A spur-of-the-moment day trip for some JFK planespotting may seem like a crazy thing to do. But, with some planning, it can become a perfect day of avgeek fun!
Planespotting in the New York area provides enthusiasts a unique opportunity to see planes from almost all corners of the earth. Within approximately a 20-mile radius, there are three major airports (New York [JFK], New York LaGuardia [LGA], and Newark Liberty [EWR]) that can provide endless hours of spotting.
The iconic John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is one of the most well-known and diverse airports on earth, serving over 90 different airlines from around the globe. So, I decided to pack up my gear and go spotting for the day. I flew JetBlue (nonstop) from Austin-Bergstrom (AUS) to JFK (1,500 miles—3½ hours) and arrived just before lunchtime.
Upon arriving at Terminal 5, I spent a little time in the terminal before moving on to my main event for the day. Terminal 5, though mainly dedicated to JetBlue, also serves regional carrier Cape Air. One nice (free) T5 attraction is the Wooftop (located across from gate 28) outdoor dog park. This area has a place for dogs to run around and tables for you to enjoy food or a beverage. This location has limited spotting views, but you can still see some action while enjoying some fresh air.
TWA Hotel is a Can’t-Miss Part of Your Visit to JFK
After checking out the T5 “Wooftop,” I left the terminal and headed to my main attraction, the TWA Hotel and, more notably, the TWA Rooftop Pool area. I had seen photos from this location and knew I wanted to spend my day here. Before I departed Austin, I checked to see if they were offering day passes to the rooftop, and to my excitement, they were!
Another convenient aspect is that the TWA Hotel is located just outside T5, so I took a quick 10-minute walk and I was there. Upon arriving at the TWA Hotel, I walked around the lobby, taking in the sights while being transformed back to the 1960s.
Other Great JFK Planespotting Locations
After walking around the lobby and hotel area, I headed to the TWA Hotel Gift Shop and purchased a few small items (TWA socks and pencils) to remind me of the trip.
I then proceeded to the elevator that took me up to the pool area, where a friendly employee was there to escort me to the bar area and charge me the $12.95 entrance fee. However, be advised that everything I read mentioned that the pool entrance charge varies by time and season, so be sure to check before heading there. Even hotel guests can be required to pay a fee for a reservation to the pool, but for me, it was worth every penny to have 3+ hours of access to the roof before I needed to start thinking about my return trip home.
The rooftop infinity pool is heated (95ºF) for those who want to go swimming, but I just wanted to enjoy The Pool Bar and airplanes.
There are many recommended spotting locations around JFK, but I chose to spend my entire time on the rooftop and am glad I did. From the rooftop, you will have great views of taxiing, landing, and departing aircraft.
Since JFK has four runways, there is a chance that traffic is flowing in a non-optimal direction, but on the day I was there, I was fortunate and able to see both active runways (31R/31L). During my short time there, I saw 115 planes from 18 different countries. Between my time spotting, I had time to enjoy the selection of snacks and drinks from the rooftop bar (see menu). The Pool Bar offers aviation-themed cocktails with names like Jet Fuel, 4 Left, 22 Right, and Terminal 5, and food choices such as hummus, flatbread pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and more. While I was there, no one was swimming, but others were spotting, eating lunch, and chatting.
You can see planes parked or moving around the airport from the rooftop deck.
AirTrain Gets You There Quickly…Just Be Sure to Take the Right One!
After my time at the TWA Hotel, I had to hustle to Terminal 8 for my American Airlines flight back to Austin. The terminals at JFK are mostly separate, except for some bus connectors for specific airline arrangements, such as American Airlines and JetBlue. So, I got a chance to take the AirTrain.
The AirTrain is free for travel between terminals at JFK. But be careful not to get on a train to Jamaica or Howard Beach, since there is a charge for this, which takes you away from the airport. The train got me to Terminal 8 quickly, where I was able to breeze through security, grab dinner, and catch my flight back home.
Overall, this was the perfect avgeek day trip, and I recommend JFK planespotting to anyone who likes spotting or photographing airplanes.
