The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 (T4) at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), today celebrated the 25th anniversary of the nation’s first airport terminal to be operated by a non-airline, public-private partnership (PPP). The T4 experiment eventually opened the door to other PPPs in New York and New Jersey, serving as a critical proof of concept in the US market.

In the retro chic of the TWA Hotel at the airport, JFKIAT’s CEO Roel Huinink said: “After completion of the new building in 2001, Terminal 4 officially opened under JFKIAT’s operation. 25 years later, we have become a recognized leader in the aviation industry that welcomes millions of passengers every year. As we look ahead, we are more committed than ever to elevating the T4 experience as we set even higher benchmarks for New York City’s premier international gateway.”

The May 2001 relaunch of T4 came after the Port Authority and JFKIAT formed a PPP to develop, build and operate the largest terminal at JFK, replacing the former international arrivals building. The set-up of JFKIAT broke new ground by becoming the first non-airline PPP in a U.S. airport terminal.

T4 has also had safety and sustainability on its agenda. In 2017, the building became the first air terminal to earn LEED Gold certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance in the U.S. In 2018, a new state-of-the-art security operations center (SOC) was opened, allowing for more proactive management of the terminal.

In the NYC borough of Queens, where JFKIAT is based, the company has a history of supporting the community around the airport through its program, 4GOOD, to invest in initiatives that benefit residents, small businesses, and organizations.

“Public-private partnerships not only bring critical financial resources to our airport redevelopment projects, but our private partners also provide a wealth of expertise,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “Thanks to the partnership between the Port Authority and JFKIAT, we’ve made the investments needed to create the passenger experience that travelers to New York expect.”

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole added: “Congratulations to JFKIAT for a quarter-century of stewardship at T4, where we pioneered the use of public-private partnerships in the U.S. to build and operate world-class airport terminals. Beginning with that, the Port Authority has been leveraging private investment to execute our historic, USD50 billion transformation of the region’s airports.”

A Wider JFK Transformation Underpinned by PPPs

That project kicked off in January 2017 with a plan for a strategic framework to completely redevelop and expand existing facilities. The USD400 million expansion of Terminal 8, led by American Airlines, which operates there, was completed in November 2022, with an additional USD125 million investment in T8’s commercial program now complete.

The USD9.5 billion New Terminal One broke ground in September 2022 and the USD4.2 billion Terminal 6, which will connect with T5 to create an anchor terminal on the airport’s north side, broke ground in February 2023. Today there are currently four PPPs at JFK and the Port Authority’s USD3.9 billion public investment in the airport’s infrastructure has leveraged USD15 billion in private investment by partners for new and modernized terminals.

At the state level, the Port Authority has successfully used PPPs to create top-notch airport facilities at both LaGuardia Airport and JFK. The strategy will also be used for the next phase of the redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport.