JFK opened as Idlewild in 1948 to relieve crowded LaGuardia and is now one of the busiest international gateways in the country.
Airliners and cargo flights within 25 nm of JFK. Routes come from a community database matched on flight numbers, so a few will be wrong or out of date. Flights without a route are marked "est." and judged from altitude and climb or descent.
History
JFK opened on July 1, 1948, as New York International Airport, though nearly everyone called it Idlewild after the golf course it replaced. It was built to relieve LaGuardia Field, which had become overcrowded within a decade of opening, and transatlantic flights moved there in 1951.
It was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 24, 1963, a month after the president's assassination. Eero Saarinen's TWA Flight Center opened in 1962 and is now the TWA Hotel, which opened beside Terminal 5 in May 2019. Construction of a replacement Terminal 1 began in September 2022, with phased openings planned from 2026.
Concorde flew scheduled transatlantic service to JFK from November 22, 1977, until October 24, 2003, and on March 19, 2007, JFK received the first passenger Airbus A380 flight in the United States.
Quick facts
- Codes
- JFK / KJFK
- Opened
- July 1, 1948, as New York International (Idlewild)
- Renamed JFK
- December 24, 1963
- Runways
- 4L/22R, 4R/22L, 13L/31R and 13R/31L, in two parallel pairs
- TWA Flight Center
- Opened 1962; TWA Hotel since 2019
Sources: John F. Kennedy International Airport (Wikipedia)
Watch and listen
Listen to live air traffic control for JFK on LiveATC. The feeds come from volunteers, so availability varies.
Where plane spotters watch
- Brookville Park MoundsAn elevated mound near a school football field, good for arrivals on 22L and departures from 04R. The guide says spotters rarely have trouble with police here.
- Bayswater ParkOn Jamaica Bay, south of the airport. Covers runways 04L, 04R and sometimes 31L, with arrivals sometimes passing close overhead. Morning light is often good.
- Inwood ParkA good afternoon spot for 31L arrivals. A 300mm lens is suggested.
- TWA Hotel observation deckViews across parts of the airport, including runways 13L/31R and 4L/22R. The hotel's pool deck has been reported to charge a day-pass fee that changes with the season.
Inside the terminals you can only reach the secure area of the terminal you are departing from. If police or security ask you to move, do so politely.
As described in: 7 Great Places For Plane Spotting In New York (Airport Spotting), Where to spot at New York JFK Airport (Airport Spotting). Guides can be out of date. Stay on public property, follow posted rules, and never block roads or driveways.