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Summer travel into and out of JFK Airport almost always leads to headaches and major gridlock issues but officials are hoping to make things a bit easier in the next few months by potentially offering folks free AirTrain rides from or to Jamaica Station or Howard Beach Station.
Gothamist reports that Rick Cotton, Port Authority Executive Director, "is considering nixing the $8.50 fare for the train stopping at JFK terminals as the airport prepares for an expected record-breaking number of travelers this summer amid a $19 billion construction project."
NYC's major transportation hub is, in fact, poised for a major revamp: expected to be completed in 2030, a new international terminal at JFK will boast 23 gates and over 300,000 square feet of retail, dining and lounge space spread across 2.4 million square feet. You can check out the released renderings right here.
Given the extent of the construction and the fact that, according to Gothamist, the airport is expecting 700,000 more travelers this summer than last year (which happened to be the busiest on record), it should come as no surprise that officials are brainstorming ways to keep disruptions at a minimum—especially following the chaos that ensued at LaGuardia back in 2016, when the hub underwent major renovations. Remember when people would nonchalantly step out of their cabs and run to the airport in an effort to actually make their flights?
In addition to perhaps allowing folks to use the AirTrain for free (the ride within the airport system is already complimentary for all), the Port Authority is also opening a lot next to the Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain station to make the whole ordeal a bit smoother, according to ABC7.
Overall, it seems like summer travel plans will be defined by a bit of chaos at JFK, so you might want to follow a few tips released by officials this week, including allowing extra time for your journey, using public transportation as much as possible, considering alternate pick-up and drop-off locations and, of course, constantly monitoring social media for important updates.