Governor Hochul and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Announce 50 Percent Fare Reduction for AirTrain JFK to Encourage Use of Public Transit During Peak Summer Construction Activity at JF

Summer Travel Forecast To Exceed 18 Million Passengers at JFK, a New Record and 700,000 More Than Last Year, as Construction of New Airport is Fully Underway

Starting July 1, AirTrain JFK Single Ride Fare To Be Reduced to $4.25 Through Labor Day as Governor Encourages Airport Access via Subway or LIRR From New York City, Hudson Valley or Long Island

Port Authority Urges Travelers To Visit Construction.JFKAirport.com for Latest Construction Updates and Travel Advisories Before Heading to JFK

Governor Kathy Hochul and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey announced that the AirTrain JFK single ride fare will be reduced by 50 percent starting July 1 through Labor Day to encourage the use of public transit when accessing John F. Kennedy International Airport. A record number of travelers will take to the sky while the airport’s $19 billion transformation project, including an entirely new roadway network, reaches peak construction activity this summer.

“With transformational construction underway at JFK, we’re taking steps to mitigate travel delays and affirm what’s always been true – there’s no better option than taking the train to the plane,” Governor Hochul said. “As we kick off a busy summer, we’re making it more affordable for travelers to utilize the AirTrain, offering New Yorkers and visitors from around the world the best-in-class travel experience they deserve.”

The $4.25 AirTrain JFK fare applies at both the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations, the two off-airport stations that require payment via OMNY or MetroCard. Jamaica is just 20 minutes from Grand Central Madison, Penn Station, or Atlantic Terminal via Long Island Rail Road, and easily accessible from Long Island. Easy subway connections are also available at the Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport and Howard Beach subway stations via the A/E/J/Z lines.

For travelers who must take a car to the airport, the Port Authority opened a drop-off / pick-up lot at the on-airport AirTrain JFK Lefferts Blvd station, which is a free direct 8-minute AirTrain ride to the airport terminals to help passengers avoid heavy congestion on terminal frontages. Parking at the airport will be extremely limited, and passengers planning to park should pre-book at JFKAirport.com in order to guarantee a spot.

Transforming JFK Into a World-Class Global Gateway

In January 2017, the JFK Vision Plan was announced to transform JFK into the world-class airport that New Yorkers deserve. The vision plan provides a strategic framework for the Port Authority and its partners to completely redevelop, modify and expand existing facilities and infrastructure. The $9.5 billion development of a state-of-the-art new Terminal One that will anchor the airport's south side broke ground in September 2022. A new $4.2 billion Terminal 6, which will connect seamlessly with Terminal 5 to create an anchor terminal on the airport’s north side, broke ground in February 2023. The $1.5 billion expansion of Terminal 4, led by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal (JFKIAT), is substantially complete. Additionally, the $400 million expansion of Terminal 8, led by American Airlines, which operates the terminal, was completed in November 2022.

All of the privately financed terminal projects combined with the Port Authority's roadway, parking and infrastructure projects represent a $19 billion transformation of JFK and an extraordinary series of public-private partnerships. The Port Authority’s capital investment of $3.9 billion is leveraging private investment at a rate of nearly four to one when taking into account the full private investment of more than $15 billion that has been committed to the four projects comprising the full redevelopment of JFK.