JFK Airport: a 10,000 Million USD Expansion

Six years after construction began, on 1 July 1948, the first commercial flight arrived at Idlewild Airport, also known as New York International Airport (code KIDL). Since 1963 it has been known as John Fitzgerald Kenedy Airport (code JFK).

The most prestigious airlines in the United States contributed to the airport leadership making it their hub. The eight terminals that were built from 1958 onwards were operated by these airlines: TWA, Pan Am, National, Eastern, JetBlue, American Airlines, Delta...

Even some of its passenger terminals have been trendsetting in terms of architectural and functional design. Such is the case, in particular, of the Worldport terminals (Pan Am), the Flight Centre (TWA), designed by Eero Saarinen, or the Sun Dome (JetBlue).

Although there are several airports in the United States, and in the world, with higher passenger traffic, JFK remains one of the most popular airports in the world. reference. Over time it has not only established itself as the gateway that welcomes most people to the Big Apple, but it has also become one of the most iconic airports in the world and the most popular airport in the world. main entry point for tourism in the United States.

Last year it handled 60 million passengers and 440,000 operations. It is expected to welcome 100 million passengers by 2050. Its influence on the socio-economic context of the region is unquestionable with the generation of more than 200,000 jobs in the surrounding area.

Despite the fact that the airport has undergone various improvements over the last few years and that even now the remodelling and expansion of some of its terminals is underway, there is a clear need to act on several fronts to ensure that both access and the services provided at the airport are of a high quality and in line with the requirements of the passenger experience in the 21st century. For this reason, the announcement by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo of an investment of 10 billion in airport upgrades.

It will be one of the largest projects in New York in recent decades and one of the largest investments in recent times in airport improvements. The renovation plan includes runway remodelling, terminal expansion and interconnection, new security resources, upgrading of internal metro and train stations, as well as a plan to improve access roads.

According to Cuomo, the aim is to achieve "a unified, interconnected airport that changes the passenger experience and makes it easier to access and navigate". It is also expected that slightly more than two thirds of the budget for this action will come from private investors as part of public-private partnerships.

According to Pat Foye, director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport, "for every million passengers JFK cannot handle, the region loses approximately $140 million in wages, $400 million in sales and 2,500 jobs. In addition, JFK is one of the few major airports in the world that does not offer travellers a direct commute from its city centre by public transport".