New York JFK

The quickest way to check in is online, 24 hours before your flight departs.

• Check in at Manage My Booking and print your boarding pass.
• Use the British Airways app to check in and download your boarding pass to your mobile device.

When you need to check in at the airport on the day of departure:

• If you are travelling in a group of more than nine people, please use a check-in kiosk or go to a check-in desk.
• If your child is travelling alone, or with you but on a separate booking, please go to a check-in desk.

Check-in desks open at 05:00 and close 60 minutes before your flight departs.

Check-in desks:

• Economy (World Traveller): Lane 4 (British Airways only)
• Premium economy (World Traveller Plus): Lane 4 (British Airways only)
  (Dedicated lanes for premium economy (World Traveller Plus), British Airways Club Bronze members and oneworld® Ruby customers)
• Business (Club World): Lane 1 (British Airways and American Airlines)
  (Direct access to priority security lanes)
• First: Lane 0 (British Airways and American Airlines)
  (Direct access to priority security lanes)

If you have baggage to check in, drop it at a Bag Drop desk. Desks open three hours before the flight departure time but not before the earliest opening time of 05:30.

If you are travelling with hand baggage only and have already checked in, you can go straight through security to the gate. If your hand baggage exceeds your allowance, you may need to check it in and charges may apply.

You must enter airport Security at least 45 minutes before your flight departs.

Fast Track Security is available when you are:

• Travelling in First and business (Club World) (plus one guest)
• British Airways Club Gold and Silver members, plus one guest
• oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members, plus one guest
• AerClub Platinum and Concierge members, plus one guest

British Airways and American Airlines have partnered to offer three premium lounges at New York JFK Terminal 8. Check your lounge eligibility in the table below.

If you're flying with American Airlines, please check their lounge eligibilty.

Lounge eligibility

Greenwich (Terminal 8), open 04.30 - 00.30  

• Business (Club World) customers
• British Airways Club Silver members
• oneworld business
• oneworld Sapphire members
• AerClub Platinum and Concierge members, plus one guest

Soho (Terminal 8), open 04.30 - 00.30            

• British Airways Club Gold members
• oneworld First
• oneworld Emerald members

Chelsea (Terminal 8), open 04.30 - 00.30       

• British Airways Club Gold members who earn 65,000* tier points in a collection year and 40,000** tier points each year thereafter travelling on a scheduled long-haul flight with British Airways or a long-haul, transcontinental or international short-haul flight with American Airlines.
• First customers travelling on a scheduled long-haul flight with British Airways, or a long-haul, transcontinental or international short-haul flight with American Airlines.

^{*With a minimum of 52,000 from British Airways-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons or British Airways Holidays packages.}

^{**With a minimum of 32,000 from British Airways-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons or British Airways Holidays packages.}

You need to be at the gate no later than 30 minutes before the flight departs. If we have your contact details, we will try to contact you when it is about to close but we can't delay the aircraft's departure to wait for late customers.

You will notice a group number on your boarding pass which shows your boarding priority. Please be ready to board the aircraft when your group is called.

If you want to take advantage of pre-boarding or priority boarding, please arrive at the gate early.

Pre-boarding is available when you are:

• Travelling with small children
•  Requiring disability or mobility assistance

Priority boarding is available you are:

• Travelling in First, business (Club World) or premium economy (World Traveller Plus)
• British Airways Club Gold, Silver and Bronze members
• oneworld Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby members
• AerClub Silver, Platinum and Concierge members

If you arrive after your priority group has been called, you can use the priority lane to board at your leisure.

If you're arriving in JFK Terminal 8 and have a US or Canadian passport, a B1/B2 tourist visa or if you're travelling on the ESTA Visa Waiver Programme, you can use an Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosk to speed up your travel through immigration.

Instead of filling out a paper customs form, you can scan your passport, take a photograph, and answer a series of customs-related questions using the APC kiosk. Please then take your receipt and passport to a US Customs and Border Patrol officer to finalise your documents for entry into the USA.

• If you're travelling on an ESTA or a B1/B2 tourist visa you will need to have entered the USA at least once since 2008.
• Families or people living at the same address can also complete their transaction together at a single APC kiosk.

Once you have disembarked from the aircraft and are in the terminal building, you will need to pass through Passport Control.

After passport control, follow the yellow signs for 'Arrivals/Baggage Reclaim' and look for your flight on the information screens to see which carousel your bags will arrive on.

Once you have your baggage, you may need to pass through Customs.

The JFK AirTrain and the Long Island Rail Road operate train services into Manhattan. AirTrain stations are located at all terminals at JFK. The journey time between JFK airport and Penn Station in Manhattan is around 35 minutes.

Taxis are available outside the Arrivals area at each terminal. The journey time to and from Manhattan is around 40-90 minutes depending on traffic.

Bus services operate every 20-30 minutes to and from Grand Central Terminal at Park and 41st (East Side), and Penn Station. Buses depart and arrive at the Express bus stop at each terminal, and the journey time is around 75 minutes.