Check our websites, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, to get a sense of current wait times but always allow plenty of time for the security screening. It is recommended that you arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international travel but also check with your airline. What to Pack.

For travel through John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in 2026, the general rule is to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. However, JFK is a massive, high-traffic hub where security lines and terminal transfers via the AirTrain can be unpredictable. If you are checking luggage, especially with carriers like Delta which require a 60-minute bag-drop cutoff at JFK, you should add an extra 30 minutes to your buffer. During peak holiday seasons or morning rushes, arriving even earlier is a high-value strategy to ensure you navigate the sprawling terminals and potential "extra" documentation checks for international travel. Using services like TSA PreCheck or CLEAR can significantly reduce your wait time, but given JFK's notoriety for congestion, the "3-hour rule" remains the safest peer-to-peer advice to avoid the stress of a missed connection or a closed boarding gate.