Delta plans JFK T4 expansion

A planned expansion at New York-JFK’s Terminal 4 will unify Delta operations and add 16 gates.

Delta, along with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and JFK International Air Terminal (JFKIAT), the operator of JFK Terminal 4, will expand Terminal 4 at John F Kennedy International Airport and consolidate Delta operations there, New York Governor Andrew M Cuomo has announced.

Subject to board approval, the Port Authority will finalize and enter a lease amendment with JFKIAT for the expansion and renovation of the Terminal 4 arrivals and departures hall, the addition of 16 gates to the terminal’s Concourse A, the renovation of existing concourses, and roadway upgrades to improve access for vehicles.

The expansion at Terminal 4 is expected to be complete, with Delta consolidating its operations there, in early 2023.

“Delta is investing more in airport infrastructure today than at any other time in our history,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “With transformational projects now underway at both JFK and LaGuardia, we’re creating the airports our New York customers have long deserved.”

The airline has grown its presence in New York City by over 65% in the last 10 years, unveiling its US$1.4bn, state-of-the-art international gateway at JFK’s Terminal 4 in 2013.

Delta currently operates out of both Terminal 4 and Terminal 2, and this expansion will enable the airline to offer connecting customers a smoother travel experience at JFK by consolidating all of Delta’s JFK operations in Terminal 4.

The 16-gate expansion will replace the 11 gates currently used by Delta at Terminal 2 and pave the way for the demolition of the 58-year-old terminal. The expansion plans also include a new Delta Sky Club in Terminal 4’s Concourse A, joining the existing Delta Sky Club in Concourse B, which opened in 2013 and features a Sky Deck.

The redesign of Terminal 4 – which became the first air terminal to achieve LEED O+M certification in 2017 – will continue the Port Authority’s and JFKIAT’s commitment to energy efficiency, utilizing energy-saving equipment and lighting throughout the terminal.

The concourse expansion will incorporate infrastructure for rainwater capture and reuse within the building. In keeping with the Port Authority’s standards for transitioning to electric vehicles across its facilities, the project includes charging stations for electric ground service equipment at all new gates along with a de-icing recovery system to capture spent de-icing fluid.

Delta is also working on a US$4bn replacement of Terminals C and D at New York’s LaGuardia Airports.