Qatar Airways has announced that it would be moving to JFK’s New Terminal One when it opens in 2026. Additionally, the airline will open a dedicated lounge in the terminal, which will mark the first Qatar lounge in the United States.
The airline currently operates out of Terminal 8. Business class passengers and Oneworld Sapphire status holders have access to the Greenwich Lounge, while Oneworld Emerald status holders have access to the Soho Lounge. The New Terminal One will offer JFK’s newest and greatest airport experience, and it’s understandable to see Qatar Airways wish to take part.
The airline shared that the dedicated lounge will span 15,000 square feet and will feature VIP check-in services, relaxation zones, prayer rooms, children’s play areas, premium dining options, and duty-free shopping.
I think the current Greenwich and Soho Lounges are good options, but it’s fair that Qatar wants to open its own dedicated lounge to further up its passenger experience, and Terminal 8 just doesn’t have any more lounge space to build as it stands today.
“Our new state-of-the-art lounge will provide an enhanced experience at each touchpoint and complement our industry-leading Business Class travel experience. From dedicated airport transfers to VIP check-in to the finest of retail and dining options, premium passengers will be offered the World’s Best service at New Terminal One,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.
A potential conflict I see with this move is the difficulty of connections to other Oneworld airlines. Today, almost all Oneworld airlines are operating out of Terminal 8, which provides seamless connections in the modestly sized terminal.
This move to The New Terminal One, however, means that passengers will have to exit security, hop on the AirTrain, loop around the airport, and re-enter security. This used to be the case for several Oneworld airlines like Cathay Pacific (which is moving to Terminal 6 next year) and Japan Airlines when they used to operate out of other terminals. It’s indeed an extra step exiting the terminal and navigating the connection via the AirTrain.
I imagine there’s quite a bit of connecting traffic between Qatar and American, so this will apply to several passengers transiting through JFK.
Otherwise, this should be an exciting move for Qatar Airways, especially with the new lounge. Initial renderings and talks of the new terminal look and sound fantastic, and I hope it lives up to the hype, kind of how LaGuardia Airport turned out after its renovation. I’m also looking forward to JFK’s construction mess finally coming to an end.
Featured image by the author.
