NYC’s JFK Airport Getting $9.5B Terminal One That Very Likely Includes A LOT Of Digital

January 24, 2022 by Dave Haynes

Huge construction projects present very long lead times and a lot of paperwork and patience for anyone getting involved, but there appears to be some pretty good display technology opportunities for what’s being called a new mega-terminal at New York’s JFK airport.

The existing and former sites of Terminals 1, 2, and 3, on the south side of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, are to be redeveloped as a $9.5 billion international terminal built in phases this decade. The first gates are anticipated to go live in 2026 in the new 2.4-million-square-foot Terminal One.

If you have ever flown in or out of JFK, you will know it would be politely described as disjointed – with some nice new spaces like JetBlue’s  Terminal Five and others that are cramped, shabby old messes.

Shiny or scruffy, what all of JFK shares is a location in one of the best media markets on the planet, and a lot of passenger traffic – pandemic or not. Based on the concept visuals for the terminal, there will be a lot of large format LED displays, and of course much of the passenger communications side of airports uses display technology to guide and inform travellers about things like gate assignments and the various processes – like screening – that are part of modern flying.

Arch Daily reports:

Packed to the gills with amenities including multiple lounges, soaring indoor green space, and a bevy of retail and dining options, the new Terminal One will “incorporate the latest advances in both sustainability and security and be infused a with uniquely New York sense of place.” 

High-speed WiFi that will be available to visitors gratis, abundant natural light, public art, and spacious check-in, security, and concession areas are all being touted along as standout features along with an array of bells and whistles including digital passenger flow and queue management systems and TSA lanes equipped with advanced video search analytics, biometric-based systems, and a “flexible design to accommodate future technology and/or regulatory changes.” 

The new terminal’s sustainability bona fides include solar hot water heating as well as an airport-wide switch from diesel-powered ground service vehicles to an all-electric fleet.

The design-build job went to the construction management arm of global engineering giant AECOM and the huge design firm Gensler.

Anyone selling into big facilities like airports and hospitals will understand these are deals that may be five years or more out on delivery. On both sides of this, trying to get some sense of what display products will be most appropriate by then – microLED could be conventional instead of super-premium by 2026 – is a mental challenge.