HISTORY OF JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Contact: (718) 244-4444

In April 1942, New York City began placing hydraulic fill over the marshy tidelands of Idlewild Golf Course. Initial plans were for a modest 1,000 acre airport, but by the time construction was complete Idlewild Airport had grown to five times that size. Commercial flights began in July 1948.  On December 24, 1963, the airport was rededicated John F. Kennedy International Airport in memory of the nation’s 35th president. Today, JFK is the nation’s leading international gateway with more than 80 airlines operating from its gates.


FACTS & INFORMATION

OPERATED BY: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, under a lease with the City of New York since June 1, 1947. In 2004, the Port Authority and the City of New York concluded an agreement that ensures the Agency's continued operation of JFK and LaGuardia airports through 2050.

LOCATION: On Jamaica Bay in the southeastern section of Queens County, New York City. The airport is located 15 miles by highway from midtown Manhattan.

SIZE: JFK covers 4,930 acres, including 880 acres in the Central Terminal Area. The airport has more than 30 miles of roadway.

INVESTMENT: About $150 million was expended on original construction. The Port Authority has invested about $6.1 billion in the airport.

EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC IMPACT: JFK contributes about $30 billion in economic activity to the New York/New Jersey region generating about $9.8 billion in wages and salaries. Roughly 35,000 people are employed at the airport.

TERMINALS: JFK has seven operating airline terminals, surrounded by a dual ring of peripheral taxiways. More than 125 aircraft gates serve the terminals. The Central Terminal Area also includes a central heating and air-conditioning plant.

AIRTRAIN JFK: This high-speed, light-rail service links the airport to New York City and beyond. Opened in December 2003, AirTrain connects to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and the New York City subway and bus lines. In 2009, AirTrain JFK had a ridership of nearly 4.5 million passengers.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER: The 321 foot tower, which opened in 1994, includes state-of-the-art communications, radar and wind-shear alert systems.

PARKING: The airport offers customers over 18,000 parking spaces in a variety of places, including: multi-level parking garages, surface spaces in the Central Terminal Area, a long-term parking and cell phone lot.

CARGO: JFK is one of the world's leading international air cargo centers. Two cargo facilities totaling 430,000 square feet of warehouse and office space offer the latest in cargo facility design. The airport has more than one million square feet of office and warehouse space dedicated to broker, freight forwarder and container freight station operators who do business within the NY/NJ region.

RUNWAYS/TAXIWAYS: Total runway length is nine miles. Taxiways total 25 miles in length. All runways have high-intensity
runway edge lighting, centerline and taxiway exit lighting and are grooved to improve skid resistance and minimize hydroplaning. A 500-foot by 150-foot aircraft arrestor bed has been installed at the end of Runway 4R, the first such arrestor bed in the world.





JFK AIRPORT
STATISTICS OVER THE YEARS

Year
Plane Movements
Passengers
Air Cargo (tons)
Air Mail (tons)
1949
81,115
222,620
4,580
1,150
1960
248,686
8,803,665
138,055
44,118
1970
365,848
19,096,705
759,546
143,882
1980
307,527
26,796,066
1,169,815
142,406
1990
303,716
29,794,350
1,331,182
126,871
1995
340,124
31,377,579
1,637,677
117,526
1997
353,171
31,357,431
1,702,285
134,137
1998
343,565
31,708,431
1,626,133
144,622
1999
343,388
31,708,431
1,752,821
153,238
2000
345,311
32,827,864
1,864,571
140,908
2001
294,026
29,350,052
1,521,498
126,934
2002
287,699
29,939,212
1,668,369
84,422
2003
280,302
31,732,446
1,709,457
84,243
2004
320,013
37,517,496
1,790,448
88,738
2005
349,518
40,884,350
1,747,626
83,202
2006
378,410
42,629,407
1,705,911
99,869
2007
443,752
47,716,941
1,656,431
115,363
2008
438,391
47,807,475
1,474,438
125,890
2009
414,928
45,915,069
1,115,742
105,738

 



AIRPORT TERMINALS

Terminal 1

Aeroflot Cayman Airways Olympic
Aeromexico China Airlines Royal Air Maroc
Air China China Eastern Saudi Arabian
Air France Japan Turkish
Alitalia Korean  
Austrian Lufthansa  

 

 


Terminal 2 & 3
Delta - First Class/Medallion/Business Class Elite Check-in


Terminal 4

Aer Lingus COPA Kuwait Sun Country
AeroGal Czech LACSA Swiss International
Aerolineas Argentinas Delta LAN TACA International
Aerosvit Ukranian Egypt Air LOT TAM
Air Europa El Al Miami Air TravelSpan
Air India Emirates North American Uzbekistan
Air Jamaica Etihad Pakistan Virgin America
Arik Air Eurofly Qatar Virgin Atlantic
Asiana flyglobespan Royal Jordanian XL Airways
Avianca JetBlue (check listing) Singapore  
Caribbean KLM South African  



Terminal 5
JetBlue


Terminal 7

ANA Iberia United
British Airways Iceland Air United Express
Cathay Pacific Qantas US Airways


Terminal 8

Air Berlin Finnair Mexicana
American Jet Airways  
American Eagle Malev 

 




Legend for all terminal maps.


