With accelerated airport terminal construction coinciding with the start of the summer travel season, JFK Airport is relocating all rideshare passenger pickups at two of its terminals to an off-site AirTrain stop, making flying JetBlue (among others) much more challenging if you are used to using Uber or Lyft.
JFK Airport Diverts Rideshare Pickups For Terminals 5 + 7 – JetBlue Passengers Will Feel The Impact Most
Starting today, May 6, 2025, passengers departing the airport via Terminals 5 or 7 will need to head to a lot at AirTrain JFK’s Howard Beach Station to get an Uber, Lyft, Revel or car service, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:
The relocation will significantly reduce traffic congestion on the terminal frontage during the summer travel season as the construction of a whole new JFK reaches its peak. Passengers flying into terminals 5 or 7 who wish to take a for-hire vehicle or car service to leave the airport can access the Howard Beach Ride App and Car Services pickup lot by taking AirTrain JFK to the Howard Beach station. AirTrain JFK is free within the airport, including for passengers exiting at the Howard Beach station to access the Howard Beach Ride App and Car Services pickup lot.
The Port Authority adds that customer service representatives and baggage handlers will be stationed at the Ride App Pickup Lot to assist passengers. Free Wi-Fi service will be also available at the AirTrain JFK’s Howard Beach station.
This change in policy does not impact drop-offs.
JetBlue operates out of Terminal 5 while Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, ANA, Condor, Ethiopian Airlines, Frontier Airlines, HiSky Europe, Icelandair, Kuwait Airways, LOT Polish, Norse Atlantic Airways, and Sun Country Airways operate from Terminal 7.
I may have loved Daddio, but I don’t love yellow cabbies in New York City and so the response that people should just use “regular” cabs is not persuasive to me.
Instead, if you’re flying JetBlue into JFK, I recommend taking the red-carpeted bridge from the terminal 5 baggage claim to the TWA Hotel and then picking up an Uber or Lyft there…that seems easier to me than trying to trudge to Howard Beach.
CONCLUSION
Through the upcoming summer travel season, JFK will face the “dual challenge of higher volumes of air travelers combined with the peak of construction activities” for the $19 billion redevelopment of the airport (a reimagined Terminal 1 and new Terminal 6).
Be warned that using ridesharing out of Terminals 5 and 7 is now much more difficult, effective today. While the TWA Hotel may be a solution, prepare for delays and extra time when leaving JFK.
Hat Tip: View From The Wing
Or take airtrain 1 stop to terminal 4 or 8 and getting rideshare there.
Agree, although the walk from T5 to get to the Airtrain isn’t exactly short or convenient either. Better than the walk from the Newark Airtrain (if it is running) to Newark New Terminal A (what a joke). Just another reason for NY flyers to be enthusiastic about that exciting United-Jetblue partnership! Newark is a mess on a good day (and they have not been having good days). JFK T5 is simply gross – the only reason to fly JetBlue is for Mint availability where they offer the only lie flat seats to certain destinations that others do not. Delta is… fine? Good? Always at a premium price for a product that is often delivered as average? It’s why many of us are actually rooting for AA to do better!!
I don’t mind taking a NYC taxi from JFK for destinations within NYC as there is a flat rate to Manhattan and these days taxis aren’t any more expensive than Uber/Lyfts. But if you’re going anywhere outside NYC limits like to NJ, or the Long Island or Hudson Valley suburbs than I would opt for the uber/lyft as you otherwise have to negotiate with the taxi driver who is not obligated to take you.
I did the shuttlebus to the rideshare offsite once from T1 and it wasn’t terrible. But I’m able bodied and can manage it with luggage. I would hate to do that and would opt for a workaround like Matthew or others have suggested if I had to do this frequently or struggled with luggage.
… Or just take the train. 😛
I’m with —!
People are going to take the Air train to a waiting spot for a Uber and pay $100 to go to midtown. Hilarious. LIRR comes like every 10 minutes from Jamaica Station. It’s faster, roomier, and 1/10 the cost. Americans and public transportation man..
Crazy!
Another vote for taxi from T5, or AirTrain+LIRR, if heading into Manhattan.