American and British Airways are joining forces at New York's biggest airport to streamline their partnership — see inside the new Terminal 8

American Airlines and British Airways are moving in together.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: American Airlines

The new "roommates," as American CEO Robert Isom put it at a press conference on Tuesday, will take over Terminal 8 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in a joint effort to better streamline their Oneworld partnership.

Source: American Airlines

The new terminal is a joint $400 million privately funded investment, which was announced in early 2019, and will add new lounges, gates, and facilities.

Source: American Airlines

The pair will set up shop starting on Thursday, meaning American customers connecting to a British Airways flight will no longer have to change terminals between legs.

Source: American Airlines

According to Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, the co-location will allow for "superb hourly services between JFK and London," essentially creating a regular shuttle between the two international gateways.

Source: American Airlines

To allow for easy transit, the airlines have created two co-branded check-in areas for American and British Airways' premium passengers at the Terminal 8 departures lobby.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: American Airlines

The first check-in area is a private room that features desks, marble ascents, and couches. The exclusive space is hidden away behind glass doors.

American Airlines

American Flagship First, Flagship Business Plus, Conciergekey, and American Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro flyers can use the exclusive space.

American Airlines

Meanwhile, British Airways first and gold members can also check in here, according to American.

The second premium check-in area is an open-air space next door, which includes a dozen kiosks…

Source: American Airlines

…and several priority lanes for bag drop.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: American Airlines

American Flagship Business and AAdvantage Platinum members can use this space, as well as British Airways Club World and silver members.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Travelers can enter the TSA checkpoint directly from both premium spaces.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: American Airlines

Check-in areas for other passengers will be separate…

Source: American Airlines

…and British Airways and American will have different counters.

Source: American Airlines

Other Oneworld alliance members like Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways also currently fly out of Terminal 8, with Iberia moving in on Thursday and Japan Airlines joining in May 2023, according to Isom.

Source: American Airlines

Airside, the renovated terminal adds five new widebody gates and four new widebody parking areas…

Source: American Airlines

…as well as an improved baggage handling system and 130,000 square feet of extra space.

Source: American Airlines

Over the next 18 months, the concessions at Terminal 8 will be revamped, hosting more than 115 women and minority-owned businesses worth over $161 million in contracts. Local businesses were also awarded about $33 million in contracts.

Source: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Also past security, premium passengers traversing the new terminal will have access to three new elegant lounges: Chelsea, Soho, and Greenwich.

Greenwich will be the rebranded American Flagship Lounge, which opened in 2017. The reimagined space will "feature a premium wine table, expansive seating, and chef-inspired meals."

Source: American Airlines

American customers flying Flagship Business or with AAdvantage Platinum status on "qualifying Flagship itineraries" can access Greenwich. For British Airways, those with Club lounge access can enter.

Source: American Airlines

Chelsea and Soho are the crown jewels of the terminal, acting as brand-new co-branded lounges that can be accessed by both American and British Airways passengers.

Source: American Airlines

Chelsea features a circular champagne bar, plenty of seating, a dining area with on-demand meals, and large bathrooms with showers.

Source: American Airlines

British Airways first class passengers, American customers who purchased Flagship First or Flagship Business Plus, and American Conciergekey travelers on Flagship itineraries can access Chelsea.

Source: American Airlines

Next door is Soho, which is a larger lounge with a wine bar made of petrified wood, floor-to-ceiling windows, showers, food, and a view of the ramp.

Source: American Airlines

A British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft that just landed from London Heathrow was in full view from the lounge during our visit.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Those with British Airways Executