JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect)

JFK minimum connection times (what you can realistically expect)

Despite its reputation for being one of the busiest and most congested airports in the world, JFK minimum connection times might be surprising to novice travelers. It’s not the motherf*****r that you think it is. Not entirely anyway.

  • Minimum connection times at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York can be as low as 30 minutes for domestic flights (if you’re flying the same airline).
  • However, it can take as long as 3 hours if you’re coming off an international flight and you need to do a terminal change in order to make your connection.

I know that seems like a really wide range of time, but stay with me. The following is a detailed breakdown of exactly how long it’ll take you to make connections at JFK for nearly any situation (based on my own personal experience)…

What is the minimum connection time for domestic flights at JFK?

As I just mentioned, 30 minutes is the bare minimum of time you’ll need for a domestic to domestic connection. That’s assuming you’re flying the same airline and don’t need to make a terminal change. It’s worth noting that terminal changes aren’t usually required at JFK as long as you’re flying the same airline (or airline alliance).

SANspotter selfie JFK airport terminal 4
Bored out of my mind here in Terminal 4 in the minutes leading up to flying Delta 767-400 economy class all the way home to San Diego. I was kind of hoping for some drama (it makes for better airline reviews), but…this was too easy.

If for whatever reason a terminal change is required, the minimum connection time increases to 1 hour. However, for the sake of preserving your sanity, you’re probably going to want a little more time than that.

What is the minimum connection time for international flights at JFK?

Call this airport what you will, but it’s not fair to call it inefficient. There is no designated international terminal at the John F. Kennedy Airport. International flights arrive and depart from nearly every terminal, so chances are you won’t have to go far to reach your connection.

Connecting FROM an international flight

You’ll need a minimum of 2 hours to connect from an international flight to a domestic flight at JFK. The customs and immigration facilities at this airport are extremely large and state of the art, but that doesn’t always mean that it’s fast and efficient.

There’s insane amount of international traffic coming into the JFK Airport at all hours of the day It’s going to get backed up at times, so have a little patience.

JFK airport terminal 8
I know that I just said that 2 hours is the minimum time needed for an international to domestic connection at JFK. However, if your personality is more “Rodney Dangerfield” than “Snoop Dog”, I’d recommend 3. At least.

Connecting TO an international flight

Connecting from a domestic flight to an international flight at JFK will require at least an hour. Personally, that’s cutting it a little bit too close, but it’s entirely possible if you hustle. It’ll be especially easy if you don’t have to change terminals.

If you do, keep reading, because I’m going to explain the process of making terminal to terminal transfers at the JFK airport below:

A brief overview of the terminal layout at the John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

The JFK Airport consists of six terminals. They are all separate buildings, connected by an inter-terminal train (the AirTrain).

jfk terminal map
Stripped of all the roadways (and train lines), the JFK terminal map looks a lot less intimidating. It looks weird, yes, but it’s nowhere near as intimidating as everyone makes it out to be.

Also, don’t get hung up on the fact that Terminals 3 and 6 are nonexistent. The John F Kennedy Airport is in a constant state of evolution, and a lot has changed over the years (including the elimination and combination of some terminal buildings).

The reason why short connection times are (usually) ok at JFK

The main reason why short layovers are usually ok at JFK is due to the fact that there is no designated international terminal. This means that all partner airlines are grouped together in a way that makes sense.

For example, you won’t have to schlep across the entire airport to transfer from one Star Alliance or Oneworld airline to another. They’re all located together in the same terminal buildings.

JFK airport terminal
The only bad thing about all the international airlines being mixed with domestic airlines at JFK is the feeling of “plane envy” you’ll feel. Sucks to be you (with your lowly American Eagle boarding pass to South Bend) when the guy next to you at the urinal is headed to Tokyo in ANA business class.

Transfer time between all terminals at the JFK Airport

Despite how much I love the JFK Airport for being one of the most efficient international gateways in the world, it has its flaws. One of those flaws is the time it takes to move between terminals.

