7. Many of Its Iconic Terminals Have Been Demolished
As the needs for air travel changed from the Jet Age to today, the first terminals to grace JFK Airport would be demolished and replaced by new ones. The Worldport Terminal (above), an icon of this era, was designed as a showcase and hosted several historic moments:(the first home of the Boeing 707 and where The Beatles departed from America in 1964. In 2013, as the terminal was deteriorating though still in use, Delta decided to demolish it for airplane parking.
A Modernist terminal by I.M. Pei, a fabulous mid-century American Airlines terminal, the original International Arrivals Building (along with the control tower), and the original United Airlines building are also gone, among others. Take a look at these lost terminals, including the first temporary terminal at the airport, here. The final remaining Jet Age terminal, Terminal 2, was shuttered in January 2023 and set for demolition to make way for a new terminal.