New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport is installing 19 automated Transportation Security Administration screening lanes by the end of the month.
These automated lanes — similar to 17 recently opened at Newark Liberty International Airport — boost passenger screening efficiency by roughly 30 percent. At Newark, United Airlines passengers are using the upgraded lanes, while Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have underwritten the lanes at JFK.
The same improved screening technology was previously installed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. The TSA had announced plans to deploy this equipment across many of the nation’s busiest airports to enhance throughput and security.
“As we have seen with recent attacks around the world, terrorists are increasingly targeting public spaces with large crowds of people to inflict the maximum number of casualties and anything we can do to reduce that target is a good thing,” said Rep. John Katko, chair of a House Homeland Security subcommittee.
Key design features of the automated lanes include larger countertops to hold more passenger bins and conveyor systems that move bins into the X‑ray machine and then return them to the front of the line. These changes help passengers move through screening more quickly while keeping bins and personal items better organized.
Although the new lanes substantially speed up the screening process, the increased efficiency has not reduced staffing needs for TSA agents. The machines streamline operations and improve passenger flow, but human oversight and assistance remain essential to maintain safety, respond to alerts, and manage exceptions.
By combining upgraded equipment with the continued presence of trained personnel, airports aim to process travelers faster without compromising security or service. The deployment at JFK follows a broader trend toward modernization in airport screening, focused on reducing wait times and improving the passenger experience while preserving rigorous security standards.