After you land at JFK, you still have to clear customs, find your ride and get into the city. Here are the 10 things that matter most in 2026, from terminals and customs to every way into Manhattan.
Quick answer
What should you know before flying into JFK? Five terminals are open (1, 4, 5, 7 and 8), and two new ones are still being built. Customs can take a few minutes or more than two hours. The AirTrain is free between terminals and $8.75 to the subway or train.
- Cheapest to Manhattan: AirTrain plus subway, $11.75, about 60 to 75 minutes.
- Fastest by train: AirTrain plus Long Island Rail Road, $14 to $16, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Taxi: a $70 flat fare to Manhattan, plus fees, tolls and tip.
- Uber or Lyft: the price changes with demand, and at Terminals 5 and 7 you ride the AirTrain to a pickup lot.
- Private car: your chauffeur can meet you inside, and the price is set when you book.
Our office handles JFK pickups every day, so we know where the lines build up, which pickup areas have moved, and how the roads into Manhattan look at each hour.
Table of Contents
1. JFK Has Five Open Terminals, and Two New Ones Are Coming
JFK handles more than 62 million passengers a year. In 2026, five terminals are open: 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8. There is no Terminal 2 or 3 anymore.
Two new terminals are being built. Terminal 6, next to JetBlue's Terminal 5, will open in stages, with the full terminal set for 2028. The New Terminal One was planned for 2026, but its opening moved to early 2027. Until then, the old Terminal 1 stays open.
The building work reaches the arrivals side too. Roads, walkways and pickup areas change often, so leave extra time and follow the signs, even if you have flown into JFK before. The airport posts current changes on its terminals page.
2. Check Your Terminal Before You Fly
Your terminal decides where you clear customs, where your ride meets you and how long the walk is. Check your boarding pass or airline app the day before you fly. If one airline sold you the ticket but a partner flies the plane, you land at the partner's terminal.
| Terminal | Main Airlines | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Air France, Korean Air, Lufthansa, SWISS, Turkish Airlines | The old building stays open until the New Terminal One opens |
| Terminal 4 | Delta, Emirates, KLM, LATAM, Virgin Atlantic | Delta's home at JFK, with many international flights |
| Terminal 5 | JetBlue | Rideshare and car pickups are at the Howard Beach lot; JetBlue international flights that land overnight clear customs at Terminal 4, so check the JetBlue app |
| Terminal 7 | Aer Lingus, Air Canada, ANA, Frontier, Norse Atlantic | Will close after its airlines move to the new Terminal 6 |
| Terminal 8 | American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways | American's home at JFK |
Airlines move between terminals during the rebuild, so a terminal can change between the day you book and the day you fly. Your boarding pass is the final word.
3. Customs Can Take a Few Minutes or More Than Two Hours
On an international flight, you go through passport control, pick up your bags and then pass customs. On a quiet day, U.S. citizens can be through in a few minutes. Visitors usually wait longer, and at the busiest times the line can pass two hours. Lines are usually longest in the afternoon and evening, when most flights from Europe land.
Domestic flights skip customs, so you walk straight to baggage claim. As a rough guide, plan on 45 to 90 minutes from landing to the curb on an international flight, and more at peak times. On a domestic flight, plan on 20 to 40 minutes, or less if you only have a carry-on.
You can check live wait times by terminal on the CBP Airport Wait Times site. If someone is picking you up, tell them to watch your landing time and expect you after customs and bags.
4. Mobile Passport Control and Global Entry Save Time
Mobile Passport Control is a free app from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. citizens, green card holders, Canadian visitors and returning visitors with an approved ESTA (the online travel approval many visitors need) can use it at JFK. After you land, fill in your trip details, take a selfie and send it. You get a QR code and use a separate, shorter lane. You still show your passport to an officer.
Global Entry is a trusted traveler program for people who fly abroad often. It takes an application, a background check, an interview and a fee. Once approved, you skip the regular line at the Global Entry lane, and you get TSA PreCheck for your trips out of the U.S. too.
5. The AirTrain Connects Every Terminal
The AirTrain links every terminal with parking, rental cars and two train stations: Jamaica Station and Howard Beach. Riding between terminals is free. Riding to Jamaica or Howard Beach, where you catch the subway or the Long Island Rail Road, costs $8.75. Children under five ride free, and with OMNY a group of up to five can tap one card: $8.75 for the first rider and $4.50 for each extra rider, or $26.75 for five.
You pay at the fare gates at Jamaica or Howard Beach with a contactless card, phone or OMNY card. The AirTrain is open 24 hours a day, and the ride from the terminals to either station takes about 10 to 15 minutes, plus the wait for a train. Check the AirTrain page for night closures before you fly.
Changing terminals for a connecting flight? The terminals are not connected inside security. You leave, ride the AirTrain and go through TSA screening again at the next terminal, so give yourself extra time.
6. Getting to Manhattan: Your Options Compared
There are six main ways into the city. The right one depends on your bags, your budget and the time you land.
Trains are the cheapest way in and skip road traffic. You will carry your bags through stations and change trains at least once. The Long Island Rail Road fare from Jamaica is $5.25 off-peak and $7.25 at peak times, on top of the AirTrain.
Taxis and rideshares take you to the door but sit in the same traffic as everyone else. At weekday rush hour, the drive can reach 90 minutes or more.
A private car costs more than a taxi, but you know the full price before you fly and your chauffeur can meet you inside the terminal. With us, a Business Class Sedan between JFK and Manhattan starts at $222, with tolls and tip included. Meet and greet inside the terminal is free on most of our vehicles; on the Business Class Sedan it is a flat $39. See our JFK airport car service page for vehicles and what each one fits.
