Landing at JFK
You have landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens — the busiest international gateway in North America, and an airport mid-rebuild. Five terminals are in service, two brand-new ones are on the way, and the pickup rules change with construction. This page covers your first hour inside JFK: where you are, how to clear arrivals, and how to get into town. What happens after that lives in the city guide.
In this guide
Terminals & Layout
Five terminals are in service: 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8.
Terminals 2, 3, and the old Terminal 6 are gone — demolished to make way for the rebuild. Terminal 1 is compact; Terminal 4 is the biggest and the busiest; Terminal 5 is JetBlue's; Terminal 8 is American's, shared with British Airways.
Two new terminals are coming, but neither is handling passengers yet.
The New Terminal One (23 gates when complete) is rising on the sites of the current Terminal 1 and the former Terminals 2 and 3. Terminal 6 (10 gates) is being built on the old Terminal 6 and Terminal 7 footprint, and Terminal 7's airlines are moving out before it is demolished. Published opening dates for both have already slipped — do not plan a trip around a specific opening date, and check your terminal close to the day you fly rather than the day you book.
Which airlines use which terminal (headline carriers only — always confirm your flight's terminal with your airline, especially on codeshares):
- Terminal 1 — Air France, Korean Air, Lufthansa, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and other international carriers.
- Terminal 4 — Delta, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Etihad, and other international carriers.
- Terminal 5 — JetBlue (plus Cape Air).
- Terminal 7 — Aer Lingus, Air Canada, ANA, Icelandair, and other carriers, while airlines move out ahead of demolition.
- Terminal 8 — American Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific.
Arrivals flow for international flights.
Every active terminal has its own immigration and customs facility — you do not change terminals for that. Follow signs to Passport Control, then collect checked bags at baggage claim, then clear Customs. If you are connecting onward, the US has no sterile transit: you go through immigration, collect your bags even if they are tagged to your final destination, clear Customs, drop bags at the re-check counter, then take the AirTrain to your departure terminal and re-clear TSA security. Allow at least 3 hours for an international-to-domestic connection at peak times. The one exception: if you arrived from a preclearance airport (Dublin, many Canadian cities), you cleared US immigration before takeoff and arrive as a domestic passenger.
Faster lanes.
Mobile Passport Control (MPC) is available at JFK: the free CBP app lets eligible travelers submit passport and customs declaration information in advance and use a dedicated, usually shorter lane. Global Entry members use the dedicated kiosks. JetBlue international arrivals between 10:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. are processed at Terminal 4, since Terminal 5's customs facility does not run around the clock.
Moving between terminals.
The AirTrain is free between terminals and runs 24 hours a day, every 5–15 minutes. There is no airside walkway between terminals — a terminal change means exiting the secure area and re-clearing security, so build in at least 60–90 minutes for an inter-terminal connection. Airport baggage porters (Skycaps) are available curbside for $8 plus gratuity.
Getting Into Town
AirTrain + subway — cheapest, about $11.75 per person.
The AirTrain fare is $8.75, paid at the exit gates at Jamaica or Howard Beach station with a contactless card, phone, or OMNY card — there is no free transfer between AirTrain and the subway. From Jamaica Station (Sutphin Blvd–Archer Av), take the E, J, or Z into Manhattan. From Howard Beach, take the A toward Lower Manhattan and uptown. The subway fare is $3.00 with OMNY. Total trip: roughly 60–80 minutes to Midtown. MetroCards are retired; everything runs on OMNY tap-to-pay.
AirTrain + LIRR — fastest rail, about $13.75–$16.00 per person.
From Jamaica Station, the Long Island Rail Road reaches Penn Station (Moynihan Train Hall) or Grand Central Madison in about 20 minutes, for a total door-to-door of roughly 30–45 minutes. The LIRR CityTicket fare is $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 peak; peak is weekday trains arriving in Manhattan 6–10 a.m. or departing 4–8 p.m. Buy LIRR tickets before boarding — onboard purchases cost more.
