New York City Airports Are No Longer the Worst in the US
By 2026, more than $30 billion in investment will make the New York metro area home to three state-of-the-art airports.
JFK Terminal 1 is expected to open for international flights only in June 2026.
Source: TMRW/Gensler
Dilapidated walls, crowded gate areas, slow moving security lanes, dingy concourses, cramped hallways and terrible traffic getting in and out—not to mention rats crawling up chairs onto unsuspecting, sleeping passengers. It wasn’t long ago that the list of complaints about New York City’s three airports went on and on. As recently as 2016, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport listed among the 10 worst airports in America, with LaGuardia taking the crown.
Fast-forward: LaGuardia’s new Terminal B and Newark’s new Terminal A stand as gleaming beacons of modern airport design and efficiency. Not only did each receive a maximum five-stars from aviation ratings firm Skytrax in March 2024—a designation based on a thorough audit of facilities and customer service—they were the only North American airports to appear on that coveted list.