7. The Taxi Flat Fare and What It Leaves Out
Yellow taxis charge a flat $70 between JFK and anywhere in Manhattan. The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission sets that fare, but it is not the full price. The TLC fare page lists what gets added:
- $2 airport access fee for pickups at JFK
- $0.50 MTA state surcharge and a $1 improvement surcharge
- $2.50 congestion surcharge for trips to Manhattan below 96th Street
- $0.75 congestion pricing toll for trips that start or end in Manhattan at or below 60th Street
- $5 rush hour surcharge on weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m.
- Tolls on your route, plus a tip
So a ride to Midtown comes to about $76.75 before tolls and tip, or $81.75 on a weekday evening. Take a taxi only from the official taxi line outside arrivals. If someone walks up inside the terminal offering a ride, say no. Ride offers inside the terminal are illegal, and the Port Authority warns travelers to turn them down.
8. Uber and Lyft Pickups Are Not Always at the Curb
Construction has moved app pickups at several terminals. At Terminals 5 and 7, Uber and Lyft pick up at the Howard Beach AirTrain station lot, so you ride the free AirTrain there with your bags. At Terminal 4, app pickups have at times moved to a separate lot from noon to 2 a.m., reached by a free shuttle from arrivals. At the other terminals, pickups are usually near the terminal, but follow the app and the signs.
Prices change with demand, so the same ride can cost much more at a busy hour than the taxi flat fare. Check the price in the app before you confirm. Uber Shuttle is a shared van with fixed stops in Manhattan, leaving from Terminals 4 and 5. You see the seat price in the app.
The lot rule covers car services at Terminals 5 and 7 too. When you ride with us there, your chauffeur meets you inside arrivals and walks with you to the lot.
9. Late-Night Arrivals Need a Plan
Flights land at JFK at all hours. After midnight, trains come less often, the taxi line can be long or empty, and fewer rideshare drivers may be nearby, so prices can jump. A delayed flight can push a 10 p.m. landing past 1 a.m.
Plan before you fly. Keep your phone charged, know your hotel's address, and use only the taxi line, the rideshare pickup area or a car you booked ahead. A booked car follows your flight, so a delay moves the pickup with it. When you book with us, we track your flight, and your chauffeur waits up to 60 minutes after you land for free, on domestic and international flights alike.
10. Traveling with Kids, Lots of Bags or a Group
Trains mean stairs, turnstiles and crowded cars, which is hard with a stroller and three suitcases. Most taxis and rideshares don't carry car seats. TLC rules let you bring and use your own car seat or booster (see our guide to the NYC car seat law for taxis and Uber).
With a private car, the planning happens before you land. Child seats and boosters are free. Give us each child's age and weight at booking and the seat is installed before the car reaches you. Meet and greet is free on most vehicles. The Business Class Sedan and Comfort Van carry a flat $39.
Groups can ride together instead of in three cars. A Sprinter van seats up to 14 passengers with room for 15 bags, which works for family reunions, wedding parties and teams flying in for a conference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many terminals does JFK have in 2026?
Five terminals are open: 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8. Terminal 6 will open in stages, and the New Terminal One is expected to open in early 2027. There is no Terminal 2 or 3.
Is JFK Terminal 1 still open?
Yes. The old Terminal 1 stays open until the New Terminal One opens next to it. That opening moved from 2026 to early 2027. Airlines such as Air France, Korean Air, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines still use the old building.
How long does it take to get through customs at JFK?
It can take a few minutes or more than two hours. U.S. citizens usually move faster than visitors. Check the CBP Airport Wait Times site before you land, and use Mobile Passport Control or Global Entry if you qualify.
Can you go between terminals at JFK without leaving security?
No. The terminals are not connected inside security. You leave your terminal, ride the free AirTrain to the next one and go through TSA screening again. Give yourself extra time.
Is the JFK AirTrain free?
It is free between terminals. Riding to Jamaica Station or Howard Beach, where you catch the subway or the Long Island Rail Road, costs $8.75. Children under five ride free.
What is the cheapest way to get from JFK to Manhattan?
The AirTrain plus the subway. It costs $11.75 in total ($8.75 for the AirTrain and $3 for the subway) and takes about 60 to 75 minutes to Midtown. It works best if you travel light.
Is it cheaper to take Uber or a taxi from JFK?
Often the taxi. Taxis charge a flat $70 to Manhattan plus fees, tolls and tip. Uber and Lyft prices change with demand, so at busy times they often cost more than the taxi.
Where do Uber and Lyft pick up at JFK?
It depends on the terminal. At Terminals 5 and 7, pickups are at the Howard Beach AirTrain station lot, which you reach on the free AirTrain. At the other terminals, pickups are usually near the terminal, but follow your app and the signs because spots change during construction.
Do you have to wear a mask at JFK airport in 2026?
No. Masks are optional at JFK. The federal mask rule for planes and airports ended in April 2022, and New York dropped its rule for airports and transit in September 2022. An airline or a country you fly to can still set its own rule.
How long does it take to get from JFK to Midtown Manhattan?
By car, plan on 45 to 75 minutes, and 90 minutes or more at weekday rush hour. The AirTrain plus the Long Island Rail Road takes about 45 to 60 minutes and skips road traffic.
Related guides: book a private ride with our car service from JFK, compare JFK to Manhattan limo prices, see how JFK, LaGuardia and Newark compare, learn how to get from LaGuardia to JFK, or read our guide to the best way from LaGuardia to Times Square.
