John F. Kennedy International Airport

New York City and its surrounding metropolitan region in the United States are served by the major international airport known as John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). In Queens, New York City, is where the airport is situated. As the busiest of the seven airports that make up the New York airport system, it is also the busiest international commercial airport in North America and the sixth busiest airport nationwide. With 5,200 acres under its management, the airport is the biggest in the New York metropolitan region. With nonstop or direct flights to locations on all six inhabited continents, the airport is home to more than 90 airlines. Situated 16 miles southeast of Midtown Manhattan, the airport is situated in the Jamaica area of Queens.

There are four runways and five passenger terminals at JFK. The main ways to get there are by automobile, bus, shuttle, or other vehicle transit via the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678) the JFK Expressway, or by rail. In addition to serving as the main hub for JetBlue, JFK serves as an airline hub for American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. In the past, Pan Am, Seaboard World, Tower Air, TWA, Northeast, Northwest, National, Braniff, Eastern, Flying Tigers, and National all had hubs at JFK. Known by its popular name, Idlewild Airport, the facility was first established in 1948 as New York International Airport. As a memorial to the 35th President of the United States, the airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport after he was assassinated in 1963.

JFK has 130 gates spread over five operational terminals. Except the former Tower Air terminal, the terminal buildings are built in a wavy, distorted U shape around a central area that houses the power plant, parking, and other airport services. Access roads and the AirTrain system link the terminals. Paul Mijksenaar developed the directional signs that may be found throughout the terminals. Except for Terminal 4, which is run by the Schiphol Group, all of the terminals at JFK are overseen by airlines or groups of the airlines that serve them. International arrivals who have not been pre-cleared can be handled by any terminal. For the most part, connections between terminals require travelers to go through security, then walk, take a shuttle bus, or take the AirTrain JFK to reach the next terminal before going through security again.