JFK’s $9.5 Billion International Terminal Is Taking Shape Ahead of 2026 Launch

The first phase of John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new Terminal 1, part of a $9.5 billion overhaul, is nearing completion and is expected to open in mid-2026, just in time for the FIFA World Cup matches at nearby MetLife Stadium.

Though still under construction, the massive terminal is now weather-sealed, and major components like baggage systems and ticket counters are already in place. Once completed, it will replace the existing Terminal 1, which dates back to 1998.

A Terminal Designed for Global Travel

The new Terminal 1 is being designed specifically for international passengers. Airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air China, Air New Zealand, and China Airlines will be among the carriers operating from the new space.

“From the very first pen to paper, we had the international customer in mind,” said Jennifer Aument, CEO of The New Terminal One, the company leading the development.

The building will be about the combined size of LaGuardia Airport’s two newest terminals and will have capacity to handle 14 million passengers a year during its initial phase.

Smart Layout and Sustainable Design

The terminal’s design eliminates the usual basement-level customs lines. Departures, arrivals, security, and customs will all be on the same level of a three-story layout. A wall of slanted glass windows floods the space with natural light, a feature Aument highlighted during a recent hardhat tour.

Led by Gensler, the design is inspired by a butterfly, with the terminal’s main body serving as the structure’s central axis.

The terminal will also feature its own microgrid system with solar panels on the roof, giving it the ability to operate independently during power outages, a first for U.S. airports at this scale.

What’s Coming Inside

Once fully complete by 2030, the terminal will include:

• 23 gates: 22 wide-body and 1 narrow-body

• Over 300,000 sq. ft. of space for dining, shopping, lounges, and entertainment

• 180,000 sq. ft. dedicated to retail and food services

• A cash-and-carry duty-free store, allowing passengers to take their purchases immediately, a first for a U.S. airport

The AirTrain, which connects JFK’s terminals with public transit, already runs through the construction site and will directly serve Terminal 1 once operational.

Part of a Larger Transformation

The Terminal 1 project is part of a $19 billion investment by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to modernize JFK Airport. Terminal 7 will also be demolished to make way for a new Terminal 6, with its first gates expected to open in 2026.

Airport infrastructure upgrades are becoming increasingly urgent across the U.S., with a recent Airport Council International-North America report estimating a need for $173.9 billion in improvements by 2029.

As more than half the airlines at JFK prepare to move terminals in the coming years, the new Terminal 1 is positioned to set a new standard for international travel, combining efficiency, sustainability, and traveler experience in one space.