# The new Newark Airport Terminal A



## jis (Feb 6, 2022)

Thought some of the air travelers among us may find this interesting....

The new Newark Terminal 1 is massive:







Here is some more info about it:

EWR Terminal One Redevelopment Program (PDF)


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## west point (Feb 6, 2022)

See my old terminal A-1 is being eliminated. Cannot see how any PATH train service can ever be instituted. And that G** awful Air Train??? Not that terminal but had an airplane main gear drop into a failed storm sewer. Even though PA built it originally they would not accept responsibility since PA had turned that part of ramp over to Continental airlines, I think(?).


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## jis (Feb 6, 2022)

west point said:


> See my old terminal A-1 is being eliminated. Cannot see how any PATH train service can ever be instituted. And that G** awful Air Train??? Not that terminal but had an airplane main gear drop into a failed storm sewer. Even though PA built it originally they would not accept responsibility since PA had turned that part of ramp over to Continental airlines, I think(?).


The current Air Train is history. It will be dismantled and scrapped. There is a new larger Air Train system perhaps more like the one at JFK planned. PATH will never make it past the EWR Rail Station on the NEC as far as I can tell.


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## joelkfla (Feb 6, 2022)

jis said:


> The current Air Train is history. It will be dismantled and scrapped. There is a new larger Air Train system perhaps more like the one at JFK planned. PATH will never make it past the EWR Rail Station on the NEC as far as I can tell.


IMHO, that's far enough for PATH, as long as they build an efficient & reliable APM connection to the terminals.


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## adamj023 (Feb 7, 2022)

jis said:


> Thought some of the air travelers among us may find this interesting....
> 
> The new Newark Terminal 1 is massive:
> 
> ...



I am well aware of this project and many others around the USA and around the world. The airports were extremely outdated. I have gone through many of the old terminals at JFK which have since been demolished and LGA which have been and will soon be demolished. I have passed by Newark Airport before and have used FedEx which has shipped parcels using EWR before. Never been in the passenger airport before but it looked out of date. The taxiways are horrible as planes are blocked and have to go slow and stop and wait for many other planes to move. This terminal alone won’t help much as United’s terminal has the bulk of passenger flights. They need to redesign the other parts of the terminals and taxiways in future projects for there to be any meaningful impact. Newark is one of the worst airports for passengers and Terminal A alone will not change that.


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## daybeers (Feb 7, 2022)

Omg that is so much space! And so much parking! Just think, if we spent as much as we do subsidizing private airlines as we do on the rail network...


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## Dakota 400 (Feb 7, 2022)

Airports are getting too darn big! And, this new terminal is an example of that. So far to walk and the more senior one becomes, the more difficult it is to do so. Those who design these terminals will sometime wonder: why did I make it so large?


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## joelkfla (Feb 7, 2022)

Dakota 400 said:


> Airports are getting too darn big! And, this new terminal is an example of that. So far to walk and the more senior one becomes, the more difficult it is to do so. Those who design these terminals will sometime wonder: why did I make it so large?


It wouldn't be so bad if there were "moving sidewalks", but they're becoming less common. MCO actually ripped all theirs out a few years back; I have no idea why.


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## Dakota 400 (Feb 7, 2022)

joelkfla said:


> It wouldn't be so bad if there were "moving sidewalks", but they're becoming less common. MCO actually ripped all theirs out a few years back; I have no idea why.



So, the "smart ones" who decide such want to discourage those of us who are seniors and want to travel and have the financial resources to do not to travel?


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## cassie225 (Feb 8, 2022)

Although I don’t fly, my hubbie does and he will do anything he can to avoid Atlanta airport, he hates it, too big, my daughter has to fly out of Newark, she is young and will probably be ok


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## jis (Feb 8, 2022)

I am actually looking forward to use Terminal 1 at EWR. IMHO it is a huge improvement over Terminal A.

Incidentally, initially United will have the largest number of gate in Terminal 1, which surprised me. But then it did also have a pile of gates in Terminal A I suppose. There has been some long drawn discussions on airliners.net on which destinations of United will go to Terminal 1.


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## Devil's Advocate (Feb 8, 2022)

Dakota 400 said:


> So, the "smart ones" who decide such want to discourage those of us who are seniors and want to travel and have the financial resources to do not to travel?


The solution for seniors and travelers with disabilities is a sea of golf carts that weave around beeping and honking at everyone else. In my view it's mainly working age passengers rushing between connections who get screwed by lack of travelators.


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## cassie225 (Feb 8, 2022)

Since I don’t fly can I just go to the airport and drive one of those golf carts around, honking and beeping at folks. Sounds like fun lol


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## joelkfla (Feb 8, 2022)

cassie225 said:


> Since I don’t fly can I just go to the airport and drive one of those golf carts around, honking and beeping at folks. Sounds like fun lol


What do you think this is, Disneyworld?!? 

