by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 1:21 PM ET, Fri February 24, 2023
JetBlue celebrated the groundbreaking this week of a $4.2 billion project to develop a new international Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The new terminal will connect to JetBlue's existing Terminal 5 location at JFK and allows the airline to add more flights, destinations, and partner airline connections at the busy New York airport.
The project is being undertaken as a public-private partnership between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the JFK Millennium Partners consortium, which includes JetBlue, the developer Vantage Airport Group; RXR, which is an operating company, and American Triple I, a minority-owned investor.
"It was 23 years ago that JetBlue launched our first flights from our home at JFK, eventually growing and taking over our modern Terminal 5 and now sending customers to more than 80 destinations, including London and soon Paris," said Robin Hayes, CEO of JetBlue. "At a time that JetBlue is set to grow significantly, we are excited to once again invest and further the governor's vision as we build the new Terminal 6."
More than 7,000 JetBlue crew members are now based at JFK and the new terminal is just one part of the airline's ongoing growth plans.
JetBlue is also hoping to expand its operations through its planned merger with Spirit Airlines, which will make it the fifth biggest airline in the country. The proposed merger however, must still be approved by government regulators. It remains unclear whether antitrust officials at the U.S. Department of Justice will challenge the merger.
A rendering of the upcoming JetBlue Terminal 6 at JFK. (Courtesy JetBlue)If allowed to proceed, the merger will provide an infusion of additional crew and planes for JetBlue. The merger will also allow the two airlines to offer consumers a national low-fare challenger to the four major airlines that dominate the U.S. market-Delta, American, United, and Southwest.
As for the upcoming Terminal 6 at JFK, it will be a 1.2 million square foot space located on the airport's north side. It is also projected that the new terminal will create about 4,000 jobs, which will translate to wages of about $1.9 billion.
The terminal is being constructed in two phases. The first new gates are expected to open in 2026, and the completion of the project will come in 2028. The terminal will include 10 gates, including nine wide body gates.
There will also be 100,000 square feet of shopping and dining that will emphasize local restauranteurs and craft beverage options.
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