New Terminal One (NTO) is a passenger terminal set to be built at the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York, US, as part of wider plans to transform JFK into a world-class airport. NTO will be the biggest terminal at the airport upon completion.
Originally planned to start in 2020, the $9.5bn terminal project was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Construction on the first phase of the NTO commenced with a groundbreaking ceremony in September 2022. The first 14 gates of the terminal are expected to be opened in 2026. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2030.
The project is estimated to generate more than 10,000 jobs, including more than 6,000 construction jobs.
New Terminal One project details
NTO will be constructed on the sites of the existing Terminal 1, the 59-year-old Terminal 2, and the former Terminal 3, which was demolished in 2013. The new terminal will represent the transformation of the outdated Terminal 1.
The 2.4 millionft² (222,967m²) terminal will anchor the south side of JFK international airport.
The terminal will be built in multiple phases, the first of which phase will be the development of a new arrivals and departures hall. NTO will include 23 new gates upon completion.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) will be responsible for improving roads, parking lots, and utilities, including a new electric substation.
New Terminal One design, features, and amenities
The terminal will offer New York-inspired dining and retail amenities, as well as lounge and indoor green spaces.
The check-in and concession spaces will be designed with high ceilings and will allow in natural light. The areas will feature modern architectural elements, including art depicting significant landmarks across New York.
The terminal will be installed with the latest technologies in security, such as touchless passenger journeys and digital systems, for efficient passenger flow and queue management.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security lanes will be installed with biometric-based systems and advanced video search analytics. The improved design of the terminal will also allow it to adapt to future technology and regulatory changes.
Passengers can access charging stations and free high-speed Wi-Fi at the terminal.
New Terminal One sustainability features
The terminal will incorporate several sustainability features, including a solar hot water system and aircraft de-icing fluid recovery system.
Electric-powered ground service equipment, including baggage tractors and belt loaders, will also be available at the terminal.
Financing the New Terminal One project
The construction of the NTO is privately funded by the NTO consortium, which includes the investment firm Carlyle, the investor and asset management firm JLC Infrastructure, the infrastructure operator Ferrovial, and the insurance and financial services holding company Ullico.
The construction debt financing for the project was closed in June 2022 by the consortium. The financing will be provided by a group of lenders comprising MUFG Bank, Bank of America, Bank of China, Citibank, HSBC Bank USA, ING Capital, Intesa SanPaolo, KDB Asia, KfW IPEX-Bank, Société Générale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, The Bank of Nova Scotia and The Korea Development Bank.
Contractors involved in New Terminal One
AECOM Tishman and Gensler form the design-build team of the project. AECOM Tishman is a construction firm engaged in mixed-use and mega-development projects in the US while Gensler is a global design and architecture firm.
McKissack & McKissack, a design and construction firm, was selected to provide project management oversight services.
JT Hicks Associates, a construction and engineering services company based in the US, was contracted to provide surveying services for the terminal project.
Local firms A.B. Engineering and ZI Engineering received contracts for structural engineering services.
Developer of retail assets in airports Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, will serve as the concessions manager and be responsible for handling the dining, retail, duty-free, entertainment, and experiential concepts.
Business consultancy firm Steer has been serving as the project’s lead traffic and business plan advisor since 2017.
The joint venture between airport management and consulting services Munich Airport International and the holding firm CAG Holdings was appointed to serve as the operating and technical services partner to the NTO consortium.
US-based Structural steel fabricator Banker Steel is supplying 33,000 tonnes of fabricated structural steel for the project.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, a financial services group, served as the financial advisor for the NTO consortium.
Law firm Milbank served as advisors for the group of lenders who provided construction debt financing for the project.
Other recent developments at JFK International Airport
The PANYNJ signed a long-term ground lease agreement with Aeroterm for the development of a $145m cargo facility at JFK airport in June 2021.
Aeroterm will construct a 350,000ft² (32,516m²) cargo building, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
The advanced cargo facility will enhance airport cargo handling and storage efficiency. It will also include a temperature-controlled area for handling pharmaceutical products.
Aeroterm contracted Lödige Industries to supply an automated cargo system for the facility. The system will include two elevating transfer vehicles and will be used by Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), which handles a majority of the cargo operations at the airport.
