TWA Hotel Review: Step Inside This Iconic Hotel at JFK Airport

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The TWA Hotel at New York’s JFK Airport opened in 2019 and I’ve been meaning to stay there ever since. I finally had the chance when I booked a flight from Athens to Nantucket via JFK using 28,000 American Airlines miles. We landed at 7:30pm and had an 11am flight out of LaGuardia the next day. Knowing we’d all be jet-lagged, especially my two little ones (ages five and eight), it made perfect sense to stay at an airport hotel and this one was the most convenient and unique.

Getting to the TWA Hotel is a little confusing if you don’t follow the directions: Take the AirTrain to Terminal 5 (JetBlue), go up one level, cross the street and walk a few hundred yards outside to the hotel lobby.

Here are the step by step directions if you’re planning a stay yourself:
-Take the AirTrain to the Terminal 5 (JetBlue) stop. From there:
-Follow signs to the escalator or elevator and go up to Level 3 (Terminal 5).
-Exit through the sliding doors to the Yellow Parking Garage.
-Walk across the crosswalk and take the elevator down to Level 1.
-Cross the street, turn right, and follow the fenced path to the fountain.
-Cross one more crosswalk to reach the TWA Hotel entrance.
-The check-in area is on your left when you enter.

Note: there isn’t a hotel shuttle because JFK doesn’t allow them in the central terminal area to help reduce traffic.

From the moment you lay eyes on the hotel, it feels like stepping back into the 1960s. That’s because the hotel’s lobby is the old head house of the TWA terminal, which was designed by the architect Eero Saarinen and completed in 1962. For the hotel, they added two buildings on each side so there are 512 guestrooms.

Check-in is designed to look like the original TWA counters, complete with rolling luggage conveyor belts behind them. However, it’s all self-check-in now. You type in your last name, confirm your room and you can add extras like early or late check-out ($150 for 6pm). You then make keys for your room, which is fun.

There are agents available to help if needed. I didn’t need help, however I wished they’d told me (or I’d paid more attention to), which wing we were in. We went to the wrong wing and it’s a long walk and the carpets are fairly thick, so it’s a workout to roll large heavy suitcases. So find out if you’re in the Hughes or the Saarinen Wing first.

The lobby is filled with vintage touches, including a ticking throwback 60’s departures board officially described on their website as “a classic Solari split-flap departures board made in Udine, Italy.”

There’s a bank of rotary pay phones.

There’s also a Twister Room with painted walls and floor and a 60’s-inspired hair salon next to it.
A few steps from there is a TWA gift shop that has TWA branded merchandise.

On the other side of the check-in area is a 24/7 food hall, though the options are limited. I bought a cup of milk for $1 from Vinny’s, which was a good deal, but they wanted $4.50 for a bagel so I passed.

Considering that they’re situated overlooking the busy runways at JFK, the rooms are surprisingly quiet, thanks to soundproof windows.

The only thing we could hear were police yelling through their PAs directly below.

The rooms feature hardwood floors, tile foyers and vintage TWA posters as artwork above the beds. I really liked that touch.

My kids loved the automated blackout shades as well as the views.

Room highlights include branded robes, a mini TWA toiletry kit with shampoo, conditioner, lotion, mouthwash, and a bandage. (I wish it also included a toothbrush and earplugs!)

Continuing with the retro theme, on the desk was a rotary phone and a Life Magazine from the 60s.

But the real highlight was watching the planes from our room. It was a real treat. We had a view of about a dozen JetBlue planes, half a dozen Delta planes from Terminal 4 and other airlines coming and going.

Unfortunately, the rooftop pool was closed. When I went up to take a look, a worker said it was dirty and was being drained and cleaned. It was a shame it was closed, especially since it was 95 degrees and we were really looking forward to a swim with a truly unique view.

I loved the Endless Summer and other 60s beach-themed movie posters found throughout.

I met an American Airlines pilot in the elevator and asked what he thought of the hotel. He said it was “okay” and mentioned the same complaints I had: The long walk to get to the hotel and from the lobby to the rooms. Still, he admitted, you have to appreciate the novelty of the place. Agreed. We all loved it.

Next time I hope to spend more than 12 hours and not be so tired so I can check out the Lockheed Constellation “Connie” L-1649A converted into a cocktail lounge …

… and work out in what they say is the “world’s largest hotel gym” at 10,000 square feet.

I also hope to have more time to check out the museum exhibits on TWA, the Jet Age and midcentury modern design.

We also stumbled upon a vintage photo booth with free photos but it was out of order.

When it’s time to leave, you can take an Uber directly from the entrance (use One Idlewild Drive for the address), but it’s much more expensive than a taxi, which requires you to hop back on the AirTrain.

Rates start at $388. I received a media rate of $175 and was upgraded to a family room with two full-size beds. They also have day rates (called Day Tripper) from $179 for hourly stays between 6am and 8pm with a minimum of four hours and a maximum of 12 hours. Book your stay here.

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