(Line from the extinct Walt Disney World attraction "Cranium Command".)


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## Dakota 400 (Feb 8, 2022)

Devil's Advocate said:


> The solution for seniors and travelers with disabilities is a sea of golf carts that weave around beeping and honking at everyone else.



I have learned to swallow my pride and request such assistance. Some of the most pleasant employees associated with airports and air lines whom I have encountered have been those who drive those carts. Or, push the wheelchairs.


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## jis (Apr 4, 2022)

The new Terminal 1 has been renamed New Terminal A and is within a few months of opening. Here is a neat passenger experience presentation from PANYNJ






Passenger Experience - Building A New EWR







www.ewrredevelopment.com





Meanwhile new Terminal B plans are advancing. If you think that the new Terminal A is big wait till you see the plans for the new Terminal B.

https://pacorpredevblobstorage.blob...s/CPEAM_-_EWR_Terminal_2_-_Public_Session.pdf

And then there is this massive plan for the development of Newark Airport City and the complete replacement of the current EWR station on the NEC by a new vastly bigger station a mile south/west of it, serving both the airport and the Airport City. It is very likely well beyond my lifetime with the 2050 timeframe mentioned.






AIRPORT CITY NEWARK







acn.njit.edu





Click on the "READ MORE" button under the _ACN Final Report II 2021_ block

Hey it even shows a Superliner at the new station


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## jis (Jun 4, 2022)

According to a few posts in airliners.net, United will apparently be using its New Terminal A gates for heavy O&D traffic flights. Apparently their entire Florida operation will move there. That would be interesting to say the least. 

Apparently they will have two wide body gates, and there may be a few wide body flights to Florida.

They will also have significant capacity enhanced air side bus connection between Terminal A and C. Academy will be the subcontractor for providing this service which will use high capacity low floor buses, like seen at many foreign airports.


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## Trollopian (Jun 5, 2022)

Meanwhile, DCA (Reagan National Airport, though old-timers and cabbies and staunch Dems still call it "National Airport") is doing the opposite. Terminals A and B are now terminals 1 and 2. Gate _numbers_ are unchanged but now have a letter in front of them. Though the letter, of course, just identifies the corridor, not the terminal. "No airlines or gates have moved. This is just a signage enhancement project." Beats me what purpose it serves, 'cause I never had any trouble finding my gate at DCA. (Getting there by Metro, yeah, and clearing TSA; but finding my gate was easy.) But it's a nice little revenue stream for the sign manufacturers and installers. And probably for a team of consultants.









Enhanced Signage at DCA


Reagan National Airport (DCA) has updated signage to reflect terminal and gate-sign terminology used at most other airports. The enhancements are designed to make it easier for travelers to navigate inside and outside of the airport.




www.flyreagan.com


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## jis (Jun 5, 2022)

At Newark the plan has been to replace old Terminal A by the new one. Only during construction the new one was called Terminal 1 for a while. Otherwise Newark terminals have consistently had letter designations for many decades. Each terminal has had multiple pods given numbers. So at present old A-1 has been replaced by new A. Old A-1 has been demolished and replaced by taxiways and parking pads. Old A-2 and A-3 still exist and will get demolished as more of new A is commissioned.

Then they will start working on B, which is a much more massive new terminal as planned. Much larger than new A.


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## Ryan (Jun 5, 2022)

Trollopian said:


> Meanwhile, DCA (Reagan National Airport, though old-timers and cabbies and staunch Dems still call it "National Airport")


Politics have nothing to do with it, I use "Reagan National" about as much as I use "Thurgood Marshall BWI", which is to say "freaking never".


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## jis (Jun 5, 2022)

Ryan said:


> Politics have nothing to do with it, I use "Reagan National" about as much as I use "Thurgood Marshall BWI", which is to say "freaking never".


I suppose that may be why when they changed the name of Idlewild, they completely dropped Idlewild and named the airport John F Kennedy International, and changed the code to JFK to boot. So now everyone calls it JFK or Kennedy. And La Guardia I guess has always been La Guardia.

Technically Newark is "Newark Liberty International", but at least I have never used the L word in referring to Newark. It is EWR or Newark.


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## Dakota 400 (Jun 5, 2022)

Trollopian said:


> Meanwhile, DCA (Reagan National Airport, though old-timers and cabbies and staunch Dems still call it "National Airport") is doing the opposite. Terminals A and B are now terminals 1 and 2. Gate _numbers_ are unchanged but now have a letter in front of them. Though the letter, of course, just identifies the corridor, not the terminal. "No airlines or gates have moved. This is just a signage enhancement project." Beats me what purpose it serves, 'cause I never had any trouble finding my gate at DCA. (Getting there by Metro, yeah, and clearing TSA; but finding my gate was easy.) But it's a nice little revenue stream for the sign manufacturers and installers. And probably for a team of consultants.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Another example of change for change's sake?