 



AIRLINES

More than 70 airlines operate out of JFK. The following is a comprehensive listing on the best way to contact each of them. Please note that the following phone numbers are based on the most current information available. Please confirm terminals with your airline.

Please also note that some international flights arriving late at night may be required to clear Federal Inspection Services at Terminal 4 arrivals area rather than the arrival terminal listed below.

Airlines Phone Numbers IATA Code
Departures Terminal
Arrivals Terminal
Aer Lingus
(800) 474-7424 
EI
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Aeroflot
(888) 340-6400 
SU
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
AeroGal
(305) 470-9317 
2K
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Aerolineas Argentinas
(800) 333-0276 
AR
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Aero Mexico
(800) 237-6639 
AM
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines
(888) 661-1620 
V V
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Air Europa
(800) 238-7672
(800) 2EUROPA
UX
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Air Berlin
(866) 266-5588
AB
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
Air China
(800) 982-8802
CA
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Aires
(888) 950-2473
4C
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Air France
(800) 237-2747 
AF
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Air India
(212) 751-6200 
AI
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Air Jamaica
(800) 523-5585 
JM
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Alitalia
(800) 223-5730 
AZ
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
American
(800) 433-7300 
AA
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
American Eagle
(800) 433-7300 
AA
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
ANA (All Nippon)
(800) 235-9262
NH
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Arik Air
(877) 900-2745
W3
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Asiana
(800) 227-4262 
OZ
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Austrian Airlines
(800) 843-0002 
OS
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Avianca
(800) 284-2622 
AV
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Biman Bangladesh
(212) 808-4477
BG
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
British Airways
(800) 247-9297 
BA
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Brussels Airlines
(Code Share American)
(516) 622-2248
SN
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
Caribbean
(800) 538-2942 
BW
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Cathay Pacific
(800) 233-2742 
CX
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Cayman Airways
(800) 422-9626 
KX
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
China Airlines
(800) 227-5118 
CI
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
China Eastern
(866) 588-0825 
MU
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Copa Airlines
(800) 359-2672
CM
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Czech Airlines
(800) 223-2365
OK
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Delta
(800) 221-1212
Int'l: (800) 241-4141
DL
Terminal 3
Terminal 3
Delta
(Departures to Amsterdam, Jamaica, San Juan, Spain and Tokyo)
(800) 221-1212
Int'l: (800) 241-4141
DL
Terminal 4
Terminal 3
Delta -
("First Class/Biz Elite/SKY PRIORITY Check-in", London, Los Angeles, San Francisco)

(800) 221-1212
Int'l: (800) 241-4141 

DL
Terminal 2
Terminal 3
Delta Connection
(800) 325-5205 
DL
Terminal 3
Terminal 3
Egyptair
(212) 315-0900
(800) 334-6787
MS
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
El Al
(800) 223-6700
(212) 768-9200 
LY
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Emirates
(800) 777-3999 
EK
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Etihad
(888) 8ETIHAD
EY
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Finnair
(800) 950-5000 
AY
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
Iberia
(800) 772-4642 
IB
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Icelandair
(800) 223-5500 
FI
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Japan Airlines
(800) 525-3663 
JL
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Jet Airways
(877) 835-9538
9W
Terminal 8
Terminal 8
JetBlue 
Aruba, Bermuda, Nassau, Bahamas and Puerto Rico
(800) 538-2583
B6
Terminal 5
Terminal 5
Jet Blue
(Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, St. Lucia and St. Maarten )
(800) 538-2583
B6
Terminal 5
Terminal 4
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
(800) 374-7747 
KL
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Korean Air
(800) 438-5000 
KE
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Kuwait Airways
(800) 458-9248
(212) 659-4200 
KU
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Lacsa
(800) 225-2272 
LR
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Lan Chile
(866) 435-9526
LA
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Lan Ecuador
(866) 435-9526 
XL
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Lan Peru
(866) 435-9526
LP
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
LOT
(212) 852-0240
LO
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Lufthansa
(800) 645-3880 
LH
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Meridiana Fly
(800) 459-0581 
IG
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Miami Air (charter)+
(305) 871-3300
GL
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
North American
(800) 371-6297
NA
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Pakistan International Airlines
(212) 760-8455
PK
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Qantas
(800) 227-4500 
QF
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Qatar Airways
(877) 777-2827 
QR
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Royal Air Maroc
(800) 344-6726 
AT
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Royal Jordanian
(212) 949-0050 
RJ
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Saudi Arabian Airlines
(800) 472-8342
(718) 551-3020 
SV
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
Singapore Airlines
(800) 742-3333 
SQ
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
South African Airways
(800) 722-9675 
SA
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Sun Country
800-FLY-N-SUN
SY
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Swiss International Air Lines
(877) 359-7947 
LX
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
TACA International
(800) 535-8780 
TA
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
TAM
(888) FLY-TAM
JJ
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Transaero Airlines
(877) 747-1191
UN
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Turkish
(800) 874-8875
(516) 247-5402
TK
Terminal 1
Terminal 1
United Airlines
(800) 241-6522 
UA
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
US Airways
(800) 428-4322
US
Terminal 7
Terminal 7
Uzbekistan
(212) 245-1005 
HY
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Virgin America
(877) 359-8474 
VX
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
Virgin Atlantic
(800) 862-8621 
VS
Terminal 4
Terminal 4
XL Airways
(646) 300-7734
SE
Terminal 4
Terminal 4