British Airways terminal at New York JFK airport to close

BA will move to Terminal 8 to be co-sited with its alliance partner, American Airlines.

British Airways is to leave its own terminal at New York’s JFK airport and move in with its alliance partner, American Airlines. The move from Terminal 7 to 8 will take place in 2022.

BA is the only non-US airline to have a terminal at New York’s premier airport. It has occupied Terminal 7 for decades, including through the Concorde era. It is the main tenant but shares the terminal with its sister airline, Iberia, and eight other airlines.

The move to Terminal 8 will allow Terminal 7 to be demolished to accommodate a much-expanded presence for the “home town” airline, jetBlue.

BA and the airport owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, are investing £250m “to recreate and customise” Terminal 8, with additional stands, improved baggage systems and new lounges.

Yet British Airways is to pump another £52m into the existing facility to see it through the next three years, to provide “brand new lounges for First and Club World customers and an upgraded customer experience for all customers”.

BA’s chairman and chief executive, Alex Cruz, said: “We look forward to working with the Port Authority and American Airlines to continue building a world-class transatlantic travel experience in our new home from 2022.”

The move will make connections easier between British Airways’ transatlantic services and American Airlines’ domestic links.

Some business passengers will welcome the move because it will allow them to switch easily between BA and AA without changing terminals. A passenger who misses the 10.25pm American Airlines departure to Heathrow and who wants to catch the 11.15pm British Airways flight must change terminals.

BA’s rival, Virgin Atlantic, is already co-sited with its partner, Delta, in JFK Terminal 4.

Also at New York JFK, Air France has inaugurated a beauty treatment centre in its terminal 1 lounge. First and Business Class passengers will be able to enjoy “two private beauty booths with a massage table for the longer treatments, like in a real beauty institute”.