New York City-based JetBlue has celebrated a key milestone in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's transformation of JFK International Airport (JFK) with the ground-breaking of a US$4.2 billion project to develop a new international Terminal 6. The ground-breaking, held at JetBlue's JFK maintenance hangar, only reinforces the airline's commitment to JFK, Queens and New York.
The new Terminal 6 will connect seamlessly with JetBlue's current home at Terminal 5, adding gates and opportunity for the airline to add flights, destinations and partner airline connections. The project is a public-private partnership between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners – a consortium that includes JetBlue, Vantage Airport Group, an industry-leading investor, developer, and manager of award-winning global airport projects, including LaGuardia Terminal B; American Triple I, a certified minority-owned investor, owner, developer, and manager of infrastructure assets; and New York real estate operating company RXR.
The new terminal will mark a next chapter for New York's Hometown Airline® at the same time it prepares to expand as a result of its planned merger with Spirit Airlines.
The start of construction of Terminal 6 follows the successful financial close of the deal in November 2022 between the Port Authority and JFK Millennium Partners to build the 1.2 million ft², new international terminal on the airport's north side. According to estimates, the project will create approximately 4,000 jobs, including 1,800 union construction jobs and direct wages of US$1.9 billion.
The new terminal will be developed in two phases, with the first new gates opening in 2026 and construction completion in 2028. The 1.2 million-ft² Terminal 6, will have capacity for ten gates — including nine wide-body gates. Customers will enjoy more than 100,000 ft² of world-class shopping and dining featuring locally based restaurateurs, craft beverage options and Taste of NY stores.
