JFK International Airport revealed a major makeover for one of its terminals on Tuesday, just the start of changes set to come for the travel hub by the end of 2026.
Terminal 8 got a $525 million facelift, complete with more than 60 new food and retail options to choose from. But even those in charge acknowledge that more will need to be done to restore the Queens airport’s reputation.
“Ranked by many travel organizations as the worst in country and they were not wrong,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia, who oversees the airports.
She called the opening of the new shops a turning point for the airport, with two brand new terminals slated to open in the fall.
“Those are the biggest pieces to the puzzle,” Garcia said.
The massive $19 billion renovation includes a whopping $9.5 billion for a new Terminal 1 and more than $4 billion for a new Terminal 6. That comes in addition to the renovation of Terminal 4 and Terminal 8.
Plus, there is $4 billion worth of infrastructure projects set to address the seemingly endless work on the Van Wyck Expressway that has been the source of many traveler headaches.
Garcia promises the tangle of roads will soon be straightened out.
“We expect the spaghetti soup to actually finish…by the end of the year,” Garcia said.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards agrees, saying “we are almost there.”
As for the new shops at Terminal 8, developers intentionally chose New York entrepreneurs like Momofuku, Brooklyn Blend, and Queens’ own Neir’s Tavern. The owner says getting a slot at JFK was worth waiting.
“With pain also comes the payoff. And we are starting to see the payoff,” said Neir’s Tavern owner Loycent Gordon.
