Quick answer: Terminal 1 is open and operating normally, and it carries more airlines than any other building at JFK — 26 of them, including Air France, Lufthansa, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines, EVA Air, SWISS and Japan's and China's flag carriers. It is also the terminal being replaced: the $9.5 billion New Terminal One is rising on its site, and 21 of those 26 airlines have announced a future move. None of those moves has happened yet. If your ticket says Terminal 1 today, go to Terminal 1.
That last point is the one worth reading twice, because the internet is full of guides that already moved these airlines. This page covers Terminal 1 as it actually operates in August 2026, which airlines are there now, what has genuinely been announced versus what has happened, and where the New Terminal One project stands. For the whole airport see the JFK terminals guide, or check one carrier in the A–Z airline-to-terminal lookup.
JFK Terminal 1 at a glance
| Fact | Terminal 1 (2026) |
|---|---|
| Status | Open and operating |
| Airlines | 26 — the most of any JFK terminal |
| Profile | Almost entirely long-haul international; no US major hubs here |
| Being replaced by | New Terminal One, $9.5 billion, built on the T1 and former T2/T3 sites |
| Parking | Green Lot closed; use the Terminal 8 Red Lot or the Long-Term Lot |
| AirTrain | Own station; free to every other terminal |
Is JFK Terminal 1 still open?
Yes. Terminal 1 is running a full schedule and will keep doing so until the New Terminal One is ready to take its traffic. The confusion is understandable — demolition is part of the project and the terminal is surrounded by construction — but the building itself is operating, checking in passengers and boarding flights every day.
What airlines fly from JFK Terminal 1?
Twenty-six airlines use Terminal 1, which makes it the busiest building at JFK by carrier count. It has no US hub airline; the tenants are almost all foreign flag carriers flying long-haul, which is why the terminal empties and fills in sharp waves rather than running steadily through the day.
| Airline | Announced move |
|---|---|
| Air China | To New Terminal One |
| Air France | To New Terminal One |
| Air New Zealand | To New Terminal One |
| Air Serbia | To New Terminal One |
| Asiana Airlines | — |
| Austrian Airlines | To Terminal 6 |
| Azores Airlines (SATA) | To New Terminal One |
| Brussels Airlines | To Terminal 6 |
| Cayman Airways | — |
| China Eastern | To New Terminal One |
| EgyptAir | To New Terminal One |
| EVA Air | To New Terminal One |
| Gulf Air | To New Terminal One |
| ITA Airways | — |
| Korean Air | To New Terminal One |
| LOT Polish Airlines | To New Terminal One |
| Lufthansa | To Terminal 6 |
| Neos | To New Terminal One |
| Philippine Airlines | To New Terminal One |
| Royal Air Maroc | To New Terminal One |
| SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) | To New Terminal One |
| Saudia | — |
| SWISS | To Terminal 6 |
| TAP Air Portugal | To Terminal 6 (late 2026) |
| Turkish Airlines | To New Terminal One |
| Viva Aerobus | — |
Everything in the right-hand column is an intention, not a completed move. Every airline in this table is checking in at Terminal 1 today.
When does the New Terminal One open?
There is no committed date. Phase A of the New Terminal One was originally targeted at June 2026 and has slipped to at least November 2026, with the developer declining to name a firm replacement date as of mid-2026. Phase A brings a new arrivals and departures facility and an initial 14 gates; the finished terminal is planned at 23 gates and 2.6 million square feet by 2030, which would make it the largest at JFK.
The practical consequence for a traveller in 2026 is simple: plan for Terminal 1, and check your boarding pass on the day. Even once the new terminal opens, airlines will move across in batches over months rather than all at once — which is exactly how Terminal 6 has been filling since its first gates opened.
Which airlines are moving to Terminal 6 instead?
Four of the Lufthansa Group's carriers have committed to Terminal 6 rather than the New Terminal One: Lufthansa itself, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, with TAP Air Portugal also announced for late 2026. This is the single most misreported fact about JFK right now — plenty of sources already list Lufthansa at Terminal 6. It is not there yet. It checks in at Terminal 1.
Where do you park for Terminal 1?
The Terminal 1 Green Lot is closed for the redevelopment, and there is no replacement next to the building. The Port Authority redirects Terminal 1 drivers to the Terminal 8 Red Lot, at $74 per 24 hours or from $62 prebooked, and you finish the trip on the free inter-terminal AirTrain. For any stay beyond a day or two the Long-Term Parking Lot is far cheaper at $55 a day, or from $39 prebooked, and reaches Terminal 1 on that same free ride. Full details are in the JFK parking guide.
If you are only dropping someone off or collecting them, do not park at all: waiting at the kerb is not permitted and unattended cars are towed. The Cell Phone Lot and the Lefferts Boulevard wait lot are both free.
How do you get to Terminal 1 at JFK?
Terminal 1 has its own AirTrain station and the ride between JFK terminals is free; the $8.75 fare applies only at Jamaica and Howard Beach, where the AirTrain meets the subway and the Long Island Rail Road. Trains run every 5 to 15 minutes. Because Terminal 1 is a heavy long-haul terminal with early-morning and late-evening banks, the AirTrain platform can be crowded at those times even though the service itself runs all night.
Options and costs from the city are in the JFK to Manhattan guide, and the transfer cost guide compares them on price.
What should you expect inside Terminal 1?
Terminal 1 is the oldest of JFK's operating terminals and it shows, which is much of the reason it is being replaced. Facilities are modest next to Terminal 4 or the new Terminal 6, seating is tight during the evening long-haul bank, and the dining and shopping choice is thinner than elsewhere at the airport. Several tenant airlines run their own lounges here, so a business-class ticket or the right status changes the experience considerably — the JFK lounges guide has the details.
If you have a long wait and are willing to ride two stops, Terminal 4 has the best food at the airport; see where to eat at JFK. Landing here rather than departing? The customs and immigration guide covers the arrivals flow, and live times are on the JFK arrivals page.
