New York (JFK) TSA wait times
Security at John F. Kennedy International Airport is running about 13 minutes in the standard lane, and usually runs 10 to 20 minutes at noon on a Friday. PreCheck is moving in about 5 minutes.JFK security is about 13 minutes now, usually 10 to 20 at this hour. Busiest 5 to 7 AM and 1 to 3 PM.
Standard lane, right now
Security wait, last 7 hours
Usually 10 to 20 minutes now
Down 13 min since 6 am.
How long is security at New York, and when is JFK busiest?
So how long is security at New York? The left chart shows the New York security wait time hour by hour, built from JFK's own departure schedule. The right ranks the days of the week by how long the wait gets. The calmest window is 9 AM to 1 PM; plan around the 5 to 7 AM and 1 to 3 PM rushes.Calmest 9 AM to 1 PM. Plan around the morning and evening rushes.
Planning a trip through JFK? Work out when to leave home for your flight, or read how these numbers are made, or see the JFK terminal map and gate walk times. Flying a nearby airport instead? Compare New York (LGA) and Newark (EWR), or every airport in New York.
Departures, the next few hours
| Hour | Departures | Typical security wait |
|---|---|---|
| noon (Now) | 14 flights | 13 min |
| 1 pm | 16 flights | 15 min |
| 2 pm | 18 flights | 18 min |
| 3 pm | 19 flights | 18 min |
| 4 pm | 19 flights | 18 min |
Standard, PreCheck, and CLEAR security lanes
Terminals and security at JFK
Which airline you fly decides your terminal. Terminal 5 runs the longest lines here. The per-terminal minute is modeled from each terminal's share of departures, not measured. All terminals connect after security, so a quieter checkpoint is an option.
Flying out of New York: what to know
Five terminals, separate buildings, no airside link
JFK's active terminals, 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8, are separate buildings, and there are no airside connections between them. Each has its own TSA checkpoints, so you must clear at your own airline's terminal. Arriving at the wrong one means an AirTrain ride outside security and a second screening that can cost 30 to 45 minutes. Confirm your terminal before you head to the airport.
PreCheck at active terminals, CLEAR narrower
TSA PreCheck lanes are available at the active terminals, so look for your airline's terminal PreCheck checkpoint. CLEAR's footprint at JFK is narrower and Terminal 4 is its confirmed location, with coverage at other terminals more limited, so verify your terminal has a CLEAR lane before relying on it. Because the terminals do not connect after security, a program only helps at the building you actually depart from.
Peak international banks, and no shortcut between buildings
International departure banks in the late morning and evening drive the longest lines, and holiday weekends run heavy across every terminal. Since the terminals are independent, you cannot clear early at a quieter checkpoint and walk over. Build in AirTrain time if a connection changes buildings, and plan for the full wait at your own terminal's checkpoint rather than counting on a faster one nearby.
Regional carriers fly these routes under the mainline brands, so a SkyWest flight shows on your ticket as Delta, United, American or Alaska.
JFK security, common questions
How early should I get to JFK?
For a domestic flight out of New York, plan to be inside the terminal about an hour before departure, and about an hour and a half for an international one. That covers a 20 to 35 minute checkpoint queue at the Thursday peak plus the walk to the gate. Outside the peak you can safely trim it; the calculator above works it out from your actual departure time.
What is the busiest time at JFK security?
Thursday around 6 am, when 25 departures' worth of passengers are converging on the checkpoint at once. The calmest hour with real traffic is Sunday at 9 pm, at roughly 6 minutes.
Is TSA PreCheck worth it at JFK?
At the Thursday peak it turns a 20 to 35 minute queue into something closer to 9 minutes. Over a five year membership that is worth it if you fly more than about three round trips a year through an airport this busy. The trusted traveler calculator prices it against your own flying.
When does security open at JFK?
John F. Kennedy International Airport does not publish checkpoint opening hours in any national feed, so we will not invent them. What the schedule does show is that the first departures leave around 3 am, and checkpoints generally open about two hours before the first flight of the day.
How long is security at New York?
At the Thursday peak around 6 am, the standard lane at JFK typically runs 20 to 35 minutes. Away from the peak it settles to roughly 6 minutes. These are modeled from the airport's own departure schedule, so they move hour by hour, which is what the chart on this page shows.
How much time does PreCheck save at JFK?
At the busy Thursday peak, PreCheck turns the standard 20 to 35 minute wait into about 9 minutes, a saving of roughly 18 minutes when it matters most. Off-peak the two lanes are much closer, because a short line is short in either one.
Which terminal is JetBlue at JFK?
JetBlue departs from Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport and flies 34% of the airport's departures. Your terminal is set by the airline you fly, so check your boarding pass for the gate.
Tips for JFK, from the data
- Fly between 9 AM to 1 PM if you can. That window sits between the two daily rushes, when the checkpoint is at its calmest.
- The 6 am hour is the single busiest today, at about 26 minutes in the standard lane.
- JetBlue runs 34% of departures here, so its checkpoints and gates carry the most traffic. Which airline you fly is what decides your terminal.
- JetBlue flies from Terminal 5, which runs the longest lines here. All terminals connect after security, so you can clear at a quieter one and walk over.
Related
Modeled from the flight schedule, not measured. How these numbers are made.