Air India will move its New York operations to a new Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport beginning in 2028, joining a group of Star Alliance carriers relocating to the facility, the airline and terminal developer JFK Millennium Partners (JMP) said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

The move makes Air India the 16th international carrier to commit to Terminal 6, according to the statement, which listed several other Star Alliance members—including Air Canada, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, and SWISS—among the airlines that have already announced plans to relocate there, alongside non-alliance carriers such as JetBlue, Cathay Pacific, and Icelandair.

As part of the move, Air India said it would open its first flagship Maharaja Lounge in North America at Terminal 6, spanning 9,100 square feet in a post-security location overlooking the terminal's commercial concourse. The airline opened a Maharaja Lounge at San Francisco International Airport earlier this year.

Terminal 6 is being developed in two phases, with an initial set of gates opening this year and full completion expected by 2028, according to the statement. The project forms part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $19 billion redevelopment of JFK Airport, which includes two new terminals and a new ground transportation centre.

George Casey, chair of JMP and chief executive of Vantage Group, said Air India's decision validated the approach taken to build the new terminal in partnership with the Port Authority and that the airline would help Terminal 6 strengthen JFK's position as a major international gateway.

Steve Thody, chief executive of JMP, said Air India's move was a milestone for the terminal, adding that shorter walking distances and a focus on comfort and efficiency would give Air India passengers an elevated experience.

Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer and managing director of Air India, said New York had been one of India's most important gateways for more than six decades and that the move to Terminal 6 would complement the airline's newer aircraft in offering smoother, better-connected journeys through JFK from 2028.

Air India currently operates daily non-stop flights from JFK's Terminal 4 to Delhi and Mumbai using Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft and will continue operating from Terminal 4 until the move to Terminal 6, the statement said.

The airline, part of the Tata Group, has been renewing its fleet and expanding its international network since its privatisation in 2022, placing orders for a combined 600 aircraft as part of the effort, according to the statement.

Source: Joint PR