The TWA Flight Center at JFK is perhaps the most iconic airline terminal in the world. I was determined to see it one last time. Well, actually see it for the first time…in person.
The terminal isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it will be restored to its original glory as the centerpiece of the new TWA Hotel. But I wanted to see it as it was now…essentially untouched from its 1960’s heyday.
Small problem: it was closed to the public.
During a long layover at JFK I headed over from the nearby JetBlue terminal to the TWA Terminal and marched right up to the front door. There was some construction going on, but the door was locked. At this point, thoughts of buying a hard hat and yellow safety vest were running through mind. But there wasn’t time before my connection…
If you’re familiar with the terminal, you’ll know there are two flight bridges that connect the TWA Flight Center to what is now the JetBlue terminal (T5). I figured it was worth checking if I could access the terminal from the other side and returned to the baggage area of the JetBlue terminal.
Finding a door marked “Flight Bridge” I pulled on it…it was locked.
The Magic Door
I walked down to the other end of the baggage area where I found another door. I pulled it…and it opened. My eyes lit up and my heart started to beat. It was like walking through a wardrobe and into Narnia.
Proceeding up the stairs, I encountered my first glimpse inside: the red-carpeted bridge to the main TWA Flight Center.
It is hard to describe the emotion of that moment, but I felt an adrenaline rush that must have been the byproduct of sneaking into an abandoned airline terminal and not just any terminal, but the TWA Flight Center.
I proceeded down the bridge, tiptoeing really, and soon found myself in the majestic terminal. It appeared I was alone inside.
Looking up and looking around, I began to take pictures. What beautiful curves this terminal has…there is nothing like it.
I then proceeded to the restroom, which still appeared to be functioning.
Caught!
Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. A uniformed security guard walked up to me and demanded to know what I was doing.
Uh, taking pictures…
“You’re not supposed to be in here!”
“But the door was open.”
He was not amused. I tried to cajole him into letting me stay a few more minutes, but he was insistent I immediately depart.
I did not want to let on how I entered, but I left my carry-on bag in the bridge. We walked back to get it then he walked me to the front door, opened it, and warned me he better not see me again.
So no pictures of the second floor, but I hope you enjoyed the ones above.
CONCLUSION
A couple weeks ago I was back at JFK and decided to try my luck again. Once again, the doorway to the bridge was open in the JetBlue baggage claim area.
But I encountered this inside:
Yes, the bridge entrance has been sealed shut with drywall (and yes, the door was locked at the top). What a shame.
I’m sure the restored Flight Center is going to be amazing. But I’m so thankful I found a way to see it before its restoration.
Awesome. Aviation Church.
This was a VERY risky thing you did, particularity this day in age. Have you always been a trespasser? Thank you for sharing those great iconic pics.
Was then still a public terminal, door was open, no “no trespassing signs”…glad you liked the pictures.
Thanks Matthew. You’ve done a public service even if you were breaking the law.
Amazing pictures, you are very lucky to see that in person.
They should convert it into a dedicated First Class Terminal.
Good work but we will send you care packages when you land in a federal pen. 😉
Matthew, wow…amazing…it was a rush just to look at the pictures! Such magnificence and history.
Thanks so much for taking the risk and sharing with us.
Before the deal was signed to turn the terminal into a hotel, the building was available for public visit for 1 or 2 days per year during the NYC Open House. I purposedly scheduled a flight out of JFK (instead of EWR on UA) on the day when it was going to be the last open house day before it was being converted into a hotel. Even though the building was full of people, the experience was marvelous.
Loved the red carpet!
That is amazing, a perfect example of how great architecture makes the heart sing. However, my heart was beating fast just reading about you sneaking in!
Super cool! How long would you say you were in there before security came?
10 minutes and I think security was already in the terminal when I entered.
Very, very cool. Very, very jealous. I grew up flying TWA to Europe via JFK, so it brings back fantastic memories.
This has been my favorite post to date.
I applaud and appreciate Matthew’s tenacity for doing this. I, too, would have found the temptation to explore irresistible; except, I would have sat down in the middle of that temple and taken it all in. It’s still so easy to imagine all the 707s lined up outside, the big oval departure board clicking away and the throngs of well dressed people scurrying along. I swear I got a whiff of aviation fuel just by looking through Matthew’s photos.
Hey Matthew,
I absolutely love this post! One of your best to date! Did you edit the pictures to make them look more “of that time”?
Hi Nigel, I did add filters to most pictures to give them a more 1960’s look.
My dad was a captain for TWA flying out of JFK for many, many years. Your pictures brought back a lot of great memories, especially since he passed away 18 years ago.
Mine also. Capt for TWA & flew out of JFK. My dad passed 9 years ago. What was his last name?
What a great post and what amazing pictures. Thank you so much for sharing. Have you considered making the pictures available at higher resolution to your readers?
My god, these photos are incredible. Did you also do the post-production?
Thanks. I did. I only added filters.
These belong in an aviation photography book.
Nice pictures. I also grew up flying to Europe on TWA. Good memories.
