The final piece of the transformed LaGuardia Terminal B is now open
Believe it or not, New York's LaGuardia airport is well on its way to being one of the nicest in the country.
The final piece of the construction puzzle for Terminal B officially opened on Thursday: a passenger bridge connecting the main departures and arrivals hall with the Western Concourse.
This pedestrian bridge marks the end of disruptions to the passenger journey in Terminal B. Now, all flyers, regardless of which airline they're flying, will exclusively pass through newly built infrastructure.
Before the bridge opened, travelers flying with American Airlines checked in and cleared security at the new headhouse, but then took a step back in time by walking to the gate through a portion of the old central terminal.
Now, the bridge soars high above the leaky ceilings, narrow hallways and long bathroom lines of yesteryear.
To celebrate the occasion, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attended a grand opening ceremony, along with officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airport, and executives from LaGuardia Gateway Partners, which developed and built the new Terminal B.
"Today we complete the $4 billion Terminal B, and with the $4 billion Terminal C coming this spring, the total LaGuardia project is on time and on budget... here's to the whole new LGA, here's to the completed Terminal B, and we've gone from worst to first," said Rick Cotton, the executive director of the Port Authority, at the ribbon-cutting event.
Though passengers will no longer be inconvenienced by the construction at Terminal B, there are still a handful of improvements coming later this year.
This includes an expansion to the new American Airlines Admirals Club, a portion of which is still under construction. Once completed this summer, the lounge will span more than 20,000 square feet, with room for over 350 passengers.
Additionally, portions of the old central terminal still need to be demolished. Once complete, new taxiways and ramp areas will be paved, and the final jetbridges on the Western Concourse will be installed.
Finally, a new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club is slated to open sometime soon in Terminal B as well.
That said, the new Terminal B is essentially complete from a passenger-facing perspective — and that's news most travelers will be happy with. Of course, some frequent flyers will miss the convenience of the old concourse: I routinely managed to get from the curb to the gate in less than ten minutes.
The first portion of the new LaGuardia Terminal B opened back in 2018 with a handful of gates in the new Eastern Concourse. The next phase saw the opening of the departures and arrivals hall in June 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
At the time, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo promised that the remaining terminal construction would be accelerated due to the slowdown in passenger traffic due to the pandemic.
Since then, the entirety of the Western Concourse has opened, along with the connecting pedestrian bridge and a new taxiway under the Eastern Concourse.
Now that Terminal B is essentially complete, all the attention turns to Terminals C and D, home to Delta's LaGuardia hub. There, the airline is in the midst of a $3.9 billion project that will include a new headhouse connecting the two gate areas.
It's set to officially open in spring 2022, and when it does, LaGuardia may actually start winning some awards.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.