Image courtesy of JFK New Terminal One

By KERRY SMITH BUCK

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The first phase of a $9 billion airport megaproject is scheduled to begin operations in June 2026.

The new 2.4-million-square-foot JFK New Terminal One will modernize New York’s global arrivals and feature massive solar and microgrid systems.

The first group of gates and security areas are scheduled to come online in the next few weeks. When fully completed, this new international terminal will be the largest terminal at JFK, spanning 2.6 million square feet.

The terminal aims to anchor the international south side of JFK as part of a massive $19 billion transformation of the entire airport.

The construction of the New Terminal One at JFK Airport is being led by AECOM Tishman, acting as the primary construction management firm in a joint venture that’s overseeing construction of the 23-gate terminal.

Gensler is the master architect behind the terminal’s futuristic, natural-light design.

A separate joint venture of Skanska and Halmar International is managing the surrounding $1.24 billion project to build the terminal’s new roadway network and ground transportation center.

The entire project is being built using 100 percent union labor, managed under a large private-public partnership consortium consisting of Ferrovial, JLC Infrastructure, Ullico and Carlyle.

Air France, Korean Air, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines all plan to operate from the new terminal.

The project is seeking LEED Gold certification.

Full completion of the megaproject is anticipated in 2030.