AirTrain JFK
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Featured article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox rail line
AirTrain JFK is an Template:Convert elevated people mover system and airport rail link serving John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in New York City. The driverless system operates 24/7 and consists of three lines and nine stations within the New York City borough of Queens. It connects the airport's terminals with the New York City Subway at the Howard Beach station in the eponymous neighborhood, and with the Long Island Rail Road and the subway in the Jamaica neighborhood. Alstom operates AirTrain JFK under contract to the airport's operator, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
A railroad link to JFK Airport had been proposed since the 1940s. Various plans surfaced to build a JFK Airport rail connection until the 1990s, though these were not carried out because of a lack of funding. The JFK Express subway service and shuttle buses provided an unpopular transport system to and around JFK. In-depth planning for a dedicated transport system at JFK began in 1990 but was ultimately cut back from a direct rail link to an intra-borough people mover. Construction of the current people-mover system began in 1998. During construction, AirTrain JFK was the subject of several lawsuits, and an operator died during one of the system's test runs. The system opened on December 17, 2003, after many delays. Several improvements were proposed after the system's opening, including an unbuilt extension to Manhattan. AirTrain JFK originally had ten stations, but the Terminal 2 stop was closed in 2022.
All passengers entering or exiting at either Jamaica or Howard Beach must pay an $8.50 fare, while passengers traveling within the airport can ride for free. The system was originally projected to carry 4 million annual paying passengers and 8.4 million annual inter-terminal passengers every year. The AirTrain has consistently exceeded these projections since opening. In Template:American transit ridership, the system carried a total of Template:American transit ridership passengers, or about Template:American transit ridership per weekday as of Template:American transit ridership.
History
Plan for direct rail connection
Early plans
The first proposal for a direct rail link to JFK Airport was made in the mid-1940s, when a rail line was proposed for the median of the Van Wyck Expressway, connecting Midtown Manhattan with the airport. New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses, at the time an influential urban planner in the New York City area, refused to consider the idea.<ref>Template:Cite Power Broker</ref>Template:Sfn<ref name="Robin December 15, 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1968, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) suggested extending the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to the airport as part of the Program for Action, an ambitious transportation expansion program for the New York City area.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Sfn Ultimately, the rail link was canceled altogether due to the New York City fiscal crisis of 1975.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another proposal, made by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1987, called for a rail line to connect all of JFK Airport's terminals with a new $500 million transportation center.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Port Authority withdrew its plans in 1990 after airlines objected that they could not fund the proposal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Steinberg 1991">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1978, the MTA started operating the JFK Express, a premium-fare New York City Subway service that connected Midtown Manhattan to the Howard Beach–JFK Airport station.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NYLeader-JFKExp-Sep1978" /> The route carried subway passengers to the Howard Beach station,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn where passengers would ride shuttle buses to the airport.<ref name="NYLeader-JFKExp-Sep1978">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn The shuttle buses transported passengers between the different airport terminals within JFK's Central Terminal Area, as well as between Howard Beach and the terminals.Template:Sfn The JFK Express service was unpopular with passengers because of its high cost, and because the buses often got stuck in traffic.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1995" /><ref name="Sims 1990">Template:Cite news</ref> The service was ultimately canceled in 1990.Template:Sfn<ref name="Herszenhorn 1995" />
1990s plans
By the 1990s, there was demand for a direct link between Midtown Manhattan and JFK Airport, which are Template:Convert apart by road.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn At the time, the airport was only served by two highways: the Belt Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway.Template:Sfn During rush hour, the travel time from JFK to Manhattan could average up to 80 minutes by bus; during off-peak hours, a New York City taxi could make that journey in 45 minutes, while a bus could cover the same distance in an hour.Template:Sfn The Port Authority, foreseeing economic growth for the New York City area and increased air traffic at JFK, began planning for a direct rail link from the airport to Manhattan. In 1991, the Port Authority introduced a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC),Template:Sfn a $3 tax on every passenger departing from JFK,Template:Sfn<ref name="Steinberg 1991" /> which would provide $120 million annually.<ref name="Dao 1992">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1990, the MTA proposed a $1.6 billion rail link to LaGuardia and JFK airports, which would be funded jointly by federal, state, and city government agencies.<ref name="Sims 1990" /> The rail line was to begin in Midtown Manhattan, crossing the East River into Queens via the Queensboro Bridge.<ref name="Levy February 1995">Template:Cite news</ref> It would travel to LaGuardia Airport, then make two additional stops at Shea Stadium and Jamaica before proceeding to JFK.<ref name="Sims 1990" />Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn After the Port Authority found that the ridership demand might not justify the cost of the rail link, the MTA downgraded the project's priority.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The proposal was supported by governor Mario Cuomo<ref name="Steinberg 1991" /> and Queens borough president Claire Shulman.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1995" /><ref name="Levy February 1995" /> The transport advocacy group Regional Plan Association (RPA) called the plan "misguided", and the East Side Coalition on Airport Access's executive director said, "We are going to end up with another [...] uncompleted project in this city."<ref name="Levy February 1995" />
The Port Authority started reviewing blueprints for the JFK rail link in 1992.Template:Sfn<ref name="Dao 1992" /> At the time, it was thought that the link could be partially open within six years.<ref name="Dao 1992" /> In 1994, the Port Authority set aside $40 million for engineering and marketing of the new line, and created an environmental impact statement (EIS).<ref name="Lambert 1994">Template:Cite news</ref> The project's budget had grown to $2.6 billion by that year.<ref name="Lambert 1994" /> The EIS, conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), found the plan to be feasible, though the project attracted opposition from area residents and advocacy groups.Template:Sfn
