John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Terminals & airlines

• Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 (check airline)

Before you depart

• AirTrain is free between terminals; fare applies when exiting to subway/LIRR.

After you land

• Yellow taxi stands have dispatchers; rideshare has designated pickup zones per terminal.

Accessibility & special assistance

Wheelchair and mobility services must be requested through your airline (ideally 48–72h ahead) rather than the airport directly. All restrooms, AirTrain, and Service Animal Relief Areas are accessible; note user reports of long wheelchair-service wait times, especially at peak hours—build in buffer time.

• Wheelchair service — Request via your airline in advance; reconfirm at the check-in counter on arrival. Waits can exceed an hour at peak times per traveler reports.
• TSA Cares — Request assistance getting through the security checkpoint by submitting the TSA Cares form in advance.
• Service Animal Relief Areas (SARAs) — Indoor and outdoor relief areas available at all terminals, before and after security.

Connecting? Rest & refresh options

Facility availability, not current prices — those change often, so confirm at the desk.

• No free walk-up showers — showers only exist via lounges (Terminals 4, 5, 8) or paid suites like Minute Suites (Terminal 4, near Gate B39).
• The TWA Hotel at Terminal 5 offers day-use rooms with showers, connected via AirTrain from other terminals.
• JFK's terminals aren't uniformly connected pre-security — a day-use hotel or lounge is only realistic if it's in your terminal or reachable by AirTrain within your layover window.

Taxi

• Use yellow cab stands with uniformed dispatchers—flat fares apply to Manhattan from JFK.
• For rideshare, follow airport signage to the specific pickup area—ignore solicitors.

Avoid common scams

• Anyone offering rides inside the terminal away from official queues.

Bus

• MTA buses connect nearby; most travelers use AirTrain + subway/LIRR instead.

AirTrain + rail

• AirTrain to Jamaica → LIRR or subway E/J/Z lines.
• AirTrain to Howard Beach → subway A line.