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JFK New York layover guide

A layover at JFK.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Lounges, security and customs waits, and what a connection at JFK actually involves. LYVR plans the whole layover, with real walk times on the indoor map.

Updated October 2026 · Sources

22lounges at JFK, with what gets you in
10open to Priority Pass or DragonPass members
Livesecurity wait times in the app
CBP datacustoms and border queues in the app
JFKConnections

Connecting
at JFK.

Yes, if you're arriving from another country. Every international arrival at JFK clears passport control and customs, collects and rechecks checked bags, and goes back through TSA security before a connecting flight, even a domestic one. The exception is a flight that was precleared before departure, such as from Canada, Ireland or Abu Dhabi. Domestic-to-domestic connections stay airside.

Terminal 1 ↔ Terminal 416 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 4 ↔ Terminal 514 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 4 ↔ Terminal 712 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 4 ↔ Terminal 810 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 5 ↔ Terminal 718 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 5 ↔ Terminal 820 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Terminal 7 ↔ Terminal 88 minby walkwayRe-clear security
Terminal 1 ↔ Terminal 822 minby AirTrainRe-clear security
Wait times

The lines at JFK, before you're in them.

Open the Airports tab in LYVR and pick JFK.

Security · Live

Security lines

LYVR shows live security wait times for each checkpoint, grouped by terminal, refreshed every couple of minutes.

Border · CBP data

Customs and border

LYVR shows the average customs wait for the current hour over the latest week, for US citizens and visitors, from US Customs and Border Protection's own data. LYVR only shows the checks your connection actually crosses.

In your plan

Counted in your time to spare

Every checkpoint on your connection becomes a step in the layover plan, so the time to spare already allows for the lines.

Lounges

22 lounges at JFK.

3 open with a credit card, 10 with Priority Pass or DragonPass, 12 with airline elite status. Rules and hours change, so check with the lounge before you go.

Terminal 1

Air France Lounge

07:00 - 00:00

Memberships
Priority PassDragonPass
Airline status
Air France Gold and upSkyTeam Elite Plus
Terminal 1

Korean Air Lounge

21:30 - 00:50

Memberships
Priority Pass
Airline status
Korean Air Morning Calm Select and upSkyTeam Elite Plus
Terminal 1

Lufthansa Business Lounge

Memberships
Priority Pass
Airline status
Lufthansa Frequent Traveller and upStar Alliance Gold
Terminal 1

Primeclass Lounge

08:30 - 23:59

Memberships
Priority Pass
Terminal 1

Turkish Airlines Lounge

09:00 - 00:00

Memberships
Priority Pass
Airline status
Turkish Airlines Elite and upStar Alliance Gold
Terminal 1

VIP ONE Lounge

08:00 - 00:00

Memberships
Priority Pass
Terminal 4

Air India Lounge

08:00 - 22:30

Memberships
Priority Pass
Airline status
Air India Gold and upStar Alliance Gold
Terminal 4

Capital One Lounge

Credit cards
Capital One Venture XCapital One Venture X Business
Terminal 4

Delta Sky Club

Airline status
SkyTeam Elite Plus
Terminal 4

El Al King David Lounge

Entry by premium-cabin ticket or a paid day pass.

Terminal 4

Emirates Lounge

Airline status
Emirates Gold and up
Terminal 4

Etihad Airways First and Business Lounge

Entry by premium-cabin ticket or a paid day pass.

Terminal 4

Minute Suites

00:00 - 23:59

Memberships
Priority Pass
Terminal 4

Swiss Business and First Class HON Lounge

Airline status
Lufthansa HON Circle and up
Terminal 4

The Centurion Lounge

Credit cards
Amex Platinum CardAmex Business Platinum CardAmex Centurion CardAmex Delta SkyMiles Reserve (Delta flights)
Terminal 4

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

05:00 - 13:30

Memberships
Priority Pass
Airline status
Virgin Atlantic Gold and upSkyTeam Elite Plus
Terminal 4

Wingtips Lounge

Memberships
DragonPass
Terminal 4 (above Gate A2)

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways

Credit cards
Chase Sapphire ReserveChase Sapphire Reserve for BusinessChase J.P. Morgan ReserveChase Ritz-Carlton Card
Terminal 5

Aer Lingus Lounge

Entry by premium-cabin ticket or a paid day pass.

Terminal 7, mezzanine level above the security checkpoint

Alaska Lounge JFK

Airline status
Alaska Airlines Atmos Gold and up (long-haul international flights)oneworld Sapphire (international flights)
Terminal 8

American Admirals Club

Airline status
American Airlines Platinum and up (international flights)oneworld Sapphire (long-haul international flights)
Terminal 8

American Flagship Lounge

Airline status
American Airlines Platinum and up (international flights)oneworld Sapphire (long-haul international flights)
Food, spas and rest

Restaurants, spas and sleep at JFK.

Priority Pass venues that aren't lounges. LYVR's Explore tab adds every restaurant, bar and shop near your gate, with walk times.

VenueTypeWhereHours
GamewayGaming loungeTerminal 8, Concourse B, post security, near gate 8Daily 5am-8pm
JabbrrboxPrivate podTerminal 4, next to gate 2024 hrs daily
Minute Suites (T4)Sleep suitesTerminal 4, B gates, near gate 3924 hrs daily
Minute Suites (T8)Sleep suitesTerminal 8, Concourse C, near gate C3624 hrs daily
Be Relax Spa (T1)SpaTerminal 1, near gate 5Daily 9am-9pm
Be Relax Spa (T5)SpaTerminal 5, between gates 6 and 7Tue-Sat 7am-9pm; Sun-Mon 9am-7pm
TreatSpaTerminal 4, main retail hall, between concourses A and BDaily 6am-10pm
XpresSpaSpaTerminal 4, near gate B22Daily 8am-10pm
Plan it in LYVR

Your JFK layover, planned to the minute.

