Cathay Pacific to make a big move in New York, open first-ever JFK lounge
Cathay Pacific is making big moves at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The Hong Kong-based airline announced this week that it will become one of the key inaugural tenants at the airport's new Terminal 6.
This move to Terminal 6, which is scheduled to open in early 2026, will mark a major shift for Cathay, which now operates from Terminal 8.
Terminal 8 is considered the Oneworld alliance hub at JFK. The anchor tenant is American Airlines (a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance), and most of the other Oneworld airlines flying to JFK have relocated their operations there following a recent modernization and expansion project completed by American and airport authorities in 2022. (Cathay moved from Terminal 7 to Terminal 8 in January 2017.)
Cathay's move to Terminal 6 is largely prompted by the fact that the airline will be able to open its own proprietary lounge at JFK to serve its three daily flights to the airport. The airline didn't share details about the space other than saying it will be nearly 10,000 square feet. The lounge at JFK will become Cathay's second U.S. airport lounge after the one at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
Many top-tier international airlines like to control the entire end-to-end premium passenger experience, and opening a lounge at an outstation is a great way for the carrier to accomplish that. Plus, Cathay currently needs to compensate American for the flyers that it sends to the Soho, Greenwich and Admirals Club lounges in Terminal 8, which probably gets pretty expensive given all the lounge-eligible travelers flying on Cathay from New York.
Seat update: We got a sneak peek at Cathay Pacific's sleek new premium economy cabin
"It has long been our ambition to provide our customers a signature Cathay Pacific airport experience at JFK. We are delighted about our partnership with JFK Millennium Partners, which will make this dream a reality," said Chris van den Hooven, Cathay Pacific's senior vice president of the Americas, in a statement about the move.
In addition to Cathay Pacific, the Lufthansa Group, Aer Lingus and JetBlue have all shared their intent to operate flights from Terminal 6.
The new Terminal 6 is part of the $19 billion JFK transformation project spearheaded by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the government agency responsible for managing the airport. The transformation includes two brand-new terminals opening in 2026.
Terminal 6 is the smaller of the two projects. Once complete, this $4.2 billion project will span 1.2 million square feet and offer 10 new gates — nine of which can handle wide-body jets. The new terminal will be connected airside to the adjacent Terminal 5, which is home to JetBlue Airways' JFK hub.
The other project is the construction of the $9.5 billion new Terminal One, which will become one of JFK's flagship international terminals.
The new Terminal One at JFK will incorporate the current and former sites of terminals 1, 2 and 3 into a massive 2.4 million-square-foot international terminal that will anchor the south side of the airport.
The first big milestone, which includes the new arrivals and departures hall and the first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026. When fully complete in 2030, the new Terminal One will feature 23 gates, a redesigned check-in hall and overhauled arrival spaces.
“New York JFK is among the top locations in our global lounge strategy. We are truly excited by this opportunity to bring the signature Cathay Pacific lounge experience to our premium customers at this important port in our network. This new lounge will feature a number of exciting developments that will put it at the forefront of our lounge proposition, and we look forward to sharing more details with our customers at the appropriate time," said Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific's general manager of the customer experience, in a statement.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.