Yellow taxi — simplest door-to-door, flat $70 to anywhere in Manhattan.
The meter stays off, so traffic cannot inflate the base fare. Surcharges stack on top: $0.50 MTA state surcharge, $1.00 improvement surcharge, $2.50 New York State congestion surcharge (trips touching Manhattan below 96th Street), $0.75 congestion-pricing toll (at or below 60th Street), a $5.00 peak-hour surcharge on weekdays 4–8 p.m., plus road tolls of roughly $6–12. A realistic all-in total is about $90–115, before a customary 15–20% tip (not included). There is no charge for extra passengers, luggage, or paying by card. Join the official taxi line outside your terminal — never accept a ride from someone approaching you inside.
Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) — check the app, not the signs.
Pickup locations change with construction. At Terminals 5 and 7, rideshare pickups moved to a lot at the AirTrain's Howard Beach station — take the free AirTrain there (a free shuttle also runs between the terminals and the lot). At Terminals 1, 4, and 8, pickups are at designated for-hire-vehicle zones on the arrivals level. Always follow your app's in-app pickup instructions on the day. Fares are dynamic: roughly $40–75 off-peak, surging to $80–190 or more at peaks, plus tolls, a $2.75 state congestion surcharge, a $1.50 congestion-zone charge, and a $3.50 airport access fee per pickup.
Bus — cheapest if you have time.
MTA local buses Q10 and B15 serve the airport for the $3.00 OMNY fare. The Q10 connects to the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station, from which the AirTrain to your terminal is free. The B15 stops at Terminal 5. Allow 60–90 minutes or more from most of Brooklyn or Queens, longer from Manhattan.
SIM & Connectivity
Free Wi-Fi is unlimited in all terminals.
Connect to the network named "_Free JFK WiFi" and select "Free unlimited WiFi" in the captive portal that opens. Confirm the exact network name on terminal signage before joining — do not trust a hotspot just because its name contains JFK or "free Wi-Fi."
Travel eSIM before you fly
is the lowest-friction setup: buy and install the profile at home on Wi-Fi, enable it after you touch down. Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible, and your home SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts.
A US prepaid SIM needs no US paperwork.
Tourists can buy a prepaid SIM with no contract, no Social Security number, and no US address — and generally no ID is required. Carrier stores (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon) and big-box retailers like Walmart or Target carry them; airport kiosks tend to cost more for the same plan. Expect roughly $40 for 10 GB valid 30 days, or $50–60 for an unlimited-data plan. Check that your phone is unlocked before you travel.
Money on Arrival
The currency is the US dollar. ATMs are available in every terminal — use those rather than the currency-exchange booths, whose rates are poor.
Tipping is expected, and it is not included in fares.
Tip taxi drivers 15–20%. Skycaps (curbside porters) charge $8 plus gratuity. In restaurants, 18–20% is the norm; check whether a service charge is already on the bill before adding more. Tips are best left in cash where you can.
Scams & Safety
Say no to anyone offering you a ride inside the terminal.
Soliciting rides inside JFK is illegal, and the Port Authority has been cracking down under its Operation Legal Ride enforcement campaign — thousands of summonses for unlawful solicitation at JFK alone since January 2025. Unlicensed touts may be uninsured or underinsured, and they overcharge. Use only the official taxi line, the designated rideshare pickup area for your terminal, a pre-booked car service, or an airport information desk.
Keep your documents and bags on you.
Do not hand your passport, boarding pass, or bags to a stranger offering help, however friendly. Watch your luggage at the carousel, and keep valuables and documents in your carry-on, not in checked bags.
Where to Go Next
- New York City — Your first hour after leaving the airport: getting into town, where to stay first, and what to do on arrival.
- Landing in The Americas — Entry, money, SIM, and transport across the hemisphere, if New York is one stop among several.
Affiliate disclosure: hotel names, transfers, and experiences linked in this guide may earn After You Land a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and times were checked in Oct 2026 and change often — confirm before you book.