The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has broken ground on the $4.2 billion project to develop a new Terminal 6.
The 1.2 million square foot, state-of-the-art new terminal on the airport’s north side will feature 10 new gates – including nine wide-body gates – and will create 4,000 jobs, including 1,800 jobs in construction. This project is the final piece of the JFK Vision Plan, and it will complete the transformation of the airport into a 21st century global gateway.
“With today’s groundbreaking for a new, state-of-the-art Terminal 6, every project included in the $18 billion transformation of JFK into a world-class, global gateway is either underway or complete,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of PANYNJ. “Part of the Port Authority’s $30 billion commitment to transforming the region’s airports, this historic investment at JFK is a vote of confidence in the future of our region that will ensure that the airport will not only remain the nation’s busiest for international travelers, but that it will be among the world’s finest airports.”
The new Terminal 6 is a public-private partnership between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners — a consortium that includes Vantage Airport Group, an industry leading investor, developer, and manager of award-winning global airport projects, including LaGuardia’s Terminal B; American Triple I, a certified minority-owned investor, owner, developer, and manager of infrastructure assets, which has a 30-percent equity stake in the project; New York real estate operating company RXR; and JetBlue Airways, the project’s airline sponsor.
“Great cities need great airports,” said Helena Williams, JFK Millennium Partners CEO and Vantage executive. “Alongside our partners at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Vantage Airport Group, ATI, RXR, and JetBlue, we are ready to deliver a terminal that transforms the guest experience, drives significant economic activity, and creates extensive opportunities for local minority and women owned businesses to make their mark at JFK International Airport, starting now and for years to come.”
JFK Millennium Partners is developing the new terminal in two phases, with the first new gates opening in 2026 and construction completion in 2028. The new terminal will create an anchor for passenger travel on JFK’s north side, spanning the sites of the former Terminal 6 and the existing Terminal 7. JFK Millennium Partners is managing Terminal 7 until the 50-year-old facility is demolished to make way for the second phase of construction.
The new Terminal 6 arrivals and departures hall will feel spacious, bright, and airy thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings throughout the new terminal. Inspiring public art by New York-based artists and architectural elements depicting New York landmarks will create a unique sense of place. Passengers will enjoy more than 100,000 square feet of world-class shopping and dining featuring locally based restaurateurs, craft beverage options and Taste of NY stores.
State-of-the-art technology will improve the customer experience with touchless technology from check-in to gates and digital systems that will streamline the passenger journey throughout the terminal. Advanced security systems will include automated TSA security lanes, biometric-based access control systems and a flexible design to accommodate future technology or regulatory changes. A convenient taxi plaza as well as designated for-hire vehicle pick-up areas will be shared with Terminal 5, substantially reducing traffic congestion on the terminal road frontage and maximizing connectivity across the airport.
As part of the agreement with JFK Millennium Partners, PANYNJ will commit $130 million in capital funding to build enabling infrastructure for the new Terminal 6, including airside improvements and utility enhancements such as electrical support for the project. Enhanced airside aircraft circulation will reduce congestion and delays, while roadway improvements will optimize airport traffic flow.