Fascinating to think about the other projects designed by Finnish architect, Eero Saarinen:
The St. Louis arch, the main terminal building at Dulles, and many more:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Eero_Saarinen
That would seem to be the definition of lax security at a major New York airport! yikes.
Amazing! Thanks Matthew- this was before my time, but it’s truly incredible.
Woah!
I traveled through the terminal as a young kid as an unaccompanied minor, tag and all flying on a Caravelle from Atlanta.
Thank you so very much.
I LOVE the pictures, brings back fond memories for me. I was a TWA F/A out of NY for 25 years. I’m thrilled MCR is making the iconic building into a hotel.
Your pictures are just like it was in the 60’s without all the people and the many famous faces walking through those red tunnels.
Thanks again for the wonderful pictures and it was a fabulous time to be a ” TWA Hostess”
Matthew, what camera did you use? These are incredible.
Canon Digital Rebel II. Old camera now!
“It was like walking through a wardrobe and into Narnia.” That line cracked me up, but honestly, I can’t think of a better way to describe your experience! Thanks for sharing these pics.
My pleasure! Thanks for reading.
LOL hot! I suppose it is a private place of public accommodation <3
Seems like yesterday I was walking on that red carpet to my flights as a TWA hostess/flight attendant….it was a magical experience then and now looking at your perfect photographs. Thank you more than you know! Jeanne
Appreciate your kind comment Jeanne. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the memories from a TWA pilot from 1964 to 1998. Proud to have been a B-747 captain flying out of JFK.
Thanks for reading Jerry!
Thank you for the pictures, it reminded me of our private tour 3 yrs. ago when I was taking an Historical Architecture class. Our teacher Ms. Gura gave us a great gift touring it with an Architect. It was amazing to walk through just the 12 of us. I arrived after they started and walked the red tube alone. Saarinen’s vision grande for his time. Experiential architecture imbues a person permanently.
Matthew, what an iconic moment in that monument or modern times. I desperately was searching for tours in this place, but there are none. Your report however gave a very good image of the feeling that I would have standing there. By the way I was also lucky once and had almost the same story in the United Nation building.
Thank‘s again!
Martin
Thank you for sharing your adventures in the TWA Flight Center. A few months before you, I, too, tried to get in. However, though the window from the street level, I saw a security guard snoozing. I thought that opening the door would alert him. Instead, I took pictures of the outside and of the inside through the glass door. Those pictures were lousy because I didn’t have the camera and polarizing filter that I do now.
I always dreamed about using the empty terminal for a wedding or fancy party. I mean couldn’t you imagine it?! It’s GORGEOUS. I hope they leave the sunken seating and the old TWA board. I mean it still looks BRAND NEW.
That would indeed be a great place for a party or Av-Geek wedding!
LOVE the pictures, thanks very much for sharing! TWA F/A (“hostess”) days were the best! Maybe something like this will go into their former location at STL.
Andee and Matthew
The new TWA Hotel is leaving the sunken seating and are bringing back the original style “flip” Departure Board (instead of led or electronic). It had to be made in Italy now a days. They are doing an excellent job of bringing it back to its old glory while modernizing behind the scenes where you don’t see it.
I heard they’re also adding a vintage plane as a cocktail lounge.
Matthew, I found this while surfing this evening. For most of the 60’s I worked first at the ticket counter at the TWA Flight Center and then in the Ambassador’s Club for a number of years until 1969. Absolutely incredible place with a new experience every day. Your photos are magnificent and bring back lots of memories. I so envy your ability to have revisited that beautiful building and am thrilled that it’s been protected as a historical site and now being restored for future use. Quite a story. BTW—the departure/arrival board was called a “Solari Board”. I worked the information desk where it’s located more than once in a crunch and was behind the ticket counter the night of the big blackout on the East Coast.
I ALSO WORKED AT THE TWA FLIGHT CENTER UNTIL 1968. MY NAME IS JOAN AZZARA. BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE LOVED EVERY MINUTE. I ALSO WAS BEHIND THE INFO COUNTER THE NIGHT OF THE BLACK OUT. LOVE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE. joanazzara@optimum.net is ny email
Thank You very much for this photography feast tonight.I grew up in Nassau Co. L.I..One of our favorite things to do was ‘Just go to the Airport JFK’, and catch some of the excitement that TWA building had to offer. The red carpet and pit style seating was so modern.People dressed well , carrying suitcases where were they off to. Our family is so happy to know that this great place with a worldwide heartbeat, will be here for the coming generation.
Just saw this post as a link in your more recent post – you got a lot further than I did in December 2014 when I did the exact same thing from T5 baggage claim (and felt just as giddy). I only got to the far end of the flight tube where there was a rope across with signs saying no public access. I didn’t pass that point, but took a couple of pictures of what I could see insides before security came to tell me to leave.
While I was too young to remember the terminal, I was five in 1960 when my mom moved my sister and I to California from New Jersey. We flew on a TWA Lockheed Super Constellation. I’ve always had a place in my heart and nostalgia for TWA and that plane. I wish I’d had the chance to do what you had done. Obviously not being malicious, I would have expected little more than an escort out.