A Huge New Terminal 6 is Coming to JFK: Here’s a Sneak Peek Inside

A new Terminal 6 is in the pipeline for John F. Kennedy International Airport. The $4.2 billion facility is due to open in 2026 and is expected to transform the traveling experience for millions of passengers each year.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is working with a private consortium on the new complex. JFK Millennium Partners will build and operate the development, which project bosses say is currently on schedule. The final steel beams are due to be laid this summer ahead of a partial opening in 2026. 

To mark a year since the start of construction, newly released photographs show the scale of the project and the progress being made. A series of new concept images and a fly-through video have also been published.

“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,” Rick Cotton, Port Authority Executive Director said in a statement. 

When Will JFK Terminal 6 Be Completed?

The project is split into two phases. The first five aircraft gates are due to open in early 2026, with the remaining five expected by the end of 2028. Nine of the ten gates will be able to accommodate widebody planes.

Although JetBlue Airways is an investor in the project and some of its services will operate from Terminal 6, another big name will be the primary tenant.

The Lufthansa Group will make the move from its current home in Terminal 1. Alongside the German flag carrier, the European aviation giant also operates brands including Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss. All of these companies will transfer to the new site, with a ‘world-class’ new premium lounge also under development.

Project bosses say “advanced discussions” with other airlines are currently underway. 

JetBlue will retain its current home at Terminal 5, with new landside and airside connections to Terminal 6.

Among the Promised Passenger Experience Highlights:

• The longest departures curb of any JFK terminal, with distinct airline-branded passenger drop-off zones
• ‘Up to five’ premium airline lounges, as well as a new arrivals lounge
• ‘New York City-inspired’ retail and dining options spanning almost 100,000 square feet
• An automated baggage system and the latest TSA screening technologies
• A new ground transportation center and taxi stand which will be shared with Terminal 5 

Not Just Terminal 6

Construction of the 1.2 million square foot facility is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs and forms part of a much wider overhaul of the airport’s aging infrastructure.

The Port Authority says it is spending $3.9 billion over the coming years to transform JFK “from curb to gate.” An additional $15 billion will come from private-sector investors. 

A $9.5 billion redevelopment of Terminal One started in September 2022, while a $1.5 billion expansion to Delta’s Terminal 4 is also currently underway. A new-look Terminal 8, which is now home to American Airlines and British Airways, was unveiled in November 2022.

Watch A Fly-Through Video of the New Terminal 6 Here: