JFK Is Changing Where Lyfts and Ubers Can Pick Up Passengers This Summer

Requesting an Uber or Lyft out of New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport this summer may be a little less seamless due to a new protocol.

As the airport is expecting a record number of passengers, while it undergoes major construction, the hub is temporarily moving its ride-share pickup area for Terminal 4 to an off-site location — which will require a shuttle bus during peak times, New York’s Port Authority announced this week.

Arriving passengers who use services like Uber or Lyft will exit the airport, catch the rideshare shuttle, and then arrive at a meeting point with their driver. The airport has posted signage designating different pickup areas with codes such as “K2” for a Uber pickup area, and “M1” for a Lyft pickup area. 

JFK defines peak time as 12:00pm to 2:00am EST, and the shuttle will operate every 1-2 minutes. 

Passengers departing from Terminal 4 will still be dropped off in front of the terminal.

Yellow taxis will continue to be available to passengers in their usual pick up area.

Terminal 4 provides service on AeroMexico, Air India, Avianca, Caribbean, China Airlines, China Southern, Delta, EL AL Israel Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, WestJet, and more. 

“Serving a record number of summer travelers this year while construction of a new John F. Kennedy International Airport is at its peak is an enormous challenge that requires strategies to reduce the number of vehicles coming to the terminal frontages,”  Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said in the release.

The agency maintains that the remote lot during peak hours will help alleviate the congestion. 

Both Lyft and Uber confirmed to Travel + Leisure that they are in communication and working closely with the airport to minimize disruption to travelers. Uber shared they have actively provided recommendations which would further minimize any inconveniences. 

“We will still be able to provide Black and Black XL rides at the curb at all times,” a Lyft spokesperson shared with T+L. “Lyft is working to make sure we have quick matching at the remote lot, as well as improved walking directions to make it easy for passengers to find the pickup area.”