New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) is currently undergoing a major redevelopment. As part of this, we’re supposed to see the opening of the new Terminal 6 in early 2026. While we’ve known that the terminal would be occupied by JetBlue, Lufthansa Group, and Aer Lingus, an additional airline has just been announced…
In this post:
Cathay Pacific will relocate to JFK Terminal 6
Cathay Pacific has announced that it will move to JFK Airport Terminal 6, once the facility opens in early 2026. The terminal will have five gates in the first phase, and Cathay Pacific will be among the first carriers to move there. Eventually the terminal will be expanded to have a total of 10 gates, and it will measure 1.2 million square feet.
In terms of passenger experience, Cathay Pacific has plans to open its own lounge in the terminal. The lounge is expected to be nearly 10,000 square feet. It will be Cathay Pacific’s first-ever dedicated lounge in New York, and only the carrier’s second lounge in the United States, after the one in San Francisco (SFO).
Details about the lounge remain limited as of now, though here’s what Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific’s General Manager of Customer Experience and Design, had to say about it:
“New York JFK is among the top locations in our global lounge strategy. We are truly excited by this opportunity to bring the signature Cathay Pacific lounge experience to our premium customers at this important port in our network. This new lounge will feature a number of exciting developments that will put it at the forefront of our lounge proposition, and we look forward to sharing more details with our customers at the appropriate time.”
Cathay Pacific is known for its phenomenal lounges, which are among my favorites in the world, so I can’t wait to see what the airline has planned. The lounge won’t be particularly big, but it sounds like it’ll be high quality.
Here’s how Chris van den Hooven, Cathay Pacific’s SVP of the Americas, describes the move to Terminal 6:
“This represents a huge milestone in Cathay Pacific’s 28 years of connecting New York with our home, Hong Kong and from 1 July it will be 20 years since we commenced our regular non-stop service. It has long been our ambition to provide our customers a signature Cathay Pacific airport experience at JFK. We are delighted about our partnership with JFK Millennium Partners, which will make this dream a reality.”
We know that there’s space for at least five lounges in Terminal 6. So we now have confirmation that there will be lounges from Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, and Aer Lingus, plus an arrivals lounge from an unknown operator. I wouldn’t be surprised if JetBlue also eventually opens a lounge here, given that this has been rumored for a long time, and Terminal 5 and Terminal 6 will be connected airside.
Is Cathay Pacific’s move to JFK Terminal 6 a good thing?
Back in the day, Cathay Pacific operated from JFK Terminal 7. Then in 2017, the airline made the move to JFK Terminal 8, which is also the terminal used primarily by American. So, as customers, should we look forward to the move to JFK Terminal 6?
I have a few thoughts:
- JFK Terminal 8 is probably my favorite of the existing terminals at JFK in terms of it being a modern facility that’s not overcrowded; the Greenwich Lounge and the Soho Lounge that Cathay Pacific currently sends passengers to are both pretty solid
- JFK Terminal 6 should be pretty snazzy, so for those simply originating or terminating in New York, the move will almost certainly be good news, especially with the terminal being much smaller than Terminal 8
- The move isn’t great in terms of connections between American and Cathay Pacific, since getting between Terminal 6 and Terminal 8 will require taking the AirTrain landside
- With several oneworld airlines having relocated to Terminal 8, I can’t help but wonder if this represents a deemphasizing of the importance of partnerships, or if the airline is simply happy to have the opportunity to create a custom experience in such an important market
Bottom line
Cathay Pacific has been announced as the latest airline to move to JFK Terminal 6, when it opens in early 2026. Cathay Pacific will be joining Lufthansa Group and JetBlue. This means that Cathay Pacific will operate from the airport’s nicest terminal, and the airline will even have its own lounge.
However, with Cathay Pacific leaving Terminal 8, that also means that connections to and from American will be a bit more complicated.
What do you make of Cathay Pacific moving to JFK Terminal 6?
Unlike the rest of the world, the US doesn’t make flight connection simple and easy, even within one terminal. Cathay must have make this decision based on the fact that most HKG-JFK traffic is point to point or connection beyond HKG. AA/BA also charges them a lot for using their lounges at T8 now. Very smart and logical move for Cathay. They will offer the best passenger experience of all airlines out of JFK for sure.
I think this is an indirect confirmation that Cathay Pacific will move to Star Alliance. They won't be with Oneworld for long.
Why can't UA get gates and lounge space at JFK T6?
I'm hoping a move to T6 hints at more airside connections as well.
Probably too optimistic, but a girl can hole.
It will make AA to CX less efficient but B6 to CX more efficient. CX has just picked the side.
This feels like the same strategy they have at SIN, being tucked away in the (newer) T4, different from all other OW airlines (mainly T1, MH is T2), but it gives CX their signature lounge. Most other T4 airlines are budget carriers.
I assume there's some financial incentives for taking less connected space.
Bit of a bizarre move IMO. Love Cathay lounges. But OneWorld should just invest together in Terminal 8. Don’t see how this makes financial sense. Looking forward to the lounge, though.
With Air China's investment in CX (30%), what are the chances CX leaving OW and join STAR? CX might not have long term plans with OW.
Air China has had that stake for a long time without Cathay switching alliances (and Swire, Cathay's owner, has an interlocking equal stake in Air China).
Aside from the fact that most of the traffic if O&D, JFK is not the ideal transfer point for anyone flying from HKG to another point in North America or even the Americas in general anyway. You can reach most of those places via AA from a connection at SFO/LAX/ORD more efficiently.
…and who in their right mind would choose AA over CX?
