JFK International Airport transformation

Transforming JFK into a world-class gateway

When Mott MacDonald was engaged to lead the master planning and program planning of JFK in 2017, our approach was anchored not just in redeveloping the old terminals and roadways but also bringing a real focus to customer experience and governance. The solution wasn’t just about redesigning the gateway to America — it was about rethinking every inch of the journey. 

“This was welcome to America, but the experience could be so much better,” says Chris Chalk, Mott MacDonald’s principal for the work. With more than 60 million travelers passing through JFK annually — over half of them on international routes — the airport faced rising demand, aging terminals, and increasing pressure to compete globally. 

Creating a world-class airport for the future.

Rethinking airport development

All major airports have distinctive features, and the operation model at JFK with all six terminals being developed and operated by a mix of airlines and developers leads to some unique opportunities and challenges. Developed in the ‘golden age’ of aviation with pavilions of terminals including Pan Am WorldPort, TWA Flight Center, the Sundrome, fountains and even chapels where New Yorkers would get married, JFK has been center of airport innovation. Over the years the airport's success exceeded capacity, progressively reducing performance and experience.   

The objective was to redevelop JFK as a partnership between the Port Authority and the private sector maintaining the competitive independent terminals but operating to a wholly new approach to customer experience, sustainability and governance. This enabled the Port Authority’s $3.9B of investment to attract over $15B of private sector money to fund the transformation. “Without question this has been the most complex airport development that I have been part of in my 35 years of global airport experience” says Chris Chalk, “there is no ‘copy-paste’ for JFK but Mott MacDonald’s exceptional experience at the world’s best airports and 3P developments developed the outcomes that we needed to achieve.” 

Six themes that guide our JFK masterplan

Delivering world-class customer experience

We are leading the transformation of JFK with a clear goal: to create a seamless, intuitive, and enjoyable experience for everyone. This means not just passengers, but also staff and visitors and for all abilities and needs. From rethinking terminal layouts and streamlining passenger flows to integrating digital wayfinding and modern amenities, we’re helping elevate JFK into a top-tier global airport.

“Delivering great service doesn’t mean just doing it in one area,” notes Krystallia Tyligadi, principal in aviation governance and customer experience at Mott MacDonald. “You have to look at the end-to-end customer journey and understand and address the needs of all personas.” Every design decision is centered on comfort, clarity, and convenience. By integrating global best practices and focusing on the details that matter — from curbside to gate — we helped set a new benchmark for airport customer satisfaction.

Improving connections to JFK’s rail link

Futureproofing terminal access and flexibility

To facilitate more efficient and direct travel for users, we undertook a comprehensive reconfiguration of the entire road network. “We relocated the main decision point from the central terminal area to the primary highways,” explains Richard Easteal, our principal project manager and lead for landside transportation in the master planning initiative. A fundamental objective of this updated design is to enhance both traffic safety and flow at the airport, as well as on the connecting highways. This effort also involved revising the terminal frontage roadways to provide space for loading and unloading vehicles at the curb, thereby improving pedestrian safety and reducing vehicle wait times.  

We borrowed lessons from our work at London Heathrow Airport to plan direct routes to specific terminals beginning at the highway itself, while enabling drivers to navigate to different points once inside the terminal complex. 

In addition to enhancing traffic circulation and efficiency, we were able to reclaim 30 acres of land in the center of the site for a ground transportation center – a multipurpose, multistory structure that will house car parking and vehicle waiting areas, facilitate pedestrian routes between terminals, and connect to the airport’s AirTrain. 

We are now working with the Port Authority and their partners in the re-visioning of Jamaica Station, the 4th busiest railroad station in North America, as part of transforming the journey into New York.

Better gates, better connections

To improve passenger flow and operational performance at JFK, we’ve simplified gate layouts and aircraft movement strategies to reduce congestion, shorten taxi times, and improve on-time performance. These upgrades enable smoother transfers and more reliable operations for both airlines and travelers. 

A major bottleneck was identified where gate availability and passenger processing capacity intersect. As Chris explains: “Efficiency is not really about having more gates – it’s about having better gates, making sure you can match the right-sized gates to the incoming aircraft.” 

By aligning gate design with aircraft size and flight schedules, we’re helping deliver a smarter, more responsive airport experience. 

Our planning includes scalable gate designs, integrated transit connections, and intuitive circulation strategies that adapt to evolving travel patterns. These flexible solutions support long-term growth and operational agility. 

Lack of curbside drop-off space causes congestion

Planned new curbside for arrivals

Creating healthier, more sustainable terminals

Through our involvement in the airport's Environmental Assessment, the new sustainability requirements and collaboration with key stakeholders, the airport redevelopment program has committed to implementing several measures to reduce emissions associated with both construction and ongoing operations. These measures include adopting more stringent emission standards for non-road diesel construction equipment, utilizing zero-emission vehicles for construction worker transportation, and providing incentives to encourage the use of public transportation for worker commutes to the project site.

Equity at the core of project delivery

A strong commitment to inclusion and opportunity has been woven throughout the program. The Port Authority mandates that 30% of all work be awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs). Recognizing the financial challenges many small firms face, we stepped in where possible — treating these partners as extensions of our own team and issuing payments directly to ease cash flow pressures.   

This proactive approach helped strengthen supplier relationships and was recognized with by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives with a 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

Vision for T1

Vision for T1

Vision for T1

Strong governance for long-term success

As master planning and program planning lead, we’ve helped unify JFK’s fragmented terminal system into a cohesive, efficient network. Our strategy balances capacity growth with spatial constraints, enabling the airport to serve 100 million passengers by 2050 — without expanding its footprint. We’ve also supported procurement, governance, and lease structuring to ensure long-term operational resilience. 

Our expertise has supported transparent, accountable decision-making across the program. From transaction advisory for major terminal developments to lease negotiations and performance benchmarking, we’re helping ensure JFK’s transformation is delivered with integrity and value. 

Replacing ageing terminals with world-class facilities

Passenger experience was the guiding consideration for the redesigned airport

Passenger experience was the guiding consideration for the redesigned airport

Our work has also shaped broader standards across the Port Authority’s airport network. We played a key role in developing the airport’s new wayfinding manual, establishing intuitive signage and spatial zoning strategies that now guide passenger navigation at all its airports.  We authored the Aviation Customer Experience Performance and Standards Manual, which earned accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) for its comprehensive approach to service excellence, accessibility, and terminal ambiance. This helped define affirmative outcomes for all parties both in regular and irregular operations while allowing each terminal developer to create their own experience.

In parallel, our contributions to the IATA Airport Development Reference Manual helped introduce a new section on healthy buildings, embedding principles of wellness, air quality, and hygiene into global airport design guidance. These efforts reflect our commitment to creating smarter, healthier, and more human-centered aviation environments.