Gov. Kathy Hochul and officials from the Port Authority announced the opening of the newly expanded Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport Tuesday, Nov. 29, marking the completion of the first phase of the airport’s $18 billion redevelopment. The $400 million, privately financed expansion and modernization will allow British Airways to move from its long-time home in Terminal 7 and co-locate with American Airlines in Terminal 8.
“The completion of Terminal 8 is the latest milestone in our historic efforts to build a whole new JFK worthy of New York,” Hochul said. “I congratulate American Airlines, British Airways and the Port Authority for the first of what will be many milestones to come. We will continue our close partnerships as we transform JFK into a magnificent global gateway that will help to keep New York at the center of the world stage.”
The 60-year-old Terminal 7 will be demolished to clear space for a new Terminal 6 that will begin construction early next year.
Operational enhancements of Terminal 8 include five new widebody gates, four new widebody parking positions, and an expanded and upgraded baggage handling system that will together support additional transatlantic flights.
“The inspiring expansion of Terminal 8, fostering superb hourly services between JFK and London, is an example of what’s to come at JFK, where our vision for a world-class, 21st-century airport is now unfolding from one end of the airport to the other,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “Thanks to the investment made by American Airlines and British Airways, Terminal 8 — with five new widebody gates — offers an improved passenger experience and expanded capacity for transatlantic travel to and from JFK. This investment by our private partners at Terminal 8 is a vote of confidence in the future of the airport and of the JFK region.”
The Terminal 8 project involved the work of more than 115 unique minority- and women-owned businesses that were awarded contracts totaling more than $161 million, exceeding the Port Authority’s commitment to at least 30 percent MWBE participation at the agency’s capital projects. Local businesses were awarded nearly $33 million in contracts at Terminal 8.
“The successful redesigning and reimagining of Terminal 8 is just one of the ways we have been making real progress toward making JFK the single greatest airport in the world,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “Along with new gates, new amenities, and new lounges, the upgrading of Terminal 8 has also brought new employment and contracting opportunities for Queens residents and businesses.”
Richards serves as co-chair of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council with Congressman Gregory Meeks.
“The JFK Airport Terminal 8 expansion details the significance of international travel and infrastructure development in New York. JFK Airport is our country’s door to the world,” Meeks said. “This project encourages global travel along with supporting New York’s changing economy by providing people with real career opportunities, while still investing in sustainable aviation practices. The continued investment in JFK redevelopment certainly makes it a premier global gateway.”
Terminal 8 will also be undergoing major concessions upgrade across the terminal over the next 18 months, including locally-inspired food and beverage options. The co-location of American Airlines and British Airways at Terminal 8 supports the Port Authority’s mission to create greater connectivity for passengers at a transformed and more unified JFK.
“This expansion of Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport represents the completion of a portion of this critical, large-scale redevelopment plan that continues to play a crucial role in revitalizing New York’s economic recovery and creating good-paying, middle-class careers with benefits,” Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York President Gary LaBarbera said. “Completing these projects will open a gateway to a new era in New York and we celebrate being a step closer to fully modernizing JFK International Airport into the exemplary, world-class transportation hub that New Yorkers, and our visitors, truly deserve.”
