kindofabigdeal

Looks like a made a bad assumption. After not being able to find any non-BA business milessaver award flights on AA, I've booked an economy flight with cash. I have the Priority Pass membership from the Chase Sapphire and figured I'd get a little taste of the high life at JFK by going to one of the available lounges, BUT, now I see that interterminal transfers at JFK requiring going outside of security. So... Will I have a problem going through security in a terminal (likely terminal 1) where my flight isn't, just so i can go to the lounge? Time will not be an issue.

deniah

thats up the security line guard and/or the immigrations guard. more likely than not, they wont allow you through.

Palal

deniah seems to not know what s/he's talking about, as CBP officers have nothing to do with the question.

While I can't speak to the quality of the lounge, you won't have any problems entering a different terminal with a boarding pass for a flight departing from that airport for the same day, even if the flight is from a different terminal. TSA has standardized these rules now.

deniah

you mention CBP. that is specific to the US' Customs and Border Protection group.

i have, in actual experience, in various countries around the world, tried to entire a different terminal (e.g. sampling different lounges). ive either been allowed pass with a shrug, or rebuffed. either by the person guarding the security (going from airside), or at terminal-terminal station.

my message doesnt apply to JFK specifically and definitively. but caveat emptor.

kindofabigdeal

Thanks, your input has been very helpful. It's a 5 hour wait, so likely worth a try.

Carl Johnson

If you have TSA Pre, the best one might be Wingtips at Terminal 4, because it's going to be a lot easier to get through the checkpoint. I actually think the train ride from T8 to T4 is not as far as from T8 to T1. The inter-terminal train goes 8-7-5-4-2-1 and doesn't go to a parking lot. There are trains that go 8-parking lot-1, etc., but I don't think you can go straight from 8 to 1. Maybe it can be walked, but get that information from somebody who knows, not from me.

With Pre, getting through at T4 was always fast and easy for me; I went through at T1 once and it was awful. Priority line, short line, nevertheless slow slow slow slow. Horrible incompetent TSA clerks (same at T4, but with Pre the interaction is short). Wingtips is not that far from the checkpoint.

If you want to try it, investigate whether it's fully open now - a lot of it was closed off due to renovation in there, and I don't know whether that's still going on or not. I always liked it very very much, but the last time I went in there was like October 2014 (Didn't renew Amex Plat, and became Delta Diamond), so my information isn't current.

It looks to me like you can get into the AF lounge at T1, and I think that's the best PP lounge at T1.

Logistics is going to be a nuisance, but I don't see any restaurants or anything at T8 worth writing home about, so with 5 hours your plan seems like the best plan and in the same circumstances I would probably do it.

JY1024

Let's move this over to the NYC forum for further discussion of navigating JFK and its lounges. Thanks. /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator

Blumie

The TSA, the US governmental authority that operates the security checkpoints, only require that you show a photo ID and a same-day boarding pass. Their rules do not require you to have a boarding pass for a flight that departs from that specific terminal. So the rules will allow you to access any terminal at JFK.

That said, in addition to the TSA, which operates the checkpoints, the airlines and the airport authority typically have employees stationed immediately before the checkpoint to make sure that you get into the correct line (such as the first class line, or the line for those authorized to use the expedited "pre check" line), and they may attempt to turn you away if you have a boarding pass for a different terminal. Explaining to them that you intend to visit a lounge in the terminal you are attempting to access should be sufficient. Sometimes, however, you may need to be a bit assertive and remind them that the TSA rules (of which they probably are not that familiar) permit what you are trying to do. Also be warned that while these employees typically are trained (although minimally so) in how to direct people to the correct line, they often are not trained in politeness and civility.

sbm12

I recommend T4 over T1 for a variety of reasons. Among them, T1 security sucks worse than most and the TSA folks there have resisted access for lounge visitors more than other terminals typically have. Putting aside whether they should or not, I don't think it is worth the fight.

Also, if it is the KE lounge I think the access hours are limited for Priority Pass and might not work for afternoon/evening anyways.

Carl Johnson

I took a look:

https://www.prioritypass.com/en/Loun...-International

AF will not work between 17:30 and 23:00, KE works 14:00-20:30, but it says an entrant needs a BP leaving from terminal 1.

Wingtips is open all day and all night; it says access may be restricted 17:00-01:00 if it's crowded, but whenever I've been in there, there's been plenty of room.

diocesanvictor

Hi,

I will be departing on a CX flight from JFK T8. I'm hoping to use the Wingtips Lounge at T4.

It seems from the above posts that I should be able to clear T4 security with a CX boarding pass. I've never done this before, so I was wondering how exactly do I exit T4 when it's time for me to head back to T8 for boarding? I'm curious as I've never been through an airport where departing passengers are allowed to exit after having gone through security.

Also, how long does security at T4 and T8 usually take at around noon time?

Thanks!

Blumie

At U.S. airports, departing the secure area of terminals is as easy as walking out the door. If it's not obvious how to do that when you're there, simply follow the signs to Baggage Claim and then follow the signs to the AirTrain from there. From Terminal 4, you can board any train to get to Terminal 8. (That is not true in the opposite direction. From Terminal 8 you must take the "Terminals Only" train to get to Terminal 4.)

vanillabean

I take it then the following Wingtips lounge FAQ may not be quite accurate?

"Any guest from any airline and any class of service is welcome in the Wingtips Lounge. However, our lounges are post-security and guests must be departing from an airline that operates out of the terminal where Wingtips is located. In JFK, this is Terminal 4. In St. Louis, this is Terminal 2.”

https://wingtipslounge.com/faqs/#toggle-id-4