At John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), several security programs/procedures are managed. New York-JFK security wait times vary for these procedures. It is crucial to be aware of the duration for each in advance to complete them prior to the flight and after arrival, as required. Generally, the duration can differ at every terminal for each of these procedures, depending on the rush hour.
Current Average Wait Times at JFK Airport
The average wait times at JFK Airport are between 15 to 20 minutes. However, when a flyer is enrolled in a specific security program, the average duration is shorter, up to a few minutes.
JFK Security Wait Time (General)
Even after being one of the busiest and biggest airports, JFK has faster security screenings with wait times within 15-20 minutes across the terminals.
| Terminals Number | General Security Wait Times (In Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | 14 Minutes |
| Terminal 5 | No wait time |
| Terminal 4 | 19 Minutes |
| Terminal 8 | 12 Minutes |
| Terminal 7 | 12 Minutes |
JFK TSA Wait Times at Terminals
Terminals of Kennedy Airport have different wait times. However, Terminal 4 often has below 1 minute to no wait times at all.
| Terminals | TSA PreCheck Wait Times (In Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | 12 Minutes |
| Terminal 7 | – |
| Terminal 4 | No wait time |
| Terminal 8 | 9 Minutes |
| Terminal 5 | No wait time |
Current Average TSA Wait Time at JFK
TSA wait times at JFK Airport change periodically, depending on the type of flights, number of fliers, and more. Travelers can check the current wait times to prepare well.
| A.M. Times | Duration to Wait (In Minutes) |
|---|---|
| 12:00 – 01:00 | 0 |
| 01:00 to 02:00 | 0 |
| 02:00 – 03:00 | 34.1 Minutes |
| 03:00 to 04:00 | 29 Minutes |
| 04:00 – 05:00 | 24.1 Minutes |
| 05:00 to 06:00 | 27.4 Minutes |
| 06:00 – 07:00 | 14.6 Minutes |
| 07:00 to 08:00 | 17.1 Minutes |
| 08:00 – 09:00 | 6.8 Minutes |
| 09:00 to 10:00 | 10.6 Minutes |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | 14.3 Minutes |
| 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. | 28.4 Minutes |
| P.M. Times | Wait Times (In Minutes) |
|---|---|
| 12:00 to 01:00 | 25.6 Minutes |
| 01:00 – 02:00 | 6.7 Minutes |
| 02:00 – 03:00 | 1.2 Minutes |
| 03:00 to 04:00 | 2 Minutes |
| 04:00 – 05:00 | 14.6 Minutes |
| 05:00 to 06:00 | 17.7 Minutes |
| 06:00 – 07:00 | 12 Minutes |
| 07:00 to 08:00 | 12 Minutes |
| 08:00 – 09:00 | 20.7 Minutes |
| 09:00 to 10:00 | 14.3 Minutes |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | 11.3 Minutes |
| 11:00 P.M. to 12:00 A.M. | 0.9 Minutes |
Customs and Immigration Wait Times at JFK Airport
Passengers arriving in New York to or from international locations must go through customs and immigration procedures at Terminal 4.
- The custom wait time at JFK Airport is around 2 minutes.
- This time is as per the last 10 minutes of primary customs processing for travelers with:
- Non-B1/2 visa
- And, first-time ESTA holders.
- The processing time may be shortened for fliers using:
- Mobile Passport Control
- Or, Automated Passport Control
Contacting JFK Airport for Security Wait Time Queries
Passengers should contact the authorities of the John F. Kennedy International Airport to get their queries resolved.
| Contact Number | 718-244-2444 |
| Address for Information Counter/Kiosk | At Level 3 of JFK Terminal 4 |
Note: For questions about JFK security wait times, one can also contact a particular airline.
The type of procedures relating to arrivals/departures as well as the time of the day affect how long fliers must wait for security at JFK Airport. As such, a procedure has no set length of time. But, usually, the duration is hardly more than an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
For parking at New York-JFK Airport, the wait time is about 20 to 45 minutes during peak hours. During non-peak hours, the wait time is approximately 10 minutes.
Around 6 minutes is the TSA wait time at Terminal 4 of this airport. It can be longer due to real-time calculations.
Fliers need to wait for about 1 minute at JFK Airport Terminal 1 for taxis.
Yes, around 6 minutes is the taxi wait time at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 8.
For domestic connecting flights at JFK, the wait time is about 1 hour to 90 minutes. The international transit wait time is around 2 to 3 hours.
When fliers have opted for CLEAR security at JFK Airport, the wait time is from 10 to 20 minutes.
Even though the average wait time can be from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, it can stretch a bit during peak hours.
Yes, passengers can browse through the official website of John F. Kennedy Airport to see the TSA wait times in real time.
No, most security checkpoints at John F. Kennedy Airport open 24/7. Thus, fliers can go for security screening as per the timings of their flights.
The airline will evaluate the scenario and either they will compensate or help passengers rebook the seat in the next available flight from JFK.