Qatar Airways to open massive lounge at New York JFK

Qatar Airways will cut the ribbon on a flagship New York lounge in the second half of this year, when the Gulf carrier relocates from JFK Terminal 8 to Terminal 1.

Also known as “The New Terminal One”, it’s actually a mega-terminal emerging from the sites of T1, T2 and the former Terminal 3 – the majestic Pan American terminal demolished in 2014.

JFK's The New Terminal One is slated to open in mid-2026.

Qatar Airways will be among T1’s high-profile launch airlines, with a lounge to suit.

The 15,000ft² (1,400m²) footprint will cater to business and first class passengers, and possibly high-tier frequent flyers – although in keeping with most other Qatar Airways Premium Lounges around the globe, frequent flyers may be redirected to a contracted lounge.

Key features will include à la carte dining, relaxation zones, a children’s play area and even an in-lounge duty-free shopping outlet.

Qatar Airways is bringing its Doha lounge experience to New York.

And the X-factor? That would be direct access from the lounge to the boarding gate, rather than travellers having to re-enter the main part of the terminal and make their way to the departure gate.

Passengers can also expect what’s described as a “VIP check-in service” upon arrival, which is tipped to include dedicated lanes for security and immigration, leading to a fast-track pathway to the lounge.

Qatar Airways and Moroccan flag-carrier Royal Air Maroc are so far the only Oneworld members among the 20+ airlines making the move to JFK T1 – the rest of the roster is evenly divided between Star Alliance, SkyTeam and unaligned carriers.

More new lounges for JFK

Turkish Airlines and Korean Air will open their own-branded lounges for Star Alliance and SkyTeam airlines; both of those are said to have expansive views of the airfield and direct lounge-to-gate boarding.

As previously reported, Cathay Pacific is also set to open its own lounge at JFK Terminal 6 in the second half of this year, once the airline moves over from its current home at Terminal 8.

The Cathay Pacific New York JFK lounge will span some 930m² (10,000ft²), with room for almost 200 passengers – making it close to half the size of The Pier First Lounge in Hong Kong – and will adopt the same residential design which has become Cathay’s signature look.

Cathay's new JFK lounge will boast the 'signature look' already established at The Pier, among others.

Familiar touches will include the Noodle Bar and a bank of shower suites, alongside a dedicated zone for Cathay first class passengers and Diamond-grade frequent flyers.

There’ll also be direct boarding onto the aerobridge and their awaiting CX flight.

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