The fastest and most efficient way to move between most terminals at the JFK Airport is to use the AirTrain (there are stations located at each terminal). Walking isn’t always possible – unless you’re feeling especially courageous and willing to walk through dark parking lots and sketchy garages.

  • Note that there are 3 separate AirTrain lines: the Airline Terminals Train, the Jamaica Station Train, and the Howard Beach Train.
  • All 3 lines stop at all terminals, but the Airline Terminals Train is the fastest way around.
  • The Airline Terminals Train runs counterclockwise. That means the very first stop after Terminal 1 is Terminal 8.

Based on my own experience, here’s how long it usually takes me to move from one terminal to the next at JFK using the AirTrain (the Airline Terminals Train):

Terminal 1 to:

  • Terminal 2: 23 minutes (it’ll probably be faster to walk)
  • Terminal 4: 20 minutes
  • Terminal 5: 18 minutes
  • Terminal 7: 16 minutes
  • Terminal 8: 13 minutes

Terminal 2 to:

  • Terminal 1: 13 minutes (it’ll probably be faster to walk)
  • Terminal 4: 23 minutes
  • Terminal 5: 20 minutes
  • Terminal 7: 18 minutes
  • Terminal 8: 16 minutes

Terminal 4 to:

  • Terminal 1: 15 minutes
  • Terminal 2: 13 minutes
  • Terminal 5: 23 minutes
  • Terminal 7: 18 minutes
  • Terminal 8: 16 minutes

Terminal 5 to:

  • Terminal 1: 18 minutes
  • Terminal 2: 16 minutes
  • Terminal 4: 13 minutes
  • Terminal 7: 23 minutes
  • Terminal 8: 20 minutes

Terminal 7 to:

  • Terminal 1: 20 minutes
  • Terminal 2: 18 minutes
  • Terminal 4: 15 minutes
  • Terminal 5: 13 minutes
  • Terminal 8: 23 minutes

Terminal 8 to:

  • Terminal 1: 23 minutes
  • Terminal 2: 20 minutes
  • Terminal 4: 17 minutes
  • Terminal 5: 15 minutes
  • Terminal 7: 13 minutes
JFK airport AirTrain
For what it’s worth, some of the AirTrain stations can take up to 15 minutes to reach from some terminals (Terminal 5 for example). Complain all you want, but it’s still faster than walking.

What is the ideal connection time at JFK?

Before I started flying on a somewhat regular basis, I always overestimated how much time I would need for a connection at JFK. however, now that I know how easy it is, my minimum connection times have been reduced quite significantly. Here’s what I would personally want for a comfortable (no stress) layover at JFK:

Domestic to domestic connections (no terminal change)

Making a connection from one domestic flight to another at JFK (same airline, no terminal change) is super easy. However, my minimum would be 1 hour  – just so I would have enough time to relax and grab a bite to eat.

Domestic to domestic connections (with a terminal change)

Switching terminals when making a connection from one domestic flight to another at the John F. Kennedy Airport is easy, but it’ll take a little bit longer. Because of how long it takes to walk to the AirTrain station in some terminals, I would want at least an hour and a half for a no-stress connection.

SANspotter eating breakfast JFK airport terminal 4
Just in case you were having a hard time picturing what I consider to be a “stress free” layover at JFK.

Domestic to international connections (no terminal change)

As long as I didn’t have to switch terminals, my personal minimum connection time for a domestic to international flight at JFK would be 1 hour and 10 minutes. This is almost exactly the same as a domestic to domestic connection, with the only difference being that you’ll need to be onboard your international flight sooner.

Domestic to international connections (with a terminal change)

I would want a minimum of 2 and a half hours for a no stress connection from a domestic flight to an international flight departing from a different terminal at JFK. Not only will I have to take the AirTrain to get to the other terminal, I’m also going to have to stand in line to get through the security checkpoint once I get there.

