First look at American Airlines’ brand-new terminal at LaGuardia Airport
The next time you travel through New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), you may not believe your eyes.
What was once one of the worst airports in the country is quickly becoming one of the nation's finest. As part of the LGA redevelopment project, nearly the entire airport is receiving an overhaul.
Much of the new Terminal B has opened within the last three months. In June, the Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall opened — and it's simply stunning. Flyers on all airlines operating from Terminal B will experience this new facility that's infinitely nicer than its predecessor.
The hall is where all check-in and security screening is completed. Once airside, you'll be in a centralized concession area with floor-to-ceiling windows, top-notch retail and dining outposts and plenty of seating.
Then, when it's time to board, you'll be funneled into one of two concourses. The Eastern Concourse has been open since 2018, but it's now connected to the main hall via a pedestrian bridge that soars nearly 100 feet above the ground. Flyers on Air Canada, Southwest and United will use this concourse.
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On Aug. 5, the brand-new Western Concourse welcomed its first passengers. Once fully complete, it'll be the home to American Airlines' LaGuardia operation.
In the first phase which opened last week, seven of the 17 gates are now operational, along with a Gotham News store and a portion of the indoor park, with some greenery and benches.
The remaining ten gates are slated to open by early 2022. AA will then consolidate all its flights to the Western Concourse. Until then, flights are split between the new concourse and the old D gates. A second pedestrian bridge will connect the main hall and the Western Concourse in 2021.
In the meantime, AA flyers will get dropped off at the main hall and then make their way through a temporary passageway to the new Western Concourse. Though it's quite a walk, at least the hallways aren't nearly as crowded or dark as before.
Once you enter the new gate area, you'll immediately be facing the indoor park, which was inspired by the small parks spread throughout New York City.
There's some seating in this area, as well as a sculpture of the Big Apple that was originally gifted to AA in 2006. The artist fully restored the piece, and it's now sitting in the new LGA.
Related: A brand-new Amex Centurion Lounge is coming to LGA
Right across from the park are escalators that will be activated when the new pedestrian bridge is completed in 2021.
At the top of the escalators, you'll find a large open-air space that will soon be home to the brand-new American Airlines Admirals Club at LGA. Much like the open-air United Club in the Eastern Concourse, this new Admirals Club should be a massive improvement compared to the existing one at LGA.
Back at the bottom of the escalators are the gates to your right. If you turn left, you'll see a nearly 56-foot-high construction wall that will be knocked down when the remaining 10 gates are ready to open.
There's plenty of blue-colored seating spread out throughout the gate areas.
Every seat has access to power outlets, USB ports and, my personal favorite, USB-C connectors for the latest gadgets.
There's also some high-top barstool seats spread out around the concourse.
Unlike the old terminal, flyers will definitely appreciate the abundance of natural light seeping in from the soaring ceilings and glass-paned walls. There's also plenty of freestanding lamps to add even more light to the terminal.
Like the rest of Terminal B, the bathrooms received a massive upgrade. There's now plenty of space in the modern, mirror-lined restrooms, along with functioning sinks, toilets and paper towel dispensers.
Related: LaGuardia's new terminal is a major upgrade — see for yourself
If you are traveling from the new Western concourse, be sure to check out the shops before making your way to the gate.
The Gotham News store has a few essentials, but there's a larger assortment of stores and dining establishments in the main hall post-security.
Behind the Gotham News store is the concourse's second art installation. Titled A Queens Tribute, the artist designed a "visual postcard" from Queens, with colorful designs on an "L", "G" and "A". The piece faces the tarmac so that it's seen from planes as they pull into the gate.
Though the Western Concourse will primarily serve American Airlines, it’ll be interesting to watch what happens with JetBlue’s presence at the airport. Right now, JetBlue is located in the Marine Air Terminal, which opened in 1939 and was built to handle Pan Am’s fleet of seaplanes.
The Marine Air Terminal is located at the far end of the airport, far away from the new AA gates. Because of the new New York-focused partnership between AA and JetBlue, I wouldn’t be surprised to see JetBlue move into the Western Concourse once it’s fully completed. That way, flyers on both airlines could seamlessly connect between flights without needing to take a bus or reclear security.
Related: American, JetBlue jolt industry with plans for Northeast alliance
But, in the meantime, the now-open Western Concourse is a harbinger of good things to come for American Airlines and LGA.
Some lucky flyers will already get a chance to fly from the new gates, and once the project is complete by early 2022, LGA — and Terminal B in particular — will truly be world-class.
All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
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Why We Chose It
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
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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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.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
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.