John F. Kennedy International Airport, International airport in Queens, United States.
John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major international hub in Queens, handling flights to destinations spread across six continents. Six passenger terminals are linked by an AirTrain system, and more than ninety airlines operate services through the facility.
The airport opened as Idlewild in 1948 and was renamed in December 1963 to honor President Kennedy after his death. Terminals and facilities were expanded and redesigned over the decades to meet growing passenger numbers and evolving security requirements.
Terminals display works by artists rooted in the city, addressing themes that resonate with its everyday life and diversity. Passengers from every corner of the world shape the atmosphere in waiting areas, bringing their languages, routines and ways of moving through the space.
The AirTrain connects all terminals and links to subway and Long Island Rail Road stations, offering a route to Manhattan that takes about forty-five minutes. Travelers should allow extra time for security checks, especially during morning and evening rush periods.
Terminal 5 houses the former TWA Flight Center from 1962, designed by Eero Saarinen, now operating as a hotel while preserving its curved lines and spatial forms. Public areas also feature several pianos that travelers are free to play while waiting between connections.
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