Spring travel season is picking up across New York’s three major airports, and there’s a mix of good news and ongoing headaches. Here’s what travelers flying out of JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark need to know this week.
JFK: New Terminal One Adds Viva Aerobus Partnership
The New Terminal One at JFK — the massive $19 billion rebuild on the south side of the airport — announced a partnership with Viva Aerobus, Mexico’s leading low-cost carrier. The airline will offer nonstop flights between JFK and both Mexico City and Monterrey, with year-round service expected from June 2026.
Viva Aerobus joins over 20 carriers committed to the new terminal, including Air France, KLM, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines. Phase 1 of the terminal, including new arrivals and departures halls and 14 gates, is expected to open later this year. At completion, the terminal will have 23 gates across 2.6 million square feet — the largest at JFK.
The timing isn’t accidental. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, airlines are adding capacity on U.S.–Mexico routes ahead of the summer tournament.
Newark: AirTrain Shutdown Continues Through May 2
If you’re flying out of Newark Liberty, the AirTrain situation hasn’t changed — and won’t until May. The $3.5 billion AirTrain replacement project means weekday service between the Airport Train Station and P4 is suspended from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. through May 2, 2026.
Free shuttle buses run every 4–5 minutes between the Airport Train Station, all terminals, rental car facilities, and parking areas. But here’s the reality: during peak hours, the shuttle adds 30 to 60 minutes to your trip compared to the old 10–15 minute AirTrain ride.
Weekend service runs normally. The next shutdown phase runs September 8 through October 29, 2026, with additional phases in 2027–2028. The full replacement — a new Cable Liner system — isn’t expected to open until 2030.
For the latest construction advisories, check the Newark Airport construction advisory page.
TSA Wait Times: Stabilizing After March Chaos
Good news if you were among the travelers stuck in multi-hour security lines last month. Following the DHS funding standoff that disrupted TSA staffing in mid-March, wait times across all three airports have come down significantly.
Recent averages by terminal:
- JFK: Terminal 8 around 30 minutes, Terminal 5 around 18 minutes
- LaGuardia: TSA PreCheck averaging 3 minutes; general lines 2–12 minutes depending on terminal
- Newark: Terminal B averaging 1–12 minutes, Terminal C around 15 minutes, Terminal A around 8 minutes
That said, conditions remain highly variable by terminal and time of day. The standard advice still holds: arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international, especially at Newark where the AirTrain situation adds unpredictability.
Port Authority’s Big Picture: $45 Billion Capital Plan
Behind all these individual projects is the Port Authority’s recently approved $45 billion capital plan for 2026–2035. That funds the completion of JFK’s redevelopment, a new Terminal B at Newark, and the AirTrain replacement. Expect construction across all three airports for years to come — but the end result should be a dramatically modernized system.
For more on recent airport changes, see our previous airport and travel update covering the JFK Terminal 6 opening and ongoing LaGuardia disruptions.