As a DC denizen, I’ll happily fly CX to an AA JFK connection than take AA on any long haul segments.
I think you misunderstood the post. @USUKHKflyer means that CX pax could more easily connect to AA domestic at LAX/SFO/ORD rather than overflying the country to JFK just to back track to Vegas or wherever. He is not suggesting HK pax to fly AA internationally... especially since AA suspended those flights with the covid onset.
Just like their move from Terminal 1 to 4 at SIN, they seem to want to be on their own with their own lounge space, etc. in a much smaller space. Lufthansa will also be one of the first customers for the 779 and Terminal 6 will probably be one of the first if not first terminal to handle 779 service (Emirates uses 4 at JFK), so it'll be a good way to get feedback...
Just like their move from Terminal 1 to 4 at SIN, they seem to want to be on their own with their own lounge space, etc. in a much smaller space. Lufthansa will also be one of the first customers for the 779 and Terminal 6 will probably be one of the first if not first terminal to handle 779 service (Emirates uses 4 at JFK), so it'll be a good way to get feedback and experience on how the 779 handles in and out of the terminal as well as the ground crew, etc.
As far as the Aria Suites are concerned, my guess would be once the 779s start coming in, the 77Ws will be supplemented on an additional frequency in addition to the 779 on premium routes like LHR, LAX, CDG, etc.
I’m excited!!! I wonder if CX will have a special partnership with JetBlue?
amazing! now only if award availability on cathay improved...
I think people underestimate that the airline alliances are mostly just marketing partnerships. Joint Ventures are what provide synergies and incentives for airlines to align operations (hence why BA and AA co-locate and share lounges). Airlines in an alliance still remain and operate as separate companies with their own strategies in mind. Sure, if they are members of the same alliance, an airline will accept elites at its lounge from another airline for reimbursement at...
I think people underestimate that the airline alliances are mostly just marketing partnerships. Joint Ventures are what provide synergies and incentives for airlines to align operations (hence why BA and AA co-locate and share lounges). Airlines in an alliance still remain and operate as separate companies with their own strategies in mind. Sure, if they are members of the same alliance, an airline will accept elites at its lounge from another airline for reimbursement at pre-negotiated rate. But, Cathay most likely views NYC as an O/D market for the most part and therefore is competing against all airlines, including its oneworld partners (namely JAL and AA) for passengers to HKG and beyond. So having its own facilities it controls benefits it in keeping its customers happiest.
Cathay and LH have been getting cozy of late. On Miles&More i've been seeing lots of award availabilty between Europe and HKG which wasn't the case months before. Even in First class from LHR. The airlines have for a couple of years been codesharing on flights to HKG and Australia.
How "close" of a relationship does CX have with other OW members? I get there may not be many connection opportunities, but I would think all the OW members under one roof (i.e. - Terminal 8) would create some synergy?
The VAST majority of pax on these flights start/ end at JFK, very few, relatively speaking, are connecting to/from CX at JFK. CX cares about the overall experience for the majority of customers, and this new terminal delivers it, in their opinion. The relatively few people that connect to CX from AA or other airlines will simply have to take the train.
and for O&D this is amazing -- new terminal, great new lounge, better and more modern experience. Once completed Cathay will be miles ahead of all the other major Asian airlines at JFK as well. SQ for example, for all of their claims of premiumness, still uses contract lounges (including the frankly terrible Air India Maharaja lounge). so brilliant move by CX execs
"since getting between Terminal 6 and Terminal 8 will require taking the AirTrain landside"
On average, how bad of an experience is it to transfer between the 2? In terms of time and what you actually have to do...
Pretty bad, T8's AirTrain stop is quite a bit away, and given the construction it might be that T6's AirTrain stop will be at T5 until T7 fully shuts down and is replaced.
@Ben
When is Cathay Pacific revealing their first 777-300ER with Aria suites? They said it will be revealed in Q2 of 2024. Q2 is coming to an end. Any update?
@ Nasir -- Unfortunately I haven't seen any updates, so it seems like the product is delayed. That's not surprising, between all the supply chain delays we've seen, plus the need for a new product to be certified.
Ben, if only you had a crystal ball and could tell us when they're deployed on HKG-JFK, too
In the latest press release about Skytrax ranking, CX mentioned the Aria Suite will come out "later this year." It also mentioned the new flat-bed business class for A330 coming out in 2026; however, it didn't say the A330-300 or possibly new order that may happen for A330NEO.
JFK is such a ghetto airport.
It does give off a trailer park quality to some.
Still better than LAS (but so is every other airport I've been to)
Atleast it doesn't have indoor portapotties. I'm looking at you EWR domestic Term B.
Are Lingus also announced they will be moving to T6 and operating their own lounge too
There likely is little to no connectivity on CX to AA at JFK. It would also not surprise if CX eventually leaves OW.
Another Cathay lounge is always welcome.
With all the major renovations underway at JFK, is there not even a rumor of an airside tram connection between all terminals?
T5-T6 will be connected airside, T7 will be gone.
T1-T4 will be connected airside.
So three groupings of T1-T4, T5-T6, and T8. If all of the *A airlines move into T5-T6, or if the OW linkages between B6, CX and wherever AS goes, it's still roughly even.
Cathay Pacific lounges are consistently one of the best even in outstations like TPE or HND where they outshine the local carriers' own lounges. Or even LHR to be honest.
There'll certainly be high expectations for the JFK lounge, especially for a premium destination like NYC.
CX has actually turned around a lot of their financials and operations in recent times and are making a real comeback.