The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and JFK Millennium Partners, the consortium building a new Terminal 6, have hoisted into position the final piece of structural steel for the first phase of the 1,200,000ft2 terminal.
The terminal will feature expansive, naturally lit public spaces, cutting-edge technology, public art and an array of amenities designed to enhance the customer experience, making it a critical piece of the port authority’s US$19bn transformation of JFK airport.
Steel topping out ceremony
A tradition in major infrastructure works, the topping-out ceremony commemorated the tremendous efforts of construction professionals and the men and women of organized labor to maintain safe and on-time construction.
Terminal 6 is scheduled to open in phases, beginning with the completion of the arrivals and departures hall and the first five gates in 2026. The second phase, including five additional gates, will open in 2028, completing the terminal. Terminal 6 construction is creating 4,000 jobs, including 1,800 union jobs in construction.
“Today marks a major milestone in the transformation of JFK International that will set a new standard for travel in New York,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “This state-of-the-art development would not have been possible without our skilled union workers and partners, and I look forward to continuing our work with them to build a more efficient, interconnected New York.”
The final beam is adorned with an American flag and an evergreen tree to symbolize good luck and continued safe construction and operations. It bears the signatures of hundreds of partners, employees and stakeholders who are contributing to the development of the new Terminal 6.
Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the port authority, said, “Throughout history, our region has been the nation’s front door to the world. Finally, with the transformation of JFK International, it will become the airport that it was always destined to be – a state-of-the-art global gateway that tells visitors they’ve arrived in the greatest region of the nation. At JFK, at LaGuardia Airport and at Newark Liberty International, we are making historic investments in the future of our region.”
Rick Cotton, executive director of the port authority, said, “Today’s topping-out ceremony comes as we near the mid-point of this historic US$19bn project to transform JFK into what will soon be one of the world’s great airports. Just seven years ago when we unveiled our JFK Vision Plan, few people believed we could build a new world-class airport while maintaining full flight operations and managing record passenger volumes. But seeing is believing. And in just a couple of years, travelers will experience a beautiful and efficient new airport with a uniquely New York sense of place.”
Jeffrey Lynford, vice chairman of the port authority, said, “Watching this final steel beam lifted into place at Terminal 6 shows just how far we have come toward completing our vision of transforming JFK International into one of the finest airports in the world. We are one step closer to creating the global gateway New York deserves, where we will provide a world-class and inclusive customer experience for all travelers, regardless of their needs.”
JFK’s Terminal 6
Terminal 6 is being delivered via a public-private partnership between the Port Authority and JMP – a consortium composed of Vantage Group, ATI, RXR and JetBlue Airways, with AECOM Hunt as its design-build joint venture partner. Spanning 1,200,000ft2 , it will occupy the site of the former Terminal 6 and the existing Terminal 7 when completed. The new
Terminal 6 will feature 10 gates, 10,000ft2 of amenities, custom artwork and architecture, state-of-the-art digital technology and sustainable operations – all delivered with the expertise of many minority, women-owned (MWBE), service-disabled, veteran-owned (SDVOB) and local business enterprises (LBEs).
The new Terminal 6 is a key part of the US$19bn redevelopment of JFK, which also includes a New Terminal One anchoring the south side of the airport; the modernization and expansion of terminals 4 and 8; and an entirely new, simplified airport roadway network. The entire airport redevelopment includes US$15bn in private investment for terminals and US$3.9bn in port authority funding for roadway and infrastructure improvements.
Across JFK, the port authority is working with its private partners, including JMP, and the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council to ensure that this historic investment generates economic and educational opportunities for the communities surrounding the airport.
The council, led by US Rep Gregory W Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., has prioritized participation by minority- and women-owned business enterprises in the overall JFK redevelopment project. To date, that effort has set a New York State record of US$2.3bn in contract awards to MWBE firms.
This construction milestone follows the recent announcement of the first group of businesses to be featured in the vibrant concessions program at the new Terminal 6. Among those featured are 12 local and diverse businesses hailing from southeast Queens, Harlem, Brooklyn, and Long Island. Together, the concessions program is expected to achieve more than 35% participation from companies certified as airport concessions disadvantaged business enterprises (ACDBE) under federal guidelines.
For more top insights into the US$19bn redevelopment of JFK, read Passenger Terminal Today‘s exclusive interview with Steve Tukavkin, vice president of IT and digital at JFK Airport Terminal 4.