Indirect via JFK - please tell me how it works in NY

Merryweather17 · 13 Dec 19, 08:08 PM

For the first time we are flying indirect to Florida with VA, connecting at JFK. We know we need to go through immigration and collect our bags at JFK, the lady at VA also told us to put our bags on a different carousel and then walk to the next gate. We thought this was all fine until a little googling to put our minds at rest (never a good idea) brought up the issue of a bus to terminal 2. We only have 2hrs connection, does all this seem reasonable and how does the bus catching work? do we need to take our bags or will these be ok to find their way to the plane if we put them on a conveyor belt in terminal 4?

As you can probably tell this is now seeming like way more hassle than we originally thought when we went with indirect flights! Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

kiwiinabd · 13 Dec 19, 08:29 PM

You should be able to recheck your luggage onto a carousel once you have cleared customs.

There is an airtran for connecting between terminals

See here jfkairport/at-airpor...ecting-flights

galaxyflorida · 13 Dec 19, 08:33 PM

2hrs is a little tight. JFK immigration can be very busy, a lot worse than Orlando!

After you�ve picked up your bags there should be a sign to a carousel that says �re check luggage�.
You can either go through security again in T4 and then there�s a bus (it�s called the jitney) that takes you to Terminal 2. Alternatively you can take the air train after you�ve picked up your bags landside to T2 and then go through security there. Sometimes the gates can move about so you might end up departing from T4 Anyway.

I think what I would do is go through security in T4 and once you know what gate you�re going from (all gates in T2 start with C) you can get the bus/jitney after security there.

Peko · 14 Dec 19, 10:10 AM

Definitely reclear security at T4 and use the Delta airside bus (if necessary, as mentioned above Delta shifts domestic flights between terminals 2 and 4 a lot - check again when you get to JFK). The Airtrain will usually take longer. If you have to get the bus, it goes from near gate B18 in T4.

For baggage, after collecting it and clearing customs, there is a Delta desk on the left as you exit customs in T4, where you drop the bags for the onward flight. Don�t worry, there are always staff around to guide you.

For immigration, Delta does sometimes have staff at T4 to help speed people on tight connections, though not always and not sure if they do it for Virgin incoming flights.

**BevS97** · 14 Dec 19, 10:30 AM

We went through terminal 2&4 and it was quite easy. We did wait about an hour in immigration then straight into T4. Then noticed our gate had moved to T2 so we got the shuttle bus over there. No need for security again as we were already airside.

13 Dec 19, 08:29 PM	#2
	13 Dec 19, 08:29 PM kiwiinabd Very Serious Dibber
kiwiinabd Very Serious Dibber Join Date: Jan 12	You should be able to recheck your luggage onto a carousel once you have cleared customs. There is an airtran for connecting between terminals See here jfkairport/at-airpor...ecting-flights

14 Dec 19, 10:10 AM	#4
	14 Dec 19, 10:10 AM Peko Imagineer
Peko Imagineer Join Date: Sep 16	Definitely reclear security at T4 and use the Delta airside bus (if necessary, as mentioned above Delta shifts domestic flights between terminals 2 and 4 a lot - check again when you get to JFK). The Airtrain will usually take longer. If you have to get the bus, it goes from near gate B18 in T4. For baggage, after collecting it and clearing customs, there is a Delta desk on the left as you exit customs in T4, where you drop the bags for the onward flight. Don�t worry, there are always staff around to guide you. For immigration, Delta does sometimes have staff at T4 to help speed people on tight connections, though not always and not sure if they do it for Virgin incoming flights.