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## Trollopian (Jun 6, 2022)

Ryan said:


> Politics have nothing to do with it, I use "Reagan National" about as much as I use "Thurgood Marshall BWI", which is to say "freaking never".



You might be in one of my first two groups, "old-timers and cabbies [do you drive a taxi?!]" and not my third, "staunch Dems." But I definitely know all three types!


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## jis (Jun 6, 2022)

I for one cannot imagine why anyone would choose to use two words when a single word adequately identifies something. But I suppose some people just like to be better aligned with something or the other 

Anyway, returning to EWR, here is another article on its renewal:









New Features of Renewed Newark Airport Unveiled


Construction of flagship terminal advances, incorporating best-in-class arrivals to speed passenger pickup and new post-covid-19 technology.




metroairportnews.com


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## railiner (Jun 6, 2022)

jis said:


> I suppose that may be why when they changed the name of Idlewild, they completely dropped Idlewild and named the airport John F Kennedy International, and changed the code to JFK to boot. So now everyone calls it JFK or Kennedy. And La Guardia I guess has always been La Guardia.
> 
> Technically Newark is "Newark Liberty International", but at least I have never used the L word in referring to Newark. It is EWR or Newark.


La Guardia started out as North Beach Airport, then when commercial flights started at that expanded location it became New York Municipal Airport.
Before being renamed Kennedy International, it was officially New York International Airport at Idlewild, IIRC….


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## jis (Jun 6, 2022)

railiner said:


> La Guardia started out as North Beach Airport, then when commercial flights started at that expanded location it became New York Municipal Airport.
> Before being renamed Kennedy International, it was officially New York International Airport at Idlewild, IIRC….


Interestingly, PANYNJ or its predecessor took care to change the airport code to align with the new name both for Kennedy and LaGuardia. Of course they have not done so for Newark, so it remains EWR and ATC folks can still call it "Sewer" privately


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## Devil's Advocate (Jun 6, 2022)

Trollopian said:


> Meanwhile, DCA (Reagan National Airport, though old-timers and cabbies and staunch Dems still call it "National Airport") is doing the opposite. Terminals A and B are now terminals 1 and 2. Gate _numbers_ are unchanged but now have a letter in front of them. Though the letter, of course, just identifies the corridor, not the terminal. "No airlines or gates have moved. This is just a signage enhancement project." Beats me what purpose it serves, 'cause I never had any trouble finding my gate at DCA. (Getting there by Metro, yeah, and clearing TSA; but finding my gate was easy.) But it's a nice little revenue stream for the sign manufacturers and installers. And probably for a team of consultants.


When people say they get lost in airports I wonder if they get lost everywhere. That said I've found American airports to be among the most tedious to navigate if you're looking for anything besides gates and baggage carousels. I prefer 2D maps that show everything all at once, but American airports focus on clumsy 3D maps that only show detail when you zoom in on some random area. But why would you zoom at that spot unless the map gave you a hint to do so? It's a irrational solution looking for an irrational problem. I've always heard "Newark" and "National," presumably because they're the simplest and easiest names to remember and use in mixed company. I would consider the people who take the time and effort to rename airports to be the staunchly political types while those who keep using the old name are doing what comes naturally.


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## railiner (Jun 6, 2022)

Devil's Advocate said:


> I would consider the people who take the time and effort to rename airports to be the staunchly political types while those who keep using the old name are simply doing what comes naturally.


Sounds familiar...
As in those that had attempted to rename the entire Penn Station - NY into what they finally settled on naming just the new west wing...


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## jis (Jun 6, 2022)

This renewal of Newark is doubly interesting for me since I date back to a time when Terminal C was just being built ground up, and PeopleExpress resided in the North Terminal, the very original terminal of Newark Airport.


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## west point (Jun 7, 2022)

EAL shuttle was in the north terminal before PE.


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## jis (Jun 7, 2022)

west point said:


> EAL shuttle was in the north terminal before PE.


Yes but I was only marginally aware of the existence of Newark that far back


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## west point (Jun 7, 2022)

Before the EAL shuttle the orth terminal was a small terminal with a few wooden short ccpncorses for all airlines operating out of Newark. First trans atlantic flight were from Newark with some stops..


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## railiner (Jun 7, 2022)

west point said:


> EAL shuttle was in the north terminal before PE.


The “North Terminal” was the only terminal from 1953 until the new ones were built, and served all the airlines flying out of Newark. It replaced the original 1935 terminal which has been preserved…


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## Trident101 (Jun 8, 2022)

Ryan said:


> Politics have nothing to do with it, I use "Reagan National" about as much as I use "Thurgood Marshall BWI", which is to say "freaking never".


