The $9.5 billion terminal replacing three of JFK’s oldest buildings
New Terminal One, the $9.5 billion, 2.6-million-square-foot terminal rising on the site of JFK Airport’s former Terminals 1, 2 and 3, is entering its final stretch before opening, with its first phase — an arrivals hall, a departures concourse and 14 gates — targeted for later this year as part of the Port Authority’s broader $19 billion transformation of JFK. At full buildout, expected around 2030, the terminal will grow to 23 gates and become the largest single terminal at the airport.
The project is an all-international facility built to host both established and newly arriving carriers. Air Europa is the latest airline confirmed to relocate there, joining more than 20 international carriers already committed, including Air France, KLM, Etihad, Korean Air, EVA Air, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways, according to the New Terminal One’s own announcement.
“Air Europa’s selection reinforces our position as the preferred terminal for international carriers serving New York,” said Jennifer Aument, CEO of New Terminal One, in the release. Air Europa CEO Richard Clark added that “New York remains strategically important, and this move reflects our commitment to delivering superior travel experiences between the Americas and Europe.”
What’s actually inside
The terminal is designed around naturally lit public spaces, indoor green areas, “world-class dining and retail,” modern airline lounges and public art meant to reflect “a uniquely New York sense of place,” per the Port Authority’s own project description. Sustainability features include roughly 13,000 solar panels, an all-electric ground support vehicle fleet, reportedly a first among airport terminals, and an on-site microgrid designed to keep power running during grid disruptions or severe weather. Every gate is built wide-body capable for aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 and 787, and the terminal is targeting LEED Gold certification and a five-star Skytrax rating.
Arriving U.S. citizens will also see new technology at passport control. New Terminal One partnered with Customs and Border Protection to deploy Enhanced Passenger Processing, a voluntary, no-cost facial-biometric system built with the identity-technology firm iProov, according to the terminal’s February 2026 announcement. “This technology allows CBP officers to verify identities more efficiently, reduce wait times for U.S. citizens,” said Francis J. Russo, CBP’s Director of Field Operations, in the release. No advance enrollment is required, and travelers can opt out for standard inspection instead.
Jobs and what’s next
The project has also generated roughly 10,000 jobs, including about 6,000 union construction positions, according to figures included in the terminal’s own project materials. For travelers flying internationally out of JFK this year, the practical upshot is a slow migration away from some of the airport’s oldest, most cramped terminal space and toward a facility built from scratch around modern security technology, wider gates and considerably more room to sit down before a long-haul flight.
