Spending a night inside an airport terminal just became far more appealing with the arrival of the first full-service, on-site hotel housed in the iconic TWA Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Set to open in late 2018 or early 2019, the TWA Flight Center Hotel will include two new hotel towers with a combined total of 505 guestrooms. New glass curtain walls will help reduce airport noise while preserving views. The original space-age terminal, designed by Eero Saarinen, first welcomed travelers in 1962 and serves as the architectural centerpiece of the project.
After more than 15 years of vacancy, the historic terminal building will be restored and integrated as the hotel’s grand lobby. The revitalized space will feature eight food and beverage outlets, a nightclub located in the former Constellation Club Lounge, and a variety of other guest amenities. Careful restoration will retain the terminal’s signature design elements, including its distinctive red carpet that runs throughout the public areas.
The redevelopment plans also call for a restaurant and bar to be housed inside a restored Lockheed Super Constellation, the four-engine passenger aircraft that was a mainstay of the TWA fleet during the 1950s and 1960s. Environmentally conscious design will be a priority: the hotel is planned to be LEED-certified and will provide approximately 3,700 square meters of meeting space along with a 10,000-square-foot public observation deck. Room rates are expected to start at around $250 per night.
MCR Development is leading the privately funded project and aims to create more than a hotel. The scheme includes an innovative museum celebrating New York’s role in the Jet Age, the history of Trans World Airlines, and the Midcentury Modern design movement that influenced the terminal’s original aesthetic.