True, no one who lives in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area uses either of the “additional” names regardless of political affiliation. That’s how we tell who the tourists are.…


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## MARC Rider (Jun 11, 2022)

jis said:


> This renewal of Newark is doubly interesting for me since I date back to a time when Terminal C was just being built ground up, and PeopleExpress resided in the North Terminal, the very original terminal of Newark Airport.


I remember flying PeopleExpress into the North Terminal. The flight from BWI was only $19, cheaper than Amtrak at the time. Pretty weird flight, too. It took 45 minutes in the air, and basically was a parabolic trajectory, where we switched from climbing to descending somewhere over Philadelphia. I think the seat belt signs were on the whole flight.


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## Metra Electric Rider (Jun 11, 2022)

I'm sort of chuckling at the name argument - it's certainly easier to just use the one word name (Lake Shore Drive was renamed but I don't know anybody who uses the new name in everyday, colloquial talk). Of course, Kennedy was a young, popular president who was killed in office, so no surprise that took well. 

BTW thanks to JIS for posting that walkthrough - I hadn't realized that Grimshaw was doing the airport reno. They do a lot of transit projects (I have a soft spot since I had to build a model of Waterloo International in grad school) - airports, train stations, etc (Crossrail Stations for example).


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## jis (Oct 25, 2022)

PANYNJ has appointed Arup and Skidmore Owings & Merrill as master planners and architect for the redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport









Master planners named to guide Newark Airport’s redevelopment through 2065


Port Authority officials named an architectural firm and an airport designer to help them plan Newark Liberty airport's development through 2065.




www.nj.com





Meanwhile, it looks like United is going to move a significant portion of its main line domestic service to the new Terminal A on Nov 1, 2022 utilizing its 15 gates at the terminal


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 25, 2022)

And how many Decades will it take, along with Billions in Cost Overruns, before this Project is Completed?( It's The Port Authority!)


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## jis (Oct 25, 2022)

Bob Dylan said:


> And how many Decades will it take, along with Billions in Cost Overruns, before this Project is Completed?


The contract is for the period 2022-2065 as stated in the article. At least all of the cost overruns will be covered predominantly by the ticket tax collected at the airport and not from somewhere else. Newark actually collects figuratively speaking billions in such tax.


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## jis (Jan 5, 2023)

The new EWR Terminal A is up and running, to be officially inaugurated soon.









Here’s When Flights Begin At Newark Airport’s Swanky New Terminal


The $2.7 billion terminal opened in November. Here's when it will officially launch.




patch.com





Looks like MCO - EWR flights will arrive at and depart from this terminal, so I should get to see/use it the next time I fly to the NY area.


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 5, 2023)

jis said:


> The new EWR Terminal A is up and running, to be officially inaugurated soon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


At least they're making some improvements to the NY Area Airports which are a Big Disgrace for the World's #1 City!( same thing with Moynihan being added to NYP, which is also under construction but still a Pit!)


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## joelkfla (Jan 5, 2023)

jis said:


> The new EWR Terminal A is up and running, to be officially inaugurated soon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those artsy wooden ring seats look might uncomfortable for us oldsters.


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## jis (Yesterday at 10:09 AM)

The new Terminal A opened for general operations today (1/12/23). Here is a nice description with photos of the interior and artwork to be found there:

New Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport

And here is a very useful travel tips page:

Travel Tips - Newark Terminal A

The closets AirTrain station is what used to be station P2 which has been renamed "Terminal A". It is 0.35 miles from the terminal, thus having the Newar Terminal A become llike the SeaTac Airport, requiring a longish walk from the rail station link Shuttle to the terminal. But in an added twist PANYNJ provides a Shuttle Bus service from the AirTrain Station to the Terminal, a 4 minute bus ride. The Shuttle Bus runs every 5-7 minutes.

Looks among other flights to and from MCO, my current home airport, operates out of new Terminal A. So will get to see it sooner or later.


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## joelkfla (Yesterday at 10:29 AM)

jis said:


> The new Terminal A opened for general operations today (1/12/23). Here is a nice description with photos of the interior and artwork to be found there:
> 
> New Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport
> 
> ...


So add another 15 minutes to get from the terminal to the train station.  Last time I flew into Newark, for some reason the AirTrain wasn't running direct to the station, and it was required to get off at the last stop before the station and transfer to another AirTrain vehicle which was shuttling between that stop and the station. IIRC, I waited around 20 minutes for the shuttle to arrive. Of course the destination signs were all messed up, so a staff member was shouting "No, not this one" until the shuttle finally arrived. Not a happy experience.


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## jis (Yesterday at 10:48 AM)

The current AirTrain has been flaky all along. It is on its last leg and is going to be replaced by a higher capacity system, supposedly more like the JFK one.

The following artists impression suggests that the new Airtrain Newark Terminal A Station will be much closer to the terminal building.






About - AirTrain EWR - Building A New EWR







www.ewrredevelopment.com


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