Business Class from New York (JFK): deals, routes and trip guide
Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash
Business class from New York (JFK)
New York's John F. Kennedy is the busiest international gateway in North America, and the widebodies leaving its six terminals reach Europe, the Gulf, East Asia, Africa and South America nonstop.
Everywhere you can fly from New York
Premium carriers from New York
Tap a carrier to search its business-class fares from New York.
Where business class from New York is cheapest
Ranked by how far the best fare we've found sits below each route's usual business-class price. Carriers are the ones actually operating each route. Tap any route to search live fares.
| Destination | Typical | Best seen | Saving | Cheapest | Flight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City JFK–MEX · ~4.5h · the deal | $3,647 | $821seen 8d ago | −70% | Oct |  American |
| San Francisco JFK–SFO · ~5.4h | $2,671 | $729seen 6w ago | −70% | Aug |  Frontier |
| Vancouver JFK–YVR · ~5.2h · the deal | $4,031 | $1,326seen 2d ago | −67% | Oct |  Alaska |
| London JFK–LHR · ~7.1h | $4,913 | $1,735seen 6w ago | −65% | ||
| Boston JFK–BOS · ~0.9h · the deal | $1,094 | $391seen 16d ago | −64% | Sep |  Delta |
| Los Angeles JFK–LAX · ~5.2h | $3,475 | $1,320seen 6w ago | −62% | ||
| Miami JFK–MIA · ~2.6h | $1,508 | $589seen 23d ago | −61% | Sep | Delta |
| Nashville JFK–BNA · ~2h · the deal | $787 | $385seen 5w ago | −51% | Oct | American |
| Lisbon JFK–LIS · ~6.9h · the deal | $4,643 | $2,671seen 5w ago | −43% | Oct |  Azores Airlines |
Showing 9 of 229 destinations tracked from New York. Rows marked live price show the current lowest business fare we found on that route (searched weekly), not a tracked deal.
About New York
JFK spreads dozens of airlines across Terminals 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. American, Delta, JetBlue, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines all serve the airport, and Air New Zealand and Qantas both run the 17-hour-plus sector to Auckland.
Qantas uses Terminal 8, shared with American, British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways. Business-class passengers use the Greenwich Lounge, a reworked Flagship Lounge with a terrace bar and table dining, while the Chelsea Lounge serves first class and top-tier oneworld members. Terminal 4 holds the Delta One Lounge and the Emirates Lounge, and the new Terminal 6 has begun opening beside JetBlue's Terminal 5.
The terminals are not linked airside. Changing terminals means leaving security, riding the AirTrain (free inside the airport loop) and clearing screening again, so a connection here takes longer than the terminal numbers suggest. Terminal 7's airlines are transferring to the new Terminal 6 in phases, and the carriers in the old Terminal 1 move to the New Terminal One as its gates open.
JFK makes sense when New York is the trip rather than a waypoint. The transatlantic choice from here is wider than anywhere else in the Americas, with London, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Doha and Dubai all served nonstop. If you are continuing to Europe, breaking the journey in New York splits one brutal sector into two manageable ones.
Best time to visit
April to early June and September to early November; July and August are humid, January and February are cold.
Photo by Davide Castaldi on Unsplash
| New York at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Airport | JFK, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York |
| Terminals | Terminals 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Qantas uses Terminal 8; the new Terminal 6 is opening in phases next to JetBlue's Terminal 5, and the New Terminal One is due to start operating from late 2026 |
| Distance to city centre | About 24 km (15 miles) from Midtown Manhattan |
| Airport rail | AirTrain JFK from every terminal to Jamaica or Howard Beach, around US$8.75 one way, paid by contactless or OMNY. AirTrain to Jamaica then the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Madison or Penn Station takes about 35 minutes in total |
| Taxi / rideshare | Yellow cabs charge a regulated flat fare of around US$70 to anywhere in Manhattan, plus tolls and roughly US$2.75–US$8.50 in surcharges depending on time of day; allow 45–70 minutes in traffic |
| Timezone | Eastern Time, UTC−4 in summer (EDT), UTC−5 in winter (EST); clocks go forward on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November |
| Currency | US dollar (USD). Cards and contactless are taken almost everywhere, including on the subway and buses |
| Language | English |
| Best months | April to early June and September to early November; July and August are humid, January and February are cold |
| Entry requirements | Visa Waiver Program nationalities (about 40 countries) apply online for an ESTA: US$40.27, valid two years or until the passport expires, stays up to 90 days. Every other nationality needs a visitor visa, which carries a US$250 visa integrity fee on issue. Facial biometrics are taken on entry and exit. Check yours at travel.state.gov |
| Long-haul network | Widebodies out of JFK reach Europe in 7–9h (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, American, Air France, Lufthansa), the Gulf in about 13h (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad), East Asia in 14–16h (Japan Airlines, ANA, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific), South America in 9–11h (Delta, American, Avianca) and Africa in 7–15h (Royal Air Maroc, EgyptAir, Kenya Airways). The longest nonstops are Singapore at about 19h and Auckland at about 18h; Australia takes one stop |
| Power | Type A and Type B plugs, 120V, 60Hz. Bring an adapter for any other plug type, and a converter for anything that is not dual-voltage |
Compiled from the Port Authority's jfkairport.com transport and taxi pages, MTA airport guidance, US Customs and Border Protection and travel.state.gov entry information, and published nonstop schedules for the long-haul routes.
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Common questions
Do I need a visa to visit New York?
It depends on your passport. Nationalities in the Visa Waiver Program (around 40 countries) need an approved ESTA rather than a visa: US$40.27, valid for two years or until the passport expires, and good for stays of up to 90 days. Apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Everyone else applies for a visitor visa at a US embassy or consulate; start at travel.state.gov. Either way, apply well before departure.
Which terminal does Qantas use at JFK?
Qantas operates from Terminal 8, alongside American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways. Business-class passengers use the Greenwich Lounge, while the Chelsea Lounge serves first class and top-tier oneworld members. Terminal assignments are shifting during JFK's rebuild, so confirm the terminal printed on your boarding pass.
What is the best way from JFK into Manhattan?
Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, around US$8.75, then the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Madison or Penn Station. Roughly 35 minutes end to end. Cheaper is AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach and the E, J, Z or A subway. Yellow cabs use a regulated flat fare of about US$70 to Manhattan plus tolls and surcharges.
What are the longest nonstop flights out of JFK?
Singapore Airlines reaches Singapore in about 19 hours, and Air New Zealand and Qantas both fly the Auckland sector in a little under 18 on Boeing 787s. Cathay Pacific reaches Hong Kong in about 16 hours and the Gulf carriers reach Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi in about 13. There is still no nonstop between New York and Australia: every itinerary takes one stop, usually via Auckland, a west coast US hub or the Gulf.
Get New York deal alerts
JFK is mid-rebuild. Terminal 6 has begun opening beside JetBlue's Terminal 5, and the New Terminal One has slipped from June to late 2026, so confirm your terminal before you leave home.
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Photography via Unsplash: Luca Bravo, Davide Castaldi, Fernando Strabuli, Lumin Osity, Mark Boss, Pedro Lastra, Jason Gooljar, Life's Captured Sparks, Jeremy Huang, Ammar ElAmir.