John F. Kennedy International Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John F. Kennedy International Airport
Aerial shot of JFK Airport on November 14, 2018
IATA: JFK ICAO: KJFK FAA LID: JFK WMO: 74486
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	City of New York
Operator	Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Serves	New York metropolitan area
Location	Jamaica, Queens, New York
Opened	July 1, 1948 (1948-07-01)
Hub for	American Airlines Delta Air Lines JetBlue
Focus city for	Norwegian Air Shuttle
Time zone	EST (UTC−05:00)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL	13 ft / 4 m
Coordinates	40°38′23″N 073°46′44″W / 40.63972°N 73.77889°W / 40.63972; -73.77889
Map
JFK Location in New York City Show map of New York City JFK Location in New York Show map of New York JFK Location in the United States Show map of the United States JFK Location in North America Show map of North America
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 4L/22R 12,079 3,682 Concrete 4R/22L 8,400 2,560 Asphalt 13L/31R 10,000 3,048 Asphalt 13R/31L 14,511 4,423 Concrete
[[Helipad|]]
Number Length Surface ft m H1 60 18 Asphalt H2 60 18 Asphalt H3 60 18 Asphalt H4 60 18 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Aircraft operations (PANYNJ) 455,529 Passengers (PANYNJ) 61,909,148
Source: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is a very important international airport. It is located on Long Island, in Queens County, New York. This airport is about 12 miles (19 km) from Lower Manhattan in southeastern New York City. More people fly into or out of the United States through JFK than any other airport. It also handles the most air cargo for the U.S.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey manages JFK Airport. They also run two other major airports in the New York area. These are Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. JFK is a main base for JetBlue Airways. It is also a big international airline hub for Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. About 90 different airlines fly in and out of JFK.

What is John F. Kennedy International Airport?

John F. Kennedy International Airport, or JFK, is a huge airport in New York City. It helps millions of people travel around the world each year. It also moves a lot of goods by air.

Where is JFK Airport Located?

JFK Airport is in Queens, one of the five parts of New York City. It's on Long Island, which is a large island next to Manhattan. The airport is about 12 miles (19 km) from the heart of New York City.

Who Manages JFK Airport?

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is in charge of JFK Airport. This group manages many important transportation spots in the New York area. They also run Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

Which Airlines Use JFK as a Hub?

JFK is a major center for several airlines.

• JetBlue Airways uses JFK as its main base.
• Delta Air Lines has a large international hub here.
• American Airlines also uses JFK as a key hub.

Many other airlines, around 90 in total, fly to and from JFK.

History of JFK Airport

JFK Airport has a rich history. It started as a smaller airport and grew into the large international hub we know today.

When Did JFK Airport Open?

The airport first opened on July 1, 1948. It was originally called Idlewild Airport. It was built to handle the growing number of flights after World War II.

Why Was the Name Changed to JFK?

In 1963, the airport's name was changed. It was renamed in honor of John F. Kennedy, who was the 35th President of the United States. He was a very important leader for the country.

Airport Operations and Size

JFK is one of the busiest airports in the world. It has many runways and terminals to handle all the flights.

How Many Flights Does JFK Handle?

In 2018, JFK handled over 455,000 aircraft operations. This means planes took off or landed that many times. It shows how busy the airport is every day.

How Many Passengers Use JFK?

Also in 2018, more than 61 million passengers traveled through JFK. This makes it one of the busiest airports for passenger traffic. Many of these travelers are flying internationally.

What are the Runways Like?

JFK has several long runways. The longest one is 14,511 feet (about 4.4 km) long. These runways are made of concrete or asphalt. They are strong enough for the largest airplanes.

Images for kids

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  Map showing New York City and the locations of JFK (1), LaGuardia (2), and Newark (3) airports

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  President Truman (left) with Governor Dewey (right) at dedication of the Idlewild Airport

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  Aerial view of the terminals in 2021

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  Terminal 1

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  Terminal 4 replaced the former International Arrivals Building in May 2001

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  Terminal 5

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  Terminal 7 – Departure Level

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  Inside the security checkpoint of Terminal 8

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  JetBlue flight departing with New York City Skyline visible in distance

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  Looking at runway 4L/22R and into Jamaica Bay

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  Terminals 4 and 5 in February 2017

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional John F. Kennedy para niños