American Airlines has moved its international service at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) into
Concourse B of its new $1.3 billion terminal, which is near the recently opened and brand-new U.S. Customs and Immigrations facility. This sets the stage for improving the travel experience for passengers arriving into and departing from JFK.
With the opening of Concourse B, American increases its number of gates in the new facility from 18 to 28, with 15 able to handle arriving international flights. When all of the $1.3 billion terminal is complete in early 2008, the facility will have 36 gates, with 19 capable of handling international arrivals.
The latest efforts are part of Phase II of the construction of American's state-of-the-art terminal, the newest and largest airline terminal at JFK, which is designed to serve the needs of millions of domestic and international travelers for decades to come.
Today, American flies from JFK to 38 destinations, 23 of them international, with 92 flights a day. American offers up to six direct daily flights to New York from London Heathrow Airport. American also flies to New York from Paris, Brussels, Zurich and Rome. American is the only U.S. airline to fly nonstop from London's Heathrow Airport and Tokyo to New York.
American's new terminal has been built to provide world-class convenience and comfort. The facility is bright and airy and significantly improves passenger flow through increased usage of moving walkways, broader corridors, and larger passenger hold rooms. American serves about 8.5 million customers at JFK Airport annually.
"New York plays a very strategic role in our global network," added Maria Sebastian, Managing Director Europe,
Middle East and Africa. "This new terminal facility further enhances the travel experience for our UK customers
traveling to and from JFK, and with our First and Business Class cabin upgrades now underway, we are delighted to
be providing our trans-Atlantic customers with an excellent service to one of the world's top business destinations."
The new Concourse B will offer an extensive concessions program that will include duty-free shopping and popular retailers and service providers. In June, American will unveil in Concourse B a 11,200 square foot Admirals Club and a 7,000 square foot Flagship Lounge for international First-Class passengers, as well as other eligible First Class passengers on certain domestic transcontinental flights.
Phase I of American's new terminal, which opened in August 2005, features a dramatic, 57,000-square-foot ticketing lobby with a 65-foot ceiling. A recently completed 397-foot long mural by New York artist and architect Matteo Pericoli adorns the east wall of the terminal and depicts a spectacular global skyline with famous buildings from New York and more than 70 other cities. That lobby is linked to a sparkling Concourse C by a 250-foot underground tunnel served by escalators and moving walkways.
Concourse C also includes a 11,300 square-foot Admirals Club, with seating for 185 people. The Admirals Club provides the comfort that world travelers expect and appreciate from American's airport lounges. The club captures the distinctive history and flavor of New York, featuring vintage photographs depicting everything from construction workers atop skyscrapers to historic games at Yankee Stadium, Ebbetts Field and the Polo Grounds. The floor in the shower area is embedded with replicas of New York City manhole covers.
American Airlines has served the New York market for more than 70 years and supports more than 128,000 jobs in the New York metro area.
