
Rendering of Terminal One (Courtesy of The Port Authority of NY/NJ)