Save your flights and LYVR finds the connection at JFK on its own, then times every part of it.

Time to spare

Every minute, accounted for.

Deplaning, every walk on the indoor map, the checkpoints your connection passes and when the doors close. What's left is yours to plan.

A LYVR layover plan: deplane, re-clear security with a live wait, free time with Ask AI, the train between terminals, then board
Lounge access

Lounges you can actually get into.

Add your cards and memberships once. Every lounge at JFK shows whether you're in.

A LYVR lounge list with The Centurion Lounge marked eligible with Platinum Card
Turn-by-turn, indoors

Directions that know which floor you're on.

Around walls, up escalators, onto the train between terminals and through security on the way.

Turn-by-turn directions inside a terminal: stay on the train, get off at the next terminal
Long layovers

Time to see New York?

Getting out, the ride each way, security on the way back and a cushion, checked against your passport. Then a day, planned.

Leaving the airport on a layover: hours in the city, rated worth it
Layover questions

JFK, answered.

Do I have to go through security again on a connection at JFK?

Yes, if you're arriving from another country. Every international arrival at JFK clears passport control and customs, collects and rechecks checked bags, and goes back through TSA security before a connecting flight, even a domestic one. The exception is a flight that was precleared before departure, such as from Canada, Ireland or Abu Dhabi. Domestic-to-domestic connections stay airside.

Can I check the security wait time at JFK?

LYVR shows live security wait times for each checkpoint, grouped by terminal, refreshed every couple of minutes.

How long is the customs or passport line at JFK?

LYVR shows the average customs wait for the current hour over the latest week, for US citizens and visitors, from US Customs and Border Protection's own data.

Which lounges at JFK can I use on a layover?

LYVR lists 22 lounges at JFK, 9 of them on Priority Pass. Which ones you can get into depends on your ticket, airline status, credit card or a lounge membership. Each lounge on this page lists what gets you in, and LYVR checks it against your own profile.

Which credit cards get me into a lounge at JFK?

Capital One Venture X: Capital One Lounge; Capital One Venture X Business: Capital One Lounge; Amex Platinum Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Business Platinum Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Centurion Card: The Centurion Lounge; Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve: The Centurion Lounge; Chase Sapphire Reserve: Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways; Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business: Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways; Chase J.P. Morgan Reserve: Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways; Chase Ritz-Carlton Card: Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways. Card benefits change, so check your card's terms before you go.

Does airline status get me into a lounge at JFK?

Yes, at 12 lounges: Air France Lounge (Air France Gold and up, SkyTeam Elite Plus); Korean Air Lounge (Korean Air Morning Calm Select and up, SkyTeam Elite Plus); Lufthansa Business Lounge (Lufthansa Frequent Traveller and up, Star Alliance Gold); Turkish Airlines Lounge (Turkish Airlines Elite and up, Star Alliance Gold); Air India Lounge (Air India Gold and up, Star Alliance Gold); Delta Sky Club (SkyTeam Elite Plus). Status entry needs a same-day departing flight on that airline or its alliance, and some tiers only count on international flights.

How much time do I need for a layover at JFK?

It depends on your terminals, whether you re-clear security or customs, and how far the gates are apart. LYVR adds up deplaning, every walk on the indoor map, any checkpoints your connection passes and the boarding door time, then shows exactly how much time you have to spare.

Is a 1 hour layover enough at JFK?

For a domestic connection on one ticket, usually yes, even with a terminal change: the longest move between terminals at JFK is about 22 minutes. Arriving at JFK from another country, no: you clear passport control and customs, collect and recheck checked bags and go back through TSA security, so plan on 2.5 to 3 hours, unless your flight was precleared before departure. If a delay makes you miss a connection on one ticket, the airline rebooks you. LYVR works out your exact time to spare for your own two gates.

What is there to do on a layover at JFK?

With an hour or two, eat near your gate and walk the terminal. With more, JFK's 22 lounges (9 on Priority Pass) have quiet seats, food and often showers, and there are gaming lounges, sleep pods, sleep suites and spas you can use with Priority Pass. LYVR's Explore tab lists every restaurant, bar and shop near your gate with the walk time, so you only see what fits in your layover.

Can I leave the airport on a layover at JFK?

Yes, if you have time. Arriving from abroad, you've already cleared US immigration and customs at JFK, so leaving only adds the trip into New York and back and TSA security on the return. As a rule of thumb, it's worth it with about 4 hours on a domestic layover and 6 on an international one. LYVR checks the ride each way and how much time you'd really have in New York.

Got a layover
at JFK?

Free, in your browser. LYVR finds the layover, times every walk and fills the gap.

Plan my layover →

Sources

Lounges from Priority Pass's and DragonPass's directories, the card networks' lounge lists (American Express, Capital One, Chase, Mastercard), each operator's own booking or waitlist page, and the Wikivoyage article on John F. Kennedy International Airport (CC BY-SA). Who gets in is worked out with the same rules the LYVR app uses for your saved cards, memberships and airline status. Wait times come from the airport's or TSA's own data, US Customs and Border Protection. Terminal times are LYVR's curated estimates. Compiled October 2026; details change, so confirm with the airport, airline or lounge before you travel. LYVR isn't affiliated with John F. Kennedy International Airport.