International to domestic connections (no terminal change)

Even not having to switch terminals when going from an international flight to a domestic flight at JFK is going to take a bit of time. Customs and immigration lines can get long, so I would want a minimum of 2 and half hours.

International to domestic connections (with terminal change)

I wouldn’t want to do an International to domestic transfer at JFK (one that required a terminal change) in less than 3 hours. That’s very likely to be too much time for most people, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. 

American Airlines A319 Terminal 8 JFK
Just a pretty picture of an American Airlines A319 parked here at Terminal 8 to help calm your nerves. Don’t worry about your tight connection – everything is going to be fine!

Tips for making really short connections at JFK

W’ve all undoubtedly seen our favorite actors and movie stars make mad dashes through the JFK airport in a way that makes it look like hell on earth. If you’ve ever seen the original Home Alone movie, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

The good news is that movies and TV shows are often exaggerated. Making connections at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York can be extremely calm and easy if you follow these steps:

  • Fly the same airline (or at least airlines that belong to the same alliance). This will almost guarantee that you won’t have to make a terminal change.
  • Do everything within your power to have your boarding passes for your connecting flight in hand before you arrive. The JFK Airport is an extremely busy place, and the last place you’ll want to end up is in a long queue to get a printed boarding pass. In my experience, those lines can get gnarly.
  • Do not walk between terminals! There are no designated sidewalks connecting most terminals, so the fastest and most efficient way to get between them is to use the AirTrain.

Comments (232)

  1. Trey

    November 4, 2022
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 4, 2022
    • Mercy P

      August 15, 2023
      • Scott (SANspotter)

        August 15, 2023
  2. Tracey

    January 16, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 16, 2023
  3. Leyi Lin

    January 29, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 29, 2023
  4. Gerly Martinez

    January 29, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 29, 2023
  5. Carole martin

    January 31, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 31, 2023
  6. Brian

    February 9, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 9, 2023
      • Shelly

        February 17, 2024
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          February 17, 2024
  7. G.A

    February 13, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 13, 2023
  8. Liz

    February 20, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 20, 2023
  9. Priscilla Torres

    February 22, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 22, 2023
  10. Jenny

    February 28, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 1, 2023
  11. Ingrid

    March 2, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 2, 2023
      • Ingrid

        March 2, 2023
  12. Jen

    March 4, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 4, 2023
  13. EH

    March 6, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 6, 2023
  14. phoebe

    March 12, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 13, 2023
  15. George Wilkerson

    March 15, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 15, 2023
  16. Sofia

    March 16, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 16, 2023
  17. Josephine

    March 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 20, 2023
  18. Barbara Bocian

    March 23, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 23, 2023
  19. Christinna

    March 23, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 23, 2023
  20. Ludo De Winter

    March 27, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 28, 2023
  21. Jim Wood

    April 1, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 1, 2023
      • Jim

        April 2, 2023
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          April 2, 2023
          • Jim

            April 2, 2023
          • Scott (SANspotter)

            April 3, 2023
  22. Jim

    April 3, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 3, 2023
  23. Andrea

    April 9, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 9, 2023
  24. Mae

    April 11, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 11, 2023
  25. Claire

    April 17, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 18, 2023
      • Claire

        April 25, 2023
      • Arshad

        February 25, 2024
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          February 25, 2024
  26. Jay

    April 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 19, 2023
  27. Cindy

    April 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 24, 2023
  28. Sofia

    April 26, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 26, 2023
  29. Sofia

    April 26, 2023
  30. Carolyn

    April 28, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      April 28, 2023
  31. CC

    May 1, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 1, 2023
  32. Sinar

    May 3, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 3, 2023
  33. Anne

    May 5, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 5, 2023
  34. Sheryl

    May 15, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 16, 2023
  35. Brian Varney

    May 17, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 17, 2023
      • Brian Varney

        May 18, 2023
  36. Mandy

    May 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 20, 2023
      • Mandy

        May 20, 2023
  37. Nicole

    May 21, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 22, 2023
  38. Alf

    May 25, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 26, 2023
      • Alf

