It’s an exciting time for New York City’s airports. We’ve already written about the amazing planespotting from the new skybridges at LaGuardia and the huge New Terminal One project at JFK. Across the Hudson River at Newark International there’s major work going on too. The first phase there was a from-scratch rebuild of the 50-year-old Terminal A. We dropped by, and we can say from firsthand experience that the result is impressive.
Join us on a photo and video walkthrough of the new terminal, with an eye towards the AvGeek appeal and planespotting potential.
The new Terminal A, which opened in late 2022, is the airport’s southernmost terminal.
The new Terminal A was built alongside the old one, to allow a gradual operational transition from one to the other. In the satellite image below you can see both the new terminal (bottom) and the old one (top). The latter has since been decommissioned.
I try to get to airports on public transit whenever I can. One issue with the new Terminal A is that its temporary AirTrain station is a fifteen-minute walk from the terminal, or a short extra bus ride. This will eventually be fixed when the current cramped and unreliable EWR AirTrain gets rebuilt. But that’s years away, and so for now the public transit access situation is a hassle.
But once I got to the new terminal I completely forgot about the AirTrain situation. Compared to the old dark and cramped Terminal A the new building is full of light and bursting with Jersey-themed art.
The terminal’s TSA security checkpoint features big status screens and some futuristic-looking neon-trimmed bag scanners.
Once you get through security the terminal layout is fairly straightforward. Most gates are along the terminal’s main east concourse, with a few on the smaller north and south concourses.
As of now there are five airlines operating out of the new Terminal A: American, United, Delta, JetBlue, and Air Canada. The first three each have their own lounge here.
And now for the part you’ve been waiting for: the planespotting. There must have been some #AvGeeks on the terminal design committee because there are a TON of beanbag-type seats in prime spotting positions right up against the windows.
The best views are at the very end of the main terminal pier, where you’re closest to the airport’s runways.
Bring a camera with a good zoom lens and you can score some shots with the Manhattan skyline in the background.
We spent a great hour taking in the views from the terminal before boarding an outbound flight on a United 737 MAX. The timing of our takeoff roll lined up perfectly with a gorgeous golden sunset.
The Verdict on Newark’s New Terminal A
The new terminal cost nearly $3 billion, and is forecasted to serve 15 million flyers a year. So the stakes were high for Newark to get this right. Luckily the new Terminal A seems like a winner. It’s airy, bright, and full of decorations and local flair.
The only gripe for now is the AirTrain situation. Between the 15-minute walk from station to terminal and the fact that Terminal A is already the farthest station from the railway link, factor in an extra 20 minutes to get here on public transit.
Overall though it’s a great place to fly from, and to planespot from too. If you’ve swung by already let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
So far, United has opened four of its flagship Polaris lounges: Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO), New York / Newark (EWR), and Houston (IAH). We visited the Chicago lounge last year before it opened, and more recently we dropped by the one at SFO. Both were seriously impressive, with amenities like restaurant-style high-quality dining, showers, and nap rooms, with a dash of local inspiration. In short, everything we’ve seen from the Polaris lounges goes above and beyond. And we’re out to review the whole set.
Our next stop was the Newark lounge, which opened earlier this summer. Newark is United’s primary east coast hub and handles huge amounts of traffic, so a Polaris lounge here was a long time coming. We swung by on a Sunday morning and put the place through its paces. And between a delicious eggs Benedict and some relaxation with views of the ramp, we had a great time. Read on for tons of photos and an in-depth review — plus our analysis of how the place fits into United’s broader lounge landscape.
My ride to Newark — the first Boeing 747-8I (D-ABYA) to enter service commercially. Seen here from ground level!
I have been lucky enough to fly a few different airlines in first class. I am referring though to international first class here, not domestic ’œfirst class.’ An airline that I have been obsessed to fly in first class is Lufthansa.
My flight on Lufthansa would be two firsts for me: flying their first class and being a passenger on the updated Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental. Having one first is normally exciting enough as it is, but two? Yes… one could say that I was excited!
Lufthansa first class seats 1A & 1K, in the nose of a 747. Can’t get any far farther into the pointy end than this.
The benefit of departing Frankfurt with a first class ticket starts when one arrives at the airport. I was given access to their first class terminal, which was amazing. When it was time to board my flight, I was driven in a Mercedes Vito van that took me on a quick ride across the tarmac to my gate in the A/Z concourse.
Riding along at ground level and looking up at gate after gate of 747s is pretty special. When we pulled up to our gate, the very first 747-8I (D-ABYA) was looming above me. Being able to step out onto the ramp and snap a photo is nice. Being ushered all the way up to the aircraft by our driver is even better. Even though boarding was already underway when we arrived, our driver created a hole in the crowd and had us at the front in mere moments. Now THAT is service.
My TAP A330-200 (named Bartolomeu Dias – reg CS-TOR) sitting at Lisbon – Photo: Katka Lapelosová
Recenty, I was booked to fly on TAP airlines from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS). On my way there, I flew on their Executive product (aka business class) and on the way home, I flew in economy.
TAP Executive cabin – Photo: TAP
At the airport, I looked for a priority line, but did not see one, so I waited in the standard line. Upon check-in, I was provided with a green sticker on my boarding pass, which indicated I was to receive an expedited security clearance. There was no discussion of whether I had lounge access and the ticket agents did not seem to know — actually, different agents told me to go to different lounges.
I was a bit frustrated, but it was only an hour until my flight anyway, so I decided to relax in a secluded part of the gate with the economy passengers. Checking out TAP’s website, I was able to confirm that I had access to the Lufthansa’s Business Class lounge in Terminal B.
While I briefly lived in St. Louis for the summer on an airline internship, I was privileged with flight benefits, and took advantage of them whenever I had the chance. Having the ability to visit my family back home in Ohio and New York, in addition to my friends at school down in Florida, was a special opportunity that I really enjoyed! As I dwelled back on my adventures getting through Chicago O’Hare to my various destinations, I realized my craziest experience of flying standby wasn’t yet shared. Being the total nerd that I am, I just HAVE to tell you!
