Howard Beach (Airtrain station)

Howard Beach (Airtrain station) is an elevated AirTrain JFK station located at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York City. It serves as the western terminus of the automated people mover system, providing a critical transfer point between the airport and the New York City Subway via the IND Rockaway Line. Opened in 2003, the station was a key component of a major redevelopment plan for JFK Airport spearheaded by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

History

The station's development was part of the larger JFK redevelopment program initiated in the late 1990s under the administration of New York Governor George Pataki. Construction, managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, began in 1998 alongside the entire AirTrain JFK guideway. It opened for revenue service on December 17, 2003, coinciding with the system's full launch, which aimed to reduce vehicular congestion around the airport. The station is built on land adjacent to the Belt Parkway and replaced earlier, less formal ground transportation connections for the Howard Beach community.

Station layout

The station features an elevated, open-air design with a single island platform serving two tracks. The platform is accessed from a street-level entrance and ticketing hall via escalators and elevators, complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The structure is primarily made of concrete and steel, with a distinctive canopy covering the platform area. Directly below the station is a dedicated parking facility and the adjacent Howard Beach–JFK Airport subway station, served by the A train.

Services and connections

The station functions as the primary transfer hub between AirTrain JFK and the New York City Subway. From the station, trains run eastward to all JFK Airport terminals, Long Term Parking, and Federal Circle. The connecting MTA subway station provides direct service on the IND Rockaway Line to neighborhoods like Rockaway Beach and Ozone Park, and to Manhattan via Brooklyn. Multiple MTA Bus routes, including the Q11 and Q41, serve the area, and taxis and app-based ride services operate from the designated ground transportation area.

Incidents and notable events

In September 2005, service was temporarily suspended due to Hurricane Ophelia, testing the system's weather resilience. A more significant shutdown occurred during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, when storm surge from Jamaica Bay flooded the subway connection and damaged infrastructure, requiring weeks of repairs. The station was also the site of a non-fatal construction accident during its building phase when a crane operator was injured. In 2016, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey implemented enhanced security protocols here following global terrorism concerns.

In popular culture

The station's distinctive elevated guideway has been featured in several establishing shots for television series set in New York City, including an episode of *Law & Order*. It appeared briefly in the 2013 film *The Wolf of Wall Street* during a sequence depicting travel to JFK Airport. The station is also mentioned in the travelogue *The Great Railway Bazaar* by Paul Theroux in a later updated edition discussing modern airport transit.

Category:AirTrain JFK stations Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Queens, New York Category:Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Category:Railway stations opened in 2003