JFK Airport says its AirTrain will not operate on any station line during three overnight periods beginning Tuesday, October 13. Free shuttle buses will serve AirTrain stations and airline terminal frontages while the system is down. The airport asks travelers to allow extra time, especially when changing terminals.
When is the JFK AirTrain closed?
Each shutdown runs from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. New York local time:
- Tuesday, October 13 to Wednesday, October 14
- Wednesday, October 14 to Thursday, October 15
- Thursday, October 15 to Friday, October 16
These are AirTrain service interruptions, not announcements that JFK’s airline terminals or flights are closed. Travelers should check their flight directly with their airline.
Where do the replacement shuttles go?
The airport says free buses will pick up and drop off at the ground level of all AirTrain stations and at airline terminal frontages. Customer-service agents will be at stations and bus stops to help passengers find the right route.
For travel from Jamaica Station toward the terminals, passengers will change buses at Lot 66 to reach terminal locations. For travel from the Central Terminal Area toward Howard Beach or Lefferts Boulevard, direct buses will depart from terminal frontages. The advisory does not publish exact bus frequencies or journey times, so plan a wider connection buffer than usual.
What should passengers do?
If your trip falls within an overnight closure, check the JFK Airport AirTrain advisory before setting off, follow airport wayfinding signs, and ask a shuttle agent where to board. Travelers connecting between terminals should leave additional time. Those with a tight check-in or onward-transport deadline may want to review alternatives with their airline or transport provider.
Updated October 13, 2026. Times and replacement-bus details are from JFK Airport’s official advisory and may change.
Jamaica AirTrain station in 2021 (archive, not tonight’s closure). Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0; resized and compressed.
For normal daytime connections, see our JFK AirTrain guide to routes, fares and transfers. During the overnight closures, follow the replacement-shuttle instructions above.