        May 26, 2023
  39. Remy

    May 26, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 26, 2023
  40. Laura

    May 29, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 29, 2023
  41. Richard

    May 31, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      May 31, 2023
  42. Marlene

    June 1, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 2, 2023
  43. Raj

    June 8, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 8, 2023
  44. Claudia Eden

    June 10, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 10, 2023
  45. Sophie

    June 13, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 13, 2023
  46. DEBY

    June 13, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 14, 2023
  47. Hageb

    June 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 19, 2023
  48. Jess

    June 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 19, 2023
  49. Ted

    June 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 24, 2023
  50. Sandra Zimmer

    June 25, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 26, 2023
  51. Nina Anne

    June 26, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 26, 2023
  52. Mel G

    June 29, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 29, 2023
  53. Tim

    June 30, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 30, 2023
      • Emma

        July 11, 2023
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          July 11, 2023
  54. Alya

    July 17, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      July 20, 2023
  55. Bernd

    July 18, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      July 20, 2023
  56. Kevin

    July 19, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      July 20, 2023
  57. Judith Allanson

    July 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      July 24, 2023
  58. Moody

    August 8, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      August 8, 2023
  59. Rak

    August 16, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      August 16, 2023
  60. Tom

    August 20, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      August 20, 2023
  61. Chris

    August 21, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      August 22, 2023
  62. Sue

    September 3, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 3, 2023
  63. Harriet

    September 4, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 4, 2023
  64. Mia

    September 4, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 4, 2023
  65. Ulli

    September 4, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 4, 2023
  66. Jeff

    September 5, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 5, 2023
  67. Louis

    September 6, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 7, 2023
      • Louise

        September 15, 2023
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          September 15, 2023
  68. Richard

    September 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 24, 2023
  69. milana

    September 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 25, 2023
  70. Chintan

    September 25, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 26, 2023
  71. Vika

    September 26, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 26, 2023
  72. Vince

    September 28, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      September 30, 2023
  73. Keyon

    October 1, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 2, 2023
  74. Mandeep

    October 2, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 3, 2023
  75. Laura

    October 12, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 12, 2023
  76. Bart

    October 12, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 12, 2023
  77. Paula Amols

    October 12, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 12, 2023
  78. Noreen

    October 17, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 17, 2023
  79. Ramesh

    October 17, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 17, 2023
  80. Rose

    October 26, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      October 26, 2023
  81. Hamid

    October 31, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 1, 2023
  82. Betti

    November 1, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 1, 2023
  83. Steve

    November 28, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 28, 2023
      • Steffen

        November 30, 2023
        • Scott (SANspotter)

          November 30, 2023
  84. Nicole

    November 29, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      November 29, 2023
  85. Holly

    December 16, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      December 16, 2023
  86. Eve

    December 18, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      December 18, 2023
  87. Izzy

    December 24, 2023
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      December 24, 2023
  88. CR

    January 2, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 2, 2024
  89. Rachael Presson

    January 7, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 7, 2024
  90. Sophia

    January 11, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 11, 2024
  91. Evan

    January 13, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 14, 2024
  92. Ricky

    January 21, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 22, 2024
  93. Mikayla

    January 23, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      January 23, 2024
  94. Andrea

    February 5, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 6, 2024
  95. Greg

    February 7, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 7, 2024
  96. ferrara

    February 19, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 20, 2024
  97. David

    February 20, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 20, 2024
  98. Mary Grace Burton

    February 21, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 21, 2024
  99. Carol

    February 22, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 22, 2024
  100. Shannon

    March 3, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 3, 2024
  101. Richard

    March 3, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 5, 2024
  102. Andrea

    March 3, 2024
  103. Kati

    March 4, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 4, 2024
  104. Dileep

    March 7, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 7, 2024
  105. Mosh

    March 26, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 27, 2024
  106. Tom

    March 26, 2024
    • Scott (SANspotter)

      March 27, 2024
      • Tom

        March 27, 2024

Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.