John F. Kennedy International Airport - JFK

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XpresSpa offers various massage (USD 20-180), manicure (USD 12-75), pedicure (USD 15-75), facial (USD 40-95), waxing (USD 20-55) and hair cut (USD 15-85) services.

Terminal 4, after security, near Gate A2, and Gate B24

Hours: 07:00-00:00 Mon-Sun

Terminal 7, after security, concourse level, next to gate 7

Hours: 06:00-22:30 Mon-Fri, 06:00-22:00 Sat

John F Kennedy International Airport is located in Queen's, New York City, 20km south-east of lower Manhattan, and is the busiest international gateway to the US.  

It has six separate terminal buildings, numbered 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 (Terminals 3 and 6 were demolished) and laid out in an anti-clockwise circle:

• Terminal 1: European and some Asian airlines
• Terminal 2: Delta Airlines flights only
• Terminal 4: Delta Airlines, many Asian airlines and some European airlines
• Terminal 5: JetBlue only
• Terminal 7: Mostly British Airways flights, plus some international and American carriers
• Terminal 8: Mostly American Airlines, plus some European, Asian and American carriers

Note: If you're connecting between terminals, you'll mostly need to exit security, then walk or use a shuttle bus or train to get to the other terminal, then re-clear security - so make sure you allow plenty of time to get your connecting flight.

There are buses (JFK airport bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal) and plenty of taxis, but the best way to travel to the city is by train.

Train

The AirTrain airport shuttle connects you with MTA New York City Transit subways, buses and the Long Island Rail Road.

Get off at Jamaica Station and change to the NYC Subway's E Train for midtown Manhattan and western Queens, or the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) for Penn Station, Queens and Brooklyn. Or, get off at Howard Beach Station and change to the A train for southern Queens, Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. Journey time is around 50 minutes.

Tip: The LIRR is more expensive than the subway, but is a more comfortable and quicker way to get to Manhattan.

Cost: USD 5 for the AirTrain plus USD 2.75 for the subway (USD 1 extra if you buy a MetroCard), or USD 15 for the combined AirTrain/LIRR ticket 
Buying tickets: Don't buy your ticket before you board the AirTrain, but when you get off at Jamaica or Howard Beach 
Location: Get on the AirTrain at any station in your terminal or car park

Taxi

New York's famous yellow cabs offer a more convenient but far more expensive journey into the city. All cabs now accept credit cards, so even if a driver asks you to pay in cash, feel free to insist on paying by card. Journey time to midtown Manhattan can range from 35-90 minutes, depending on traffic.

Cost: USD 52 flat-fare to Manhattan (plus tolls and 15-20% tip)
Location: Taxi ranks outside each terminal (don't accept offers from anyone in the terminal)

Get off the AirTrain at Terminal 1 and walk across the platform to the other track. Check the screens to ensure you’re waiting for the inner loop train – the next stop is Terminal 8.    

You can buy a prepaid SIM card on arrival at Terminal 7. Local carrier AT&T provides vending machines with plans as low as USD 30, including voice, texting, and mobile data.

If you’re stuck on a long layover or just want to get some fresh air, head to the open air roof patio. There are food kiosks, real flowers, and free Wi-Fi.

Terminal 5, after security, departures level, Gate 28

There is no seating in the departures level of Terminal 8, except a section designated towards seniors and people with disabilities. For a lounge with a day pass, we recommend the American Admiral’s Club on the 3rd floor of Concourse C, across from Gate 42. Day passes are USD 50 and can be purchased at the door.

If you have a long wait at any of the terminals, we suggest you take the AirTrain to Terminal 1 and hang out on the upper level food court.

You can grab something to eat and watch the planes coming and going across all runways.

Eight miles north of JFK is the Queens Botanical Gardens, part of an exhibit for the 1939 World's Fair.

The gardens contain 39 acres of roses, herbs, perennials, seasonal gardens and bee habitat. Several walking paths wind through the area, making for a relaxing way to take in natural surroundings before or after time in the concrete jungle.

Travel here by cab or via the Q44 or Q20 buses, both of which connect to the JFK AirTrain.

JFK Airport perches on the northeastern edge of Jamaica Bay, part of Long Island. Part of the bay is protected by the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, which covers over 9,000 acres of salt marsh, grasslands, fresh and brackish ponds, and open water. Here, you can spot birds from some 330 species - like osprey and bald eagles, known to frequent the area.

You won't be able to take public transportation here, so hail a cab or car service outside the terminal and travel the 5km to the refuge's Visitor Center. Here, you can hike trails alone or participate in a ranger-led programme.

How about a day (or an hour, at least) at Rockaway beach? From the A train station in Howard Beach - easily accessed via the AirTrain from your terminal - it's just two stops to Beach 90th Street, where you can hop off and enjoy the sandy beaches of New York. The summer is very much in full swing, with portions of the famous boardwalk restored after Hurricane Sandy.

Hungry? Grab a bite at Rockaway Taco, a charming shack that managed to survive the storm. Located on Beach 96th Street, between the train station and the beach, it is popular with local surfers and hip young things who've been making The Rockaways their summer hangout in recent years, bringing a cool new vibe to the area.

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The AirTrain JFK shuttle takes you between terminals, car parks, hotel shuttle areas, rental car centre and to the external Jamaica and Howard Beach stations for connections to public transport. It's free for trips within the airport, but you'll have to pay for connections to other rail stations. There are stations across from all terminal buildings, except in Terminal 4 where the station is inside the building.

Trains run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

John F. Kennedy International Airport offers its passengers complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the terminals and on all levels. To connect, simply select the wireless network "_Free JFK WiFi" from the network providers, launch your web browser and a Wi-Fi welcome page will guide you through. If your Wi-Fi access runs out after the two hours, you can simply log-in again.