The project was to start in 1996, but there were disputes over where the Manhattan terminal should be located. The Port Authority had suggested the heavily trafficked corner of Lexington Avenue and 59th Street,<ref name="Levy February 1995" />Template:Sfn<ref name="Lambert 1994" /> though many nearby residents opposed the Manhattan terminal outright.Template:Sfn The Port Authority did not consider a connection to the more-highly used Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station because such a connection would have been too expensive and complicated.<ref name="Levy February 1995" /> To pay for the project, the Port Authority would charge a one-way ticket price of between $9 and $12.<ref name="Levy February 1995" /> By February 1995, the cost of the planned link had increased to over $3 billion in the previous year alone. As a result, the Port Authority considered abridging the rail link plan, seeking federal and state funding, partnering with private investors, or terminating the line at a Queens subway station.<ref name="Levy February 1995" /> The following month, the administration of governor George Pataki directed the Port Authority to devise and finalize revised plans for the JFK rail link.<ref name="p235646904">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Curtailment of plan
The direct rail connection between Manhattan, LaGuardia Airport, and JFK Airport was canceled outright in mid-1995.Template:Sfn<ref name="Purnick 1995">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Donohue 1995">Template:Cite news</ref> The plan had failed to become popular politically, as it would have involved increasing road tolls and PATH train fares to pay for the new link.<ref name="Purnick 1995" /> In addition, the 1990s economic recession meant that there was little chance that the Port Authority could fund the project's rising price.<ref name="Purnick 1995" /><ref name="Levy August 1995">Template:Cite news</ref> Following the cancellation, the planned connection to JFK Airport was downsized to a Template:Convert monorail or people mover, which would travel between Howard Beach and the JFK terminals.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1995">Template:Cite news</ref> The Port Authority initially proposed building a $827 million monorail, similar to AirTrain Newark at Newark Airport, which would open the following year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 1995, the FAA approved the Port Authority's request to use the PFC funds for the monorail plan<ref name="Levy August 1995" /> (the agency had already collected $114 million, and was planning to collect another $325 million).<ref name="Donohue 1995" /> After the monorail was approved, the Port Authority hoped to begin construction in 1997 and open the line by 2002.<ref name="Donohue 1995" /><ref name="Levy August 1995" />
The Port Authority voted to proceed with the scaled-down system in May 1996,Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> and it simultaneously set aside $25 million for planning and engineering.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The FAA had already given the Port Authority permission to collect PFC funds for the Howard Beach branch and the terminal section, but not for the branch to Jamaica.<ref name="p235646904" /> The Port Authority's final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the JFK people mover, released in 1997, examined eight possibilities.Template:Sfn Ultimately, the Port Authority opted for a light rail system with the qualities of a people mover, tentatively called the JFK Light Rail System.Template:Sfn It would replace the shuttle buses and run to Jamaica and Howard Beach.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The FEIS determined that an automated system with frequent headways was the best design.Template:Sfn<ref name="Newman 1997">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn Although there would not be a direct connection to Manhattan, the Port Authority estimated it would halve travel time between JFK and Midtown, with the journey between JFK and Penn Station taking one hour.Template:Sfn The New York Times wrote that 21 prior recommendations for direct rail links to New York-area airports had been canceled in the preceding 30 years,Template:Sfn<ref name="Newman 1997" /> while the Engineering News-Record said 22 such proposals had failed.<ref name="Cho 2000">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
The people mover system was one of several major projects proposed at JFK Airport during the late 1990s.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pataki supported the revised people-mover plan, but New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said the city would have to contribute $300 million, and that it was not a direct rail link from Manhattan, and thus would not be profitable because of the need to transfer from Jamaica.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Port Authority was originally planning to fund the project using $1.2 billion in PFC fees and $300 million in rental income.<ref name="Newman 1997" /><ref name="p279047983">Template:Cite news</ref> Giuliani wanted the Port Authority to study extending the Astoria elevated to LaGuardia Airport, as well as making the light rail system compatible with the subway or LIRR to allow possible future interoperability.<ref name="Macfarquhar 1997">Template:Cite news</ref> By March 1997, five companies had expressed interest in building the system.<ref name="Macfarquhar 1997" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The next month, Pataki agreed to provide $100 million to study a rail link to LaGuardia; in exchange, Giuliani and Shulman agreed to not oppose the JFK link. The Port Authority was reluctant to approve more than $5 million for the LaGuardia study.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Giuliani's continued opposition to the system delayed the project, and, if construction did not start by October, the project could lose $100 million worth of federal funds.<ref name="p279047983" /> Giuliani agreed to the plan in October 1997, when the state agreed to reimburse the city for its share of the system's cost.<ref name="Newman 1997" /><ref name="Feiden 1997">Template:Cite news</ref> As part of the agreement, the state would also conduct a study on a similar train link to LaGuardia Airport.<ref name="Feiden 1997" /> By that time, the Port Authority had collected $441 million in PFC funds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An artist's impression of the proposed people mover was presented to residents of southern Queens that November.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Public reception was mixed. One civic leader in Jamaica was optimistic that the people mover would spur development in that neighborhood,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and other supporters said it would benefit business and alleviate Van Wyck Expressway traffic in the long run.<ref name="p313561670">Template:Cite news</ref> On the other hand, two community boards and several civic groups claimed the people mover would worsen traffic,<ref name="p313561670" /> and local newspaper Newsday criticized the proposal as being ineffective without a direct link to Manhattan, citing the failure of the JFK Express.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Construction
Approval and groundbreaking
The Port Authority could use the funds from the Passenger Facility Charge only to make improvements that exclusively benefited airport passengers. As a result, only the sections linking Jamaica and Howard Beach to JFK Airport were approved and built, since it was expected that airport travelers would be the sole users of the system.Template:Sfn The federal government approved the use of PFC funds for the new light rail system in February 1998.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Approval Feb 1998">Template:Cite news; Template:Cite magazine; Template:Cite news</ref> The PFC funds could not be used for as much as $200 million of the cost because, according to the FAA, the tax funds could not be used to pay for additional costs such as storage, maintenance, operation, and fare collection expenses.<ref name="Approval Feb 1998" /> The Air Transportation Association of America (ATA), which argued that PFC funds could only be used for projects within the airport itself, sued the FAA the next month, saying the light rail project was using the funds illegally.<ref name="p424998899">Template:Cite news</ref>
The Port Authority awarded a $930 million design–build–operate–maintain contract in April 1998<ref name="p424998899" /><ref name="p313661960">Template:Cite news</ref> to AirRail Transit Consortium, a group composed of Slattery Skanska, Bombardier Transportation, STV Inc., Perini Corporation, and numerous consultants.<ref name="Cho 2000" /><ref name="p203809857">Template:Cite news</ref> Giuliani, who did not want the city to pay the project's $200 million cost difference, said he would not allow construction to begin unless the funding dispute was resolved.<ref name="p313661960" /><ref name="p203809857" /> Construction of the system ultimately began in May 1998,<ref name="Chan 2005">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn and an official groundbreaking took place on September 16, 1998.<ref name="Robin December 15, 2003" /><ref name="p424989522">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the beginning of 1999, the system was known as the AirTrain.<ref name="p367965481">Template:Cite news</ref>
The route was to run mostly along existing rights-of-way, but three commercial properties were seized and demolished to make way for the route.Template:Sfn Members of the New York City Planning Commission approved the condemnation of several buildings along the route in May 1999 but voiced concerns about the projected high price of the tickets, ridership demand, and unwieldy transfers at Jamaica.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1999">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> Before major construction could begin, the New York City Council had to vote on whether to approve the project, and the AirTrain's supporters and opponents both lobbied the City Council heavily.<ref name="p219159936">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Although City Council speaker Peter Vallone was publicly neutral on the project,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> his own office had published a study in early 1999, which criticized the AirTrain's lack of direct access to Manhattan and predicted that it would be of little help to the local economy.<ref name="p219159936" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> To attract local support, the Port Authority offered to pay for other projects in surrounding neighborhoods, such as a waterfront park.<ref name="p279146753">Template:Cite news</ref> The council approved the AirTrain that June on a 47–3 vote,<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> even though many council members also had reservations about the AirTrain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Early construction
Most of the system was built one span at a time, using cranes mounted on temporary structures that erected new spans as they progressed linearly along the structures. Several sections were built using a balanced cantilever design, where two separate spans were connected to each other using the span-by-span method.Template:Sfn The Jamaica branch's location above the median of the busy Van Wyck Expressway, combined with the varying length and curves of the track spans, caused complications during construction.Template:Sfn One lane of the Van Wyck had to be closed in each direction during off-peak hours, causing congestion.<ref name="Cho 2000" />Template:Sfn The Port Authority also installed new sidewalks, plantings, and fences along the Van Wyck.<ref name="p279146753" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the end of 1999, the columns in the Van Wyck's median were being erected,Template:Sfn and half of the viaduct spans had been built, although only fifteen percent of the system was finished at the time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The project also included $80 million of tunnels within the airport, which was built using a cut-and-cover method;<ref name="Oser 1999" /> the tunnels had been among the first contracts to be awarded.<ref name="Cho 2000" /> Two shifts of workers excavated a trench measuring Template:Convert deep, Template:Convert wide, and Template:Convert long. The water table was as shallow as Template:Convert beneath the surface, so contractors pumped water out of the trench during construction. For waterproofing, subcontractor Trevi-Icos Inc. poured a U-shaped layer of grout, measuring Template:Convert wide and between Template:Convert deep.<ref name="Oser 1999">Template:Cite news</ref>
Reception, opposition, and complaints
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The project was controversial from the outset: although several local politicians, community leaders, and the politically powerful construction industry supported the AirTrain, it faced opposition from the ATA and local residents.<ref name="p219159936" /> Community leaders supported the project because of its connections to the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1999" /> Proponents, including retired U.S. congressman Floyd Flake and the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, claimed the system would attract businesses to downtown Jamaica and create jobs.<ref name="p367951293">Template:Cite news</ref> Queens community boards 10, 12, and 13 cast advisory votes in support of the project.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Almost all civic groups along the Jamaica branch's route opposed it due to concerns about nuisance, noise, and traffic.<ref name="Herszenhorn 1999" /><ref name="p367951293" /> Opponents claimed that the system had not undergone the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process,<ref name="p424989522" /> and more than 90 local organizations wanted the FAA to allow the public to discuss the PFC charges.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Residents of Briarwood, a neighborhood that was not even near the AirTrain, also opposed the project because they feared the Jamaica branch would be extended to LaGuardia.<ref name="p367965481" /> There were multiple protests against the project, such as in 2000, when a crane caught fire in a suspected arson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Homeowners believed the concrete viaducts would lower the value of their houses,<ref name="Woodberry 2000">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn<ref name="Regan 1999">Template:Cite news</ref> and some residents reported that vibrations from construction had caused their homes to shake and crack.<ref name="Woodberry 2000" /> Residents were also concerned about the noise that an elevated structure would create;<ref name="Herszenhorn 1995" /> according to a 2012 study, the majority of residents' complaints were due to "nuisance violations".Template:Sfn
In light of the ATA's 1998 lawsuit, the Port Authority threatened to halt the development of a new terminal for American Airlines (one of the ATA's primary members) at JFK Airport unless American dropped its opposition to the system.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The ATA filed a federal lawsuit in January 1999,<ref name="ATAA v. FAA" /> alleging misuse of PFC funds.<ref name="Regan 1999" /> In March, a federal judge vacated the project's approval because the FAA had collected and perused public comments after the public-comment deadline, but found that the PFC funds had not been misused.<ref name="ATAA v. FAA">Template:Caselaw source</ref><ref name="Wald 1999 l860">Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, the judge found that the Port Authority and FAA had shut the ATA out of discussions.<ref name="Cho 2000" /> The FAA opened a second request for public commentTemplate:Sfn and approved the project for the second time in August 1999.<ref name="Wald 1999 l860" /> The ATA and two local advocacy groups appealed the funding decision in late 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The advocacy groups filed a second federal lawsuit in 2000, claiming that the FEIS had included misleading statements about the effects of the elevated structure on southern Queens neighborhoods.<ref name="nyt20000917">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The ATA withdrew from the lawsuit, but one of the advocacy groups proceeded with the appeal and lost.<ref name="Bertrand 2000">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Caselaw source</ref>
The Port Authority also hired a community liaison in 1998 to address local residents' concerns.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the next two years, the liaison received 400 calls seeking damages or complaining about vibrations and construction.<ref name="Lowe August 2000">Template:Cite news</ref> In response to complaints, the Port Authority imposed strict rules regarding disruptive or loud construction activity, as well as implementing a streamlined damage claim process to compensate homeowners.Template:Sfn Through 2002, there were 550 nuisance complaints over the AirTrain's construction, of which 98 percent had been resolved by April of that year.<ref name="Dentch 2002">Template:Cite news</ref> By contrast, Queens Community District 12—which includes the neighborhood of South Jamaica, along the AirTrain's route—recorded few complaints about the construction process.<ref name="Scheinbart March 2001">Template:Cite news</ref>
Testing, delays, and completion
A website for the project was launched in April 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pile-driving for elevated columns was nearly completed in late 2000,<ref name="Lowe August 2000" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> when two-thirds of the system's columns had been installed.<ref name="Bertrand 2000" /> The United States Congress provided almost $2 million in November 2000 for wayfinding, marketing, and access projects and a study related to the AirTrain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The system was ready for its first test trains by the end of the year,<ref name="nyt20000917" /> and two AirTrain cars were delivered and tested after the system's guideway rails were complete by March 2001.<ref name="Scheinbart March 2001" /><ref name="Lowe 2001">Template:Cite news</ref> By then, workers had completed 140 columns for the guideways in the Van Wyck Expressway's median.<ref name="Lowe 2001" /> The guideways themselves were completed that August.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although the Port Authority had planned to award 17% of contracts for the first phase of AirTrain's construction to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), only 8.6% of contracts had been awarded to MWBEs by mid-2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following a small protest by one group of minority workers, the Port Authority agreed to hire consultants<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and create a committee to oversee the awarding of contracts.<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> Despite the September 11 attacks later the same year, work on the project was not interrupted.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
As part of the AirTrain's construction, a renovation of the Jamaica LIRR station was announced in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A $75 million renovation of the Howard Beach station was completed in May 2001,<ref name="Scheinbart May 2001">Template:Cite news</ref> with an ADA-compliant transfer to and from the AirTrain.Template:Sfn The same month, work started on the renovation of the Jamaica station, which entailed building a transfer passageway to the AirTrain;<ref name="Scheinbart May 2001" />Template:Sfn the Port Authority planned to spend $326 million on the AirTrain terminal and some work on the LIRR station at Jamaica.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Though the Jamaica station's rehabilitation was originally supposed to be finished by 2005,<ref name="Dentch 2002" /> it was not completed until September 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Service was originally planned to begin on the Howard Beach branch in October 2002,<ref name="Chan 2005" /><ref name="Dentch 2002" /> followed by the Jamaica branch in 2003,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Bashinsky 2002">Template:Cite news</ref> but the opening was delayed because of incidents during testing.<ref name="Boniello 2002" /> In July 2002, three workers were injured during an AirTrain derailment.<ref name="Boniello 2002">Template:Cite news</ref> By the next month, the guideway, most of the stations and substations, and the rolling stock were complete, and test trains were running on the system.<ref name="Bashinsky 2002" /> Bombardier employee Kelvin DeBourgh was piloting a test train with concrete ballast blocks when his train derailed in September 2002, causing the blocks to tilt forward and kill him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> DeBourgh's death prompted an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which found that the train had been speeding on a curve;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in particular, it had been going as fast as Template:Cvt on a segment of track that was meant to be traversed at Template:Cvt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Sebree 2003">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Further investigations found that DeBourgh's supervisors had not correctly trained him.<ref name="Kennedy 2003">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The opening was postponed indefinitely as officials looked into the cause of the derailment that killed DeBourgh.<ref name="Sebree 2003" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In February 2003, the Port Authority announced that the system could open that June,<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> although the opening was then delayed further.Template:Sfn Work on the stations continued throughout early 2003,<ref name="Newsday 2003">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Port Authority resumed test runs of the system in April after its internal safety board found that DeBourgh's death had not been caused by the system's design.<ref name="Kennedy 2003" /><ref name="Newsday 2003" /> DeBourgh's family sued the Port Authority and Bombardier in September 2003, as the new Jamaica terminal was being unveiled.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the time, the system was planned to open by the end of the year.<ref name="Robin September 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> The AirRail Transit Consortium said in November 2003 that it would open the entire system later that month,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> but this date was subsequently delayed to December 17.<ref name="Robin December 3, 2003">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web; Template:Cite news</ref> The latter date was chosen to mark the centennial of the Wright FlyerTemplate:`s maiden flight, as well as to accommodate increased air traffic for the Christmas and holiday season.<ref name="Robin December 3, 2003" />
Opening and early years
The system opened on December 17, 2003,Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Yee 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> and was fare-free on its first day.<ref name="Woodberry 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> According to Newsday, politicians were optimistic about the AirTrain, but travelers' enthusiasm was dampened by the fact that travelers had to transfer—though, the paper said, "the stations where the schlepping will take place are polished and sleek".<ref name="Robin December 15, 2003" /> Newsday, which sent several reporters to test out whether the LIRR and AirTrain were faster than a car and a taxi, said the AirTrain was ideal for people "looking for a modern ride removed from the stresses of the roadway".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The New York Daily News said that riders had mixed opinions of the new system.<ref name="Woodberry 2003" /> A writer for The New York Times said that, while the system was superior to the bus routes that it replaced, the AirTrain was "a complicated travel experience" that required a transfer, necessitated an additional fare, and lacked adequate signage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Southeast Queens residents feared the project could become a boondoggle,Template:Sfn as the construction cost of the system had increased to $1.9 billion.<ref name="Robin December 15, 2003" /><ref name="Stellin 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> This figure was $400 million over what had been budgeted for the system in 1999.<ref name="Robin September 2003" /> Like other Port Authority properties, the AirTrain did not receive subsidies from the state or city for its operating costs. This was one of the reasons cited for the system's relatively high initial $5 fare, which was more than twice the subway's fare at the time of the AirTrain's opening.Template:Sfn The Port Authority predicted that the AirTrain's opening would create 118 jobs at JFK Airport.<ref name="Menchaca 2002">Template:Cite web</ref> Crain's New York Business said in 2003 that the system's opening and other upgrades at JFK Airport would allow the airport to accommodate 50 million annual passengers by 2007;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> by comparison, the airport had recorded 31.7 million travelers in 2003.<ref name="p280033477">Template:Cite news</ref>
Early riders had difficulty finding the trains because navigational signs were still covered up.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Saulny 2004 u382" /> In its first month of service, the system experienced several outages, delays, and lower-than-expected ridership,<ref name="p279824321">Template:Cite news</ref> and some travelers could not easily find the system because it was not shown on LIRR and subway maps.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> These issues had subsided by the AirTrain's first anniversary, when Bombardier reported that the system had an uptime rate of between 97 and 99 percent.<ref name="Tyrrell 2004">Template:Cite news</ref>
Effects on development
Several projects were developed in Jamaica in anticipation of the system's opening,<ref name="Dunlap 2003" /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and local civic leaders hoped the system would help revitalize downtown Jamaica.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Lowe October 2000" /> The Jamaica Center Mall, Joseph P. Addabbo Federal Building, the Civil Court, and a Food and Drug Administration laboratory and offices were all built in the five years before the AirTrain opened.<ref name="Dunlap 2003" /> As early as 2000, local leaders had envisioned hotels, offices, and parking around the AirTrain station in Jamaica.<ref name="Lowe October 2000">Template:Cite news</ref> One development firm began constructing a Template:Convert office building at the site in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> Another project, a 250-room hotel above the AirTrain terminal,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> was deferred after the September 11 attacks.<ref name="Holusha 2004" /> By mid-2003, a Template:Convert, 16-story building was being planned on Sutphin Boulevard across from the Jamaica station;<ref name="Dunlap 2003">Template:Cite news</ref> this structure was the first building in a planned mixed-use development spanning Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
After AirTrain JFK began operating, Jamaica saw a boom in commerce,<ref name="Holusha 2004" /> and the area around Sutphin Boulevard in particular was expected to attract more business activity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A 15-screen movie theater opened in the area in early 2004, and developers were also planning a 13-floor building in the area.<ref name="Holusha 2004">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2004, the city proposed rezoning 40 blocks of Jamaica, centered around the AirTrain station, as a commercial area. According to the RPA, the rezoning was part of a proposal to re-envision Jamaica as a "regional center" because of the area's high usage as a transit hub. During the average weekday, 100,000 LIRR riders and 53,000 subway riders traveled to or from Jamaica, and the Port Authority had estimated that the AirTrain JFK would carry 12.4 million passengers a year.<ref name="Holusha 2004" /> The area was rezoned in September 2007, and the first development to be proposed in the rezoned area, a 13-story merchandise mart and showroom building, was announced the next month.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A New York Times reporter wrote that the presence of AirTrain JFK riders was one factor in the redevelopment of downtown Jamaica, where, by 2011, three budget hotels had been developed near the Jamaica station.<ref name="Berger 2011">Template:Cite news</ref> The area west of the Jamaica station was still underdeveloped, so many travelers chose to transfer to the LIRR or subway in Jamaica rather than stay there overnight.<ref name="Berger 2011" />
Unbuilt extensions
Plans to extend the AirTrain to Manhattan were examined even before the system's opening.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1998, the Port Authority examined the possibility of reactivating the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch, allowing LIRR trains to run from Manhattan directly onto the Howard Beach Branch.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The RPA also published a report in 1999, in which it recommended the construction of new lines and stations for the New York City Subway. The plan included one service that would travel from Grand Central Terminal to JFK Airport via what eventually became the AirTrain.Template:Sfn Ultimately, the MTA rejected the RPA's proposal.Template:Sfn
U.S. senator Chuck Schumer had proposed a direct rail link from JFK Airport to Manhattan's Fulton Center the day the AirTrain opened.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Between September 2003 and April 2004, several agencies, including the MTA and the Port Authority, conducted a feasibility study of the Lower Manhattan–Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project, which would allow trains to travel directly from JFK Airport to Manhattan.Template:Sfn The study examined 40 alternatives,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and four options for extending the AirTrain had been announced by early 2004.<ref>Template:Cite magazine; Template:Cite web</ref> The project was halted in 2008 before an environmental impact statement could be created.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Though a direct route to Grand Central was never built, the LIRR's East Side Access project opened in 2023, connecting the East Side of Manhattan to the Jamaica station. However, passengers were still required to transfer between the LIRR and AirTrain at Jamaica.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Renovation of JFK Airport
On January 4, 2017, the office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a $7–10 billion plan to renovate JFK Airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As part of the project, the AirTrain JFK would either see lengthened trainsets or a direct track connection to the rest of New York City's transportation system, and a direct connection between the AirTrain, LIRR, and subway would be built at Jamaica station.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly after Cuomo's announcement, the Regional Plan Association published an unrelated study for a possible direct rail link between Manhattan and JFK Airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yet another study in September 2018, published by the MTA, examined alternatives for an LIRR rail link to JFK as part of a possible restoration of the abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch.<ref>Template:Cite web; Template:Cite web</ref>
In July 2017, Cuomo's office began accepting submissions for master plans to renovate the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The next year, Cuomo released details of the project, whose cost had grown to $13 billion. The improvements included lengthening AirTrains as well as adding lanes to the Van Wyck Expressway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Terminal 2 station was closed on July 11, 2022, prior to the permanent closure of Terminal 2 six months later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To accommodate the reconstruction of Terminal 1, the PANYNJ closed the Terminal 1 station for seven months starting on May 1, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The station was reopened in December 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Alstom, which had purchased Bombardier's rail operations in 2021,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> extended its contract with the Port Authority in 2025, agreeing to operate the AirTrain for seven more years.<ref name="Trains 2025">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Progressive Railroading">Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2025, as part of its 2026–2035 capital plan, the Port Authority announced plans to renovate stations so they could accommodate trains with higher passenger capacities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
System
Routes
AirTrain JFK connects the airport's terminals and parking areas with the Howard Beach and Jamaica stations. It runs entirely within the New York City borough of Queens. The system consists of three routes: two connecting the terminals with either the Howard Beach or Jamaica stations, and one route looping continuously around the central terminal area.<ref name="panynj-official" />Template:Sfn It is operated by Alstom under contract to the Port Authority.<ref name="Trains 2025" /><ref name="Progressive Railroading" /> Trains to and from Jamaica and Howard Beach were originally planned to run every two minutes during peak hours, with alternate trains traveling to each branch.Template:Sfn The final environmental impact statement projected that trains in the central terminal area would run every ninety seconds.Template:Sfn By 2014 actual frequencies were much lower: each branch was served by one train every seven to 12 minutes during peak hours. Trains arrived every 10 to 15 minutes on each branch during weekdays; every 15 to 20 minutes during late nights; and every 16 minutes during weekends.Template:Sfn
The Howard Beach Train route (colored green on the official map) begins and ends at the Howard Beach–JFK Airport station, where there is a direct transfer to the New York City Subway's Template:NYCS trains.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004">Template:Cite news</ref> It makes an additional stop at Lefferts Boulevard, where passengers can transfer to parking lot shuttle buses; the Q3 bus to Jamaica; the B15 bus to Brooklyn; and the Q10 rush and Q80 local buses.<ref name="panynj-official" /><ref name="Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2022">Template:Cite NYC bus map</ref> The segment from Howard Beach to Federal Circle, which is about Template:Convert long, passes over the long-term and employee parking lots.Template:Sfn
The Jamaica Train route (colored red on the official map) begins and ends at the Jamaica station, adjacent to the Long Island Rail Road platforms there. The Jamaica station contains a connection to the Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–JFK Airport station on the New York City Subway's Template:NYCS trains.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" />Template:Sfn The AirTrain and LIRR stations contain transfers to the subway, as well as to ground-level bus routes.<ref name="panynj-official" />Template:Sfn West of Jamaica, the line travels above the north side of 94th Avenue before curving southward onto the Van Wyck Expressway. The segment from Jamaica to Federal Circle is about Template:Convert long.Template:Sfn
The Howard Beach Train and Jamaica Train routes merge at Federal Circle for car rental companies and shuttle buses to hotels and the airport's cargo areas. South of Federal Circle, the routes share track for Template:Convert and enter a tunnel before the tracks separate in two directions for the Template:Convert terminal loop.Template:Sfn Both routes continue counterclockwise around the loop, stopping at Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8 in that order.Template:Sfn A connection to the Q3 local bus is available at Terminal 8.<ref name="panynj-official" /><ref name="Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2022" /> The travel time from either Jamaica or Howard Beach to the JFK terminals is about eight minutes.Template:Sfn
The Airport Terminals Loop (colored gold on the official map), an airport terminal circulator, runs clockwise around each terminal, in the opposite direction from the Howard Beach Train and Jamaica Train routes.<ref name="panynj-official">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn The terminal area loop is Template:Convert long.Template:Sfn
Stations
All AirTrain JFK stations contain elevators and are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).Template:Sfn Each platform is Template:Convert long and can fit up to four cars.Template:Sfn The stations include air conditioning, as well as platform screen doors that protect passengers and allow the unmanned trains to operate safely.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" />Template:Sfn Escalators and elevators are included in each station, and moving walkways are incorporated into the design of the terminal-area stations.Template:Sfn Each station also contains safety systems such as CCTV cameras, alarms, and emergency contact points, and is staffed by attendants.Template:Sfn
All the stations have island platforms except for Federal Circle, which has a bi-level split platform layout.Template:Sfn The Jamaica and Howard Beach stations are designed as "gateway stations" to give passengers the impression of entering the airport.Template:Sfn There are also stations at Lefferts Boulevard, as well as Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8. Three former terminals, numbered 3, 6, and 9, were respectively served by the stations that were later renamed Terminals 2, 5, and 8.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The four stations outside the Central Terminal Area were originally designated with the letters A–D alongside their names;Template:Sfn the letters were later dropped.Template:Sfn After Terminal 2 station closed in 2022, Terminal 1 station temporarily served passengers for both terminals until the closure of Terminal 2 in January 2023.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
STV Inc., the AirTrain's main architectural and engineering designer, was tasked with creating a consistent design for the stations and infrastructure.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Jamaica station was designed by Voorsanger Architects, and Robert Davidson of the Port Authority's in-house architecture department designed the Howard Beach station.Template:Sfn Most stations in the airport are outdoors, but the Terminal 4 station is within the mezzanine of that terminal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Jamaica station was designed with a footbridge leading from the AirTrain terminal above the LIRR tracks to the subway,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Sfn as well as space for a hotel on top of it.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Each station's construction was divided into nine components (such as connections to parking garages), and construction materials were customized to the specific needs of each station site.<ref name="Cho 2000" />
| StationTemplate:Sfn | LinesTemplate:Sfn | Connections<ref name="Metropolitan Transportation Authority 2022" />Template:Sfn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| [[Howard Beach–JFK Airport station|Template:Vanchor]] Template:Coord |
Template:Color box Howard Beach Train |
|
Originally designated Station ATemplate:Sfn |
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
Originally designated Station BTemplate:Sfn | |
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
Originally designated Station CTemplate:Sfn | |
| [[Jamaica station#AirTrain station|Template:Vanchor]] Template:Coord |
Template:Color box Jamaica Train |
Originally designated Station DTemplate:Sfn | |
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
Template:Plainlist | ||
| Template:Strike (closed) Template:Coord |
|
Permanently closed | |
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
||
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
Originally named Terminals 5/6Template:Sfn | |
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
||
| Template:Vanchor Template:Coord |
|
Originally named Terminals 8/9Template:Sfn |
Tracks and infrastructure
The AirTrain has a route length of Template:Convert.Template:Sfn<ref name="Robin September 2003" /><ref name="Woodberry 2003" />Template:Efn The system consists of Template:CvtTemplate:Sfn or Template:Convert of single-track guideway viaducts,Template:Sfn as well as Template:Convert of double-track guideway viaducts.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn AirTrain JFK is mostly elevated, though there are short segments that run underground or at ground level, totaling about Template:Convert.Template:Sfn Trains are operated from and maintained at a Template:Convert train yard between Lefferts Boulevard and Federal Circle, atop a former employee parking lot.Template:Sfn
The elevated sections were built with precast single and dual guideway spans, the underground sections used cut-and-cover.Template:Sfn The ground-level sections, including the train yards, used concrete ties and ballast trackbeds.<ref name="Cho 2000" />Template:Sfn The single guideway viaducts carry one track each and are Template:Convert wide, while the double guideway viaducts carry two tracks each and are Template:Convert wide. Columns support the precast concrete elevated sections at intervals of up to Template:Convert.Template:Sfn The elevated structures run up to 40 feet above the Van Wyck Expressway.Template:Sfn Workers fabricated 5,500 precast concrete sections in Cape Charles, Virginia, which were then shipped to Camden, New Jersey, before being installed in Queens.<ref name="Cho 2000" /> The elevated structures use seismic isolation bearings and soundproof barriers to protect from small earthquakes as well as prevent noise pollution.Template:Sfn AirTrain JFK's tunnels, all within the airport, pass beneath two taxiways and several highway ramps.<ref name="Oser 1999" />
The AirTrain runs on steel tracksTemplate:Sfn that are continuously welded across all joints except at the terminals; the guideway viaducts are also continuously joined.Template:Sfn Trains use double crossovers at the Jamaica and Howard Beach terminals in order to switch to the track going in the opposite direction. There are also crossover switches north and south of Federal Circle, counterclockwise from Terminal 8, and clockwise from Terminal 1.Template:Sfn
The tracks are set at a gauge of Template:Track gauge.Template:Sfn This enables possible future conversion to LIRR or subway use, or a possible connection to LIRR or subway tracks for a one-trip ride into Manhattan, since these systems use the same track gauge.<ref name="Chan 2005" />Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn AirTrain's current rolling stock, or train cars, are not able to use either LIRR or subway tracks due to the cars' inadequate structural strength and the different methods of propulsion used on each system. In particular, the linear induction motor system that propels the AirTrain vehicles is incompatible with the traction motor manual-propulsion system used by LIRR and subway rolling stock.Template:Sfn If a one-seat ride is ever implemented, a hybrid-use vehicle would be needed to operate on subway or LIRR tracks in addition to AirTrain tracks.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
There are seven electrical substations. The redundancy allows trains to operate even if there are power outages at one substation.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> Since there are no emergency exits between stations, a control tower can automatically guide the train to its next stop in case of an emergency.<ref name="Dentch 2002" />
Fares
AirTrain JFK is free to use for travel within the terminal area, as well as at the Lefferts Boulevard station, which is next to the long-term parking, and at the Federal Circle station, where there are shuttle buses to hotels and car rental companies.<ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" /> Passengers entering or leaving the system at the Jamaica or Howard Beach stations must pay using MetroCard or OMNY (which includes contactless payment using bank cards or mobile devices).<ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" /><ref name="MTA Fares" /> AirTrain JFK started accepting OMNY on October 10, 2023,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although only some turnstiles initially had OMNY readers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
AirTrain JFK typically charges passengers $8.50 to enter or leave the system at the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations.<ref name="MTA Fares" /> MetroCard vending machines are located on both sides of the faregates at each station, and a $1 fee is charged for new MetroCards.<ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey">Template:Cite web</ref> In addition to single ride fares, machines also sell passes for AirTrain JFK. A 30-Day AirTrain JFK MetroCard can be purchased for $40 and used for unlimited rides for 30 days after first use. A 10-Trip AirTrain JFK MetroCard is $26.50 (plus $1 for the card) and can be used for ten trips on the AirTrain within 31 days from first use.<ref name="MTA Fares">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" />
There are no free transfers between AirTrain JFK and connecting transit services. For passengers transferring to local buses or the subway, an additional $2.90 fare is charged, and may be paid with MetroCard. Patrons transferring to a Manhattan-bound LIRR train at Jamaica pay an additional $7 during peak hours or $5 during off-peak hours and weekends, using the railroad's CityTicket program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The fare to enter or exit at Howard Beach and Jamaica was originally $5,<ref name="Stellin 2003" /> though preliminary plans included a discounted fare of $2 for airport and airline employees.Template:Sfn In June 2019, the Port Authority proposed raising AirTrain JFK's fare to $7.75,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the fare increase was approved that September.<ref name="PIX11 2019">Template:Cite web</ref> The new fares took effect on November 1, 2019,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> representing the first fare raise in the system's history.<ref name="PIX11 2019" /> In November 2021, the Port Authority discussed plans to raise the fare a second time, to $8;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> this fare increase took effect on March 1, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> The fare was increased once more to $8.25 on March 5, 2023,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> then to $8.50 on March 3, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From July 1 through September 2, 2024, fares were reduced by 50% to $4.25 due to road construction at JFK Airport;<ref name="ABC7 New York 2024 u002">Template:Cite web; Template:Cite press release</ref> the fare was again reduced to $4.25 between June 30 and September 1, 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web; Template:Cite web</ref>
Rolling stock
AirTrain JFK uses Innovia Metro ART 200 rolling stock and technology, similar to those used on the SkyTrain in Vancouver, the Everline in Yongin, and the Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> The computerized trains are fully automated and use a communications-based train control system with moving block signals to dynamically determine the locations of the trains.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> AirTrain JFK is a wholly driverless system,<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> and it uses SelTrac train-signaling technology manufactured by Thales Group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The system originally used pre-recorded announcements by New York City traffic reporter Bernie Wagenblast, a longtime Port Authority employee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The 32 individual, non-articulated Mark II vehicles operating on the line draw power from a 750 V DC top-running third rail. A linear induction motor pushes magnetically against an aluminum strip in the center of the track. The vehicles also have steerable trucks that can navigate sharp curves and steep grades, as well as align precisely with the platform doors at the stations.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" />Template:Sfn The cars can run at up to Template:Convert,Template:Sfn and they can operate on trackage with a minimum railway curve radius of Template:Convert.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Each car is Template:Convert long and Template:Convert wide,Template:Sfn similar to the dimensions of the rolling stock used on the New York City Subway's B Division.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> Trains can run in either direction and can consist of between one and four cars.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" />Template:Sfn The cars have two pairs of doors on each side; each door opening is Template:Convert wide.Template:Sfn An individual car has 26 seats and can carry up to 97 passengers with luggage, or 205 without luggage.Template:Sfn Because most passengers carry luggage, the actual operating capacity is between 75 and 78 passengers per car.Template:Sfn
Ridership
When AirTrain JFK was being planned, it was expected that 11,000 passengers per day would pay to ride the system between the airport and either Howard Beach or Jamaica,<ref name="Chan 2005" />Template:Sfn evenly split between employees and airline passengers.<ref name="Chan 2005" /> Projections also showed that 23,000 more daily passengers would use the AirTrain to travel between terminals. This would amount to about 4 million paying passengers and 8.4 million in-airport passengers per year.Template:Sfn According to the FEIS, the system could accommodate over 3,000 daily riders from Manhattan, and its opening would result in approximately 75,000 fewer vehicle miles (Template:Convert kilometers) being driven each day.Template:Sfn The Port Authority's research showed that, when the system opened, eight percent of its riders would be from Long Island, while up to 70 percent would travel from Manhattan.<ref name="Yee 2003" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the first month of service, between 15,000 and 20,000 passengers rode the system each day, less than the expected daily ridership of 34,000.<ref name="Saulny 2004 u382">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="p279824321" /><ref>Template:Cite news; Template:Cite news</ref> Nonetheless, the AirTrain JFK had become the second-busiest airport transportation system in the United States.<ref name="Railway Gazette International 2004" /> Within its first six months, AirTrain JFK had transported one million riders;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> this had increased to 2.5 million by the first anniversary of the AirTrain.<ref name="Tyrrell 2004" /> By the end of 2004, the system had about 8,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> or 8,500 paying riders per day, although only 1,500 of these riders were employees.<ref name="Chan 2005" /> The Jamaica route had 4,500 paying riders, making it slightly more popular than the Howard Beach route, which had 4,000 paying riders.<ref name="Chan 2005" /> Paid ridership had reached 11,000 per day by 2006, when one in nine people flying to or from JFK used the AirTrain.<ref name="p280033477" />
In the decade after the AirTrain opened, it consistently experienced year-over-year ridership growth.<ref name="LongIsland.com 2015">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 2020">Template:Cite web</ref> A New York Times article in 2009 observed that one possible factor in the AirTrain's increasing ridership was the $7.75 fare for AirTrain and subway, which was cheaper than the $52 taxi ride between Manhattan and JFK.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2019, there were 8.7 million passengers who paid to travel between JFK Airport and either Howard Beach or Jamaica. This represented an increase of more than 300 percent from the 2.6 million riders who paid during the first full year of operation, 2004.<ref name="LongIsland.com 2015" /> An additional 12.2 million people were estimated to have ridden the AirTrain for free in 2019, placing total annual ridership at 20.9 million.<ref name="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 2020" /> Amid a decline in air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the AirTrain had 3.4 million total riders in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Template:American transit ridership, the system carried a total of Template:American transit ridership passengers,Template:American transit ridership or about Template:American transit ridership per weekday as of Template:American transit ridership.Template:American transit ridership
See also
- AirTrain LaGuardia, a canceled system that would have been built for LaGuardia Airport
- AirTrain Newark, a similar system at Newark Liberty International Airport
- List of airport people mover systems
- Template:Section link
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite journal
- Template:Cite news
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite New York 2000
- Template:Cite magazine
- Template:Cite web
External links
Template:GeoGroup Template:Attached KML Template:External media
- Pages with broken file links
- 2003 establishments in New York City
- 750 V DC railway electrification
- Airport people mover systems in the United States
- Airport rail links in the United States
- ART people movers
- Aviation in New York City
- Electric railways in New York (state)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Passenger rail transport in New York City
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey AirTrain
- Railroads on Long Island
- Railway lines opened in 2003
- Rapid transit in New York (state)