How to Get Around JFK International Airport

New York's huge John F. Kennedy International Airport, more commonly known as JFK or Kennedy Airport, is the largest of the three New York area major airports. It can feel overwhelming to travelers, but thanks to the Internet, travel inside the airport can be planned as carefully, in advance, as the plane trip itself.

Instructions

1

Start with the NYCTourist website (see Resources section below). Here you can find a map of the airport, locations of terminals and each of the airlines served and sources and approximate costs of various forms of ground transportation. The map also indicates locations for taxi pickups, NY airport bus stop, car rental and hotel courtesy vehicle pickups, car rental lots, city bus stops and locations for the free bus to the subway.

2

Check your plane ticket or voucher for the number of the terminal from which your flight is departing. Go directly to that terminal by car, taxi or other transportation to check in for your flight.

3

Plan your airport shopping ahead of time. Visit the official Kennedy website at Kennedyairport for pre- and post-security locations of shops and food services. The website also offers current arrival and departure information (see Resources section below).

4

Use the AirTrain JFK service that connects all 8 JFK terminals. Trains run every few minutes during the day and less frequently after 11 p.m. The trains stop at all terminals. For information, go to the Port Authority of NY and NJ web site and click on "Around JFK Airport."

5

Check your plane ticket or itinerary before you land if you are arriving at JFK and changing planes to check which terminal you need to go to next. Listen for any announcements before landing in case there has been a change in the terminal where your flight is landing. As soon as you are inside the terminal, look on the arrival/departure board to confirm the terminal, gate and time for your connecting flight. Then follow the signs to the gate or, if you need to go to a different terminal, follow signs to the AirTrain.