John F. Kennedy Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport named after John F. Kennedy. It is located in Queens County, New York in southeastern New York City about 12 miles from lower Manhattan. This airport is the top international air passenger gateway to the United States, and also the leading freight gateway to the country. This airport is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It is one of the busiest passenger airports in the United States, and one of the most recognizable airports in the world.

JFK Airport was first named and originally known as Idlewild Airport. It was named after the Idlewind Golf Course. This airport was originally set up as a reliever for LaGuardia Airport. Construction began in 1943; $60 million was spent, but only 100 acres of land was used. In 1943 the project was renamed Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport after a Queens resident. He died in March 1948, and then the New York City Council changed the name once again to New York International Airport, Anderson Field. The airport was named John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1963, exactly one month after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

JFK consists of 4,930 acres. The airport has more than 30 miles of roadways and is 12.7 feet above sea level. The Port Authority has invested more than $3billion in the airport. There are over 37,000 people that are employed at the airport. JFK contributes approximately $22 billion in economic activity to the NY/NJ metropolitan region.