From Idlewild to JFK
The airport opened in 1948 on marshland and a golf course in Queens and was known as Idlewild. Airlines built their own terminals, including Eero Saarinen’s swooping TWA Flight Center (1962), a masterpiece of modern architecture. The airport was renamed after President Kennedy in 1963. The TWA terminal reopened as the TWA Hotel in 2019, with a restored Lockheed Constellation parked outside as a cocktail lounge.
What you’ll see
JFK is the busiest international gateway in North America. The afternoon and evening bring a huge wave of transatlantic departures to Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while morning arrivals bring red-eyes from Europe and long-haul flights from Asia. JetBlue, Delta and American have big operations here.
Runways
JFK has four runways in two parallel pairs: 4L/22R and 4R/22L, and 13L/31R and 13R/31L. Runway use depends on the wind and is coordinated with nearby LaGuardia and Newark.
Best times to watch
- 16:00–22:00: the transatlantic departure bank.
- Morning: red-eye arrivals from Europe and the West Coast.
