If you were hoping to kick off a summer 2026 trip from a brand-new terminal at New York JFK, adjust your plans slightly. Officials behind the airport's Terminal One project now say the building will open in early 2027 — a slip from the 2026 timeline they were working to as recently as last year, when a summer 2026 debut was still the goal. The new target is the first quarter of 2027.
Why the delay? Terminal representatives say they're still finalising construction and working through operational testing with airline partners, shops and restaurants. Their line is that they'd rather test everything properly than rush a half-finished facility online. That's a fair point given the setting: this is one of the biggest terminal builds in the US, happening in the middle of one of America's busiest airfields. But it still means New York travellers will wait a little longer for the upgrade.
When it does open, Terminal One will be enormous — 2.6 million square feet, eventually serving 15 airlines and replacing JFK's tired old Terminal 1. The first phase to open will have 13 gates plus one temporary gate. Once that phase is up and running, the existing Terminal 1 gets demolished, making way for a second phase that adds another nine gates. Lounges are a big part of the pitch: the building will house six of them, including a large new Air France club announced just this week.
And Terminal One isn't the only big project on the go. Across the airport, work continues on the new Terminal 6, which will become home to JetBlue and United, plus a roster of Star Alliance carriers — Air Canada, ANA, Lufthansa and Swiss among them. Between the two builds, JFK is going through the most significant transformation in its history.
What does this mean if you're flying through New York? Short term, not much — you'll keep using the terminals you know, and the old Terminal 1 will keep operating until its replacement is ready. But if you have a trip planned for late 2026, don't bank on using the new building; anything from spring 2027 onward is more realistic. On the plus side, when these terminals land, the airport experience should improve dramatically for the international carriers most holidaymakers use — Air France flyers in particular will get a serious new lounge option.