The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is to build a new $9.5bn international terminal at John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

The announcement comes after the Port Authority reached a revised agreement with The New Terminal One (NTO) – a consortium of financial sponsors – to build a 2.4 million square foot complex at the south side of the airport.

The project will be built in phases and will create more than 10,000 jobs, becoming the fourth major terminal project announced by the Port Authority as part of a complete transformation of JFK. When completed, the terminal will be the largest international terminal at the hub.

As part of the project, the Port Authority will undertake a number of infrastructure upgrades and improvements including roads, parking and utilities, such as a new electrical substation. The NTO will be built on the sites of the current Terminal 1, the 59-year-old Terminal 2, and the site of the former Terminal 3, which was demolished in 2013. 

Construction of the new structure is scheduled to begin in mid-2022 and the first phase – including the new arrivals and departures hall and first set gates – is expected to open in 2026.    

Rick Cotton, executive director at Port Authority, said: "The Port Authority is committed to rebuilding and transforming our airports into the world-class facilities the region deserves. The New Terminal One project at JFK will deliver on that commitment. 

“At the height of the pandemic, when JFK Airport was seeing an unthinkable 2% of its pre-Covid passenger volumes, we never lost sight of finding a path forward for this world-class terminal that aspires to be one of the best on the globe.”

The new terminal will have 23 new gates, as well as bright and airy check-in halls and arrival spaces designed to enhance the customer experience. 

Travellers will enjoy New York-inspired dining and retail amenities, as well as space for lounges, an indoor green space and family-friendly amenities. The NTO will also incorporate the latest advances in both sustainability and security.