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JFK Airport connections between T3 and T4.

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JFK Airport connections between T3 and T4.

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Old May 4, 2012, 9:15 am
  #1  
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JFK Airport connections between T3 and T4.

Arriving via Delta domestically at Terminal 3 and departing via Singapore internationally at Terminal 4.

Can one walk without too much difficulty from T3 to T4? Is the walk all inside or outside? Are there any travelators available?

Just cannot fathom leaving T3 through security to get on the Airtrain and then entering T4 again through security.

In transit, domestic to international, does one normally have to go through security. If I already have been through security in Orlando I would imagine that going through security a 2nd time, at JFK, would not be necessary.

Tell me where I'm going wrong, please.
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Old May 4, 2012, 9:20 am
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There is no way to walk from T3 to T4 without leaving the secured area of T3. As a result, you would be subject to a security screening at T4 to access a gate at that terminal.

Have you called DL to ask whether it offers a shuttle bus between the secured area of T2/T3 (which are connected) to the secured area of T4?
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Old May 4, 2012, 9:58 am
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I'm not even sure there is an easy way to walk from t3 to t4. There is however an airtrain that connects them, but as mentioned already you would still have to clear security at t4

Delta says there is a shuttle airside between the two

http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ewyork_jfk.jsp

which would be the easiest if it's still running.
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Old May 4, 2012, 11:31 am
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Security at JFK is the worst and unfortunately I dont think there is a way to get around them if you have to switch terminals
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Old May 4, 2012, 11:42 am
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Originally Posted by cordelli
I'm not even sure there is an easy way to walk from t3 to t4. There is however an airtrain that connects them, but as mentioned already you would still have to clear security at t4

Delta says there is a shuttle airside between the two

http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ewyork_jfk.jsp

which would be the easiest if it's still running.
Back when I lived in NY and CO was in ST, I used to regularly take the late night JFK-LHR flight, which nearly always left from T4. As there isn't a club in T4, I would hang out in the club in T3 and then take the shuttle. It ran every 10-15 minutes, even later in the evening, IIRC. I would presume that it's still running, but it's been a few years.
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Old May 4, 2012, 12:20 pm
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For more discussion let me move this to the Destinations->New York City forum, where connections at NYC-area airports are often discussed. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
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Old May 4, 2012, 12:41 pm
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So, I guess there is no getting around it. Exit T3, get on the Airtrain, and enter T4 through security. Seems to defeat the explicit purpose of "being in transit".

We arrive on Delta T3 at 5:19 PM and depart on Singapore T4 at 8:25 PM. I would imagine we have plenty of time between terminals.
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Old May 4, 2012, 12:42 pm
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Originally Posted by cordelli
I'm not even sure there is an easy way to walk from t3 to t4. There is however an airtrain that connects them, but as mentioned already you would still have to clear security at t4

Delta says there is a shuttle airside between the two

http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ewyork_jfk.jsp

which would be the easiest if it's still running.
The shuttle is for Delta passengers only and you need to show a Delta T4 boarding pass to use it. You will have to re-clear security at T4.
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Old May 4, 2012, 12:44 pm
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Originally Posted by Flyguy98743
Security at JFK is the worst ....
Not at all my experience.
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Old May 4, 2012, 12:56 pm
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Originally Posted by flyguy98743
Security at JFK is the worst and unfortunately I dont think there is a way to get around them if you have to switch terminals
T2 and T3 are connected airside. Both are connected airside by a shuttle bus with T4.

Originally Posted by Nugget_Oz
The shuttle is for Delta passengers only and you need to show a Delta T4 boarding pass to use it. You will have to re-clear security at T4.
You may need to show a boarding pass to use the shuttle. Other than that, incorrect.

Last edited by GaryD; May 4, 2012 at 1:04 pm Reason: add other response
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Old May 5, 2012, 7:26 am
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First of all, how do you know you're coming into T3? DL is ONE FACILITY encompassing the buildings known as T2/3. The buildings are connected airside by a moving walkway. You won't know until you land which gate you're using.

Second of all, because DL has taken over the "B" pier of T4, it does now provide a shuttle bus between T2/3 and T4. The shuttle stops at gates 19 (T2), 11 (T3) and B23 (T4). Not entirely sure if you can get on with a non-DL boarding pass, but I'd certainly try. Having said that...

Third of all, I believe SQ operates from the "A" pier of T4. This means you'll have to exit security anyway and reclear on the other side of the building. So depending on your arrival gate's proximity to the shuttle, you may just be better off leaving the building and taking the Airtrain.
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Old May 5, 2012, 7:40 am
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Originally Posted by orlandodlplat
First of all, how do you know you're coming into T3? DL is ONE FACILITY encompassing the buildings known as T2/3. The buildings are connected airside by a moving walkway. You won't know until you land which gate you're using.

Second of all, because DL has taken over the "B" pier of T4, it does now provide a shuttle bus between T2/3 and T4. The shuttle stops at gates 19 (T2), 11 (T3) and B23 (T4). Not entirely sure if you can get on with a non-DL boarding pass, but I'd certainly try. Having said that...

Third of all, I believe SQ operates from the "A" pier of T4. This means you'll have to exit security anyway and reclear on the other side of the building. So depending on your arrival gate's proximity to the shuttle, you may just be better off leaving the building and taking the Airtrain.
This coincides with my understanding. There is a bus from T2/3 to the part of T4 that DL uses, but that is not connected airside with the T4 SQ gates, so that you would need to reclear security anyway. The best plan is to exit T2/3 and take the free air train to T4, being careful to board in the direction that makes T4 the next stop. This involves going outside in the weather for a little bit when walking from the terminal to the T2/3 air train station. At T4, the air train seems to stop in the terminal building.

You may need to get a SQ boarding pass in T4 as SQ and DL are no longer partners. Even if you do not, SQ seems to want to see baggage claim checks; at least for IFC and biz passengers, they do something in their system to see that the bags from DL make it through and IME they have even told me in the lounge or when boarding that my suitcase has indeed been loaded onto the flight.

Depending on your status and class of travel, you might be able to use the very nice land side T4 Oasis lounge as well as the SCs in T2/3. SQ/*A*Gold status or IFC gets you a different lounge in T4.
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Old May 5, 2012, 10:05 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
This coincides with my understanding. There is a bus from T2/3 to the part of T4 that DL uses, but that is not connected airside with the T4 SQ gates, so that you would need to reclear security anyway. The best plan is to exit T2/3 and take the free air train to T4, being careful to board in the direction that makes T4 the next stop. This involves going outside in the weather for a little bit when walking from the terminal to the T2/3 air train station. At T4, the air train seems to stop in the terminal building.

You may need to get a SQ boarding pass in T4 as SQ and DL are no longer partners. Even if you do not, SQ seems to want to see baggage claim checks; at least for IFC and biz passengers, they do something in their system to see that the bags from DL make it through and IME they have even told me in the lounge or when boarding that my suitcase has indeed been loaded onto the flight.

Depending on your status and class of travel, you might be able to use the very nice land side T4 Oasis lounge as well as the SCs in T2/3. SQ/*A*Gold status or IFC gets you a different lounge in T4.
Appreciate the timely information. I've traveled all over the world and I'm pushing 72 now. However, I have always been a detail oriented person and always plan for any contingency. Traveling today is one big contingency.

Not traveling through JFK much and knowing what a nightmare it can be, I just want to insure that I am never confused even going from one terminal to another. Being in and out of CDG a few times will get you paranoid about traveling anywhere. I am also traveling with two females and a 7 year old girl and have to lead the way for them.

So, my understanding is that one has to go from your arrival gate in T3 and exit the terminal to the outside. Do you go straight outside or do you have to go to a different level (escalator/elevator)? The map of T3 is showing the airport loop Airtrain as the inside track. How do you determine which direction the Airtrain is going? Would hate to go from T3 to T4 the long way round.

When arriving T4 you have to go through security. Is there usually a long queue? Our flight is at 8:30 PM and our arrival at T3 is at 5:20 PM.

I do realize that there will be plenty of directional signs and boards en-route and am probably making a bigger deal about all of this than needs to be made.

Now, if we do decide to get some fresh air and walk the distance to T4, I notice from a Youtube Airtrain video that there is a sidewalk or walkway alongside of and beneath the Airtrain. We will only have a couple of small carry-on bags that roll as Delta will transfer our checked baggage to Singapore Airlines. Could we actually walk it without too much difficulty?
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Old May 5, 2012, 10:20 am
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Take the AirTrain if you cannot take DL's shuttle bus. Do not walk.

Do not take the "All Terminals" (loop) AirTrain. That is the long way around from the T2/T3 station to T4. Instead, take a Jamaica- or Howard Beach-bound AirTrain (usually operating on the outer track) one stop to T4.

There are electronic annunciator panels above each AirTrain track showing the destination of each arriving train.
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Old May 5, 2012, 10:21 am
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Originally Posted by floridastorm
So, my understanding is that one has to go from your arrival gate in T3 and exit the terminal to the outside. Do you go straight outside or do you have to go to a different level (escalator/elevator)? The map of T3 is showing the airport loop Airtrain as the inside track. How do you determine which direction the Airtrain is going? Would hate to go from T3 to T4 the long way round.
Okay, let me try this again. It's equally possible you'll be physically arriving at T2, and not at T3. Because T2 has no immigration facilities and you're coming in at prime international time, I'd imagine T2 is more likely.

There is one Airtrain stop for T2/3, which happens to line up more with T3. There is a covered walkway from T3 to the Airtrain. From T2, there is a bit of a walk outside (less than 100 yards). If you arrive at T2 and don't want to go outside, you can stay in the sterile area and follow the signs to gates 1-16. You'll take a moving walkway to T3, from which you should see signs for the exit and the Airtrain. At T4, the train stop is physically inside the terminal.

As for the direction of the train itself, there are digital monitors which tell you the route of the next arriving train. But it's also pretty simple. Walking towards the airtrain from T2/3, T4 is to your right. So the train heading in that direction will be heading to T4.


Originally Posted by floridastorm
When arriving T4 you have to go through security. Is there usually a long queue? Our flight is at 8:30 PM and our arrival at T3 is at 5:20 PM.
Are you travelling in business class or do you have Star Alliance priority? If not, I'd plan on the T4 A-Pier line to be quite long. This is the busiest time of the day at JFK.

Originally Posted by floridastorm
Now, if we do decide to get some fresh air and walk the distance to T4, I notice from a Youtube Airtrain video that there is a sidewalk or walkway alongside of and beneath the Airtrain. We will only have a couple of small carry-on bags that roll as Delta will transfer our checked baggage to Singapore Airlines. Could we actually walk it without too much difficulty?
I would advise against this. Stick with the shuttle or the Airtrain. There's a lot of construction along the way, and even if it's doable, it most certainly will be less than pleasant.
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