The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has released an animated rendering of Terminal 6 from terminal frontage to gate, ahead of the opening of the US$4.2bn building in 2026.
The new terminal is part of the Port Authority’s US$19bn redevelopment project to transform JFK International Airport into a 21st-century global gateway. New York City-inspired retail, dining options and amenities totaling nearly 9,300m2 are planned at Terminal 6 to create a New York sense of place. Selection of the future food and beverage, retail and duty-free concession brands is underway.
According to the airport, airlines and passengers at Terminal 6 will enjoy a terminal that is digital-first, efficient and full of the latest passenger conveniences, technology and amenities, such as: 10 gates, nine of which will accommodate wide-body aircraft; automated baggage system and customs/border control facilities, and the latest TSA screening technologies; the longest departures curb at JFK, with airline-branded passenger drop-off zones; up to five airline lounges, in addition to a new arrivals lounge; digital concierge services; a new ground transportation center and a taxi stand shared with JFK International Airport’s Terminal 5; a curated collection of New York City-inspired artwork featuring local and international artists, curated by the Public Art Fund in partnership with JFK Millennium Partners and the Port Authority; sustainably sourced building materials, rooftop solar power and energy-efficient systems and operating practices throughout the new terminal; and sustainability certifications for LEED (silver or gold), Envision and SITES underway.
JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected to build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 6, marked one year since breaking ground on the terminal on February 27, 2024. Construction of the terminal is reportedly on schedule, with the last beams of steel expected to be erected this summer and the first gates to open in 2026.
JMP is developing Terminal 6 in two phases, with the first five gates opening in early 2026 and construction completion expected by 2028. Lufthansa Group will move to the new terminal, operating flights to several European gateways and creating lounges for guests traveling on its group of airlines which includes Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. Advanced discussions with other air carriers are underway.
“Watching the steel frame of a new Terminal 6 taking shape is a tangible sign that JFK’s transformation into a world-class global gateway is well underway,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of the Port Authority. “This magnificent new international terminal is a key component of the Port Authority’s US$19bn reimagining of John F. Kennedy International Airport, and it will bring unprecedented economic opportunities to the communities near the airport.”
Throughout construction, the project is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs, including 1,800 union construction jobs and direct wages of US$1.9bn. Through the end of January 2024, JMP has already awarded more than US$450m in contracts to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) and more than US$170m in contracts to Queens-based firms helping to build the facility. This includes over 180 MWBEs that are currently working on the project. JMP expects to meet or exceed the Port Authority’s goal of 30% MWBE participation and create opportunities to foster and grow local business enterprises (LBEs) through development.
“To see our hard-working, talented team and partners develop the new JFK Terminal 6 from the ground up is tremendously exciting. With each construction milestone and this one-year mark, we’re closer to welcoming passengers to an extraordinary new airport facility that will provide tremendous benefits to the local community, city and state that Terminal 6 will proudly serve,” said George Casey, chairman of JFK Millennium Partners and the chair and CEO of Vantage Airport Group, which leads Terminal 6 development and also spearheaded development of LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B – reportedly the first Skytrax five-star rated airport terminal in North America.
“We’ve had a busy, truly successful first year building T6,” said Steve Thody, interim CEO of JFK Millennium Partners. “In partnership with our design-build team at AECOM Hunt and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, we’ve assembled a strong, local workforce that is committed to achieving our 2024 milestones and building with the highest levels of quality and safety. We look forward to continued progress as we build a world-class terminal that international travelers will love, and all New Yorkers can soon call home.”
To find out more about JFK Airport’s Terminal 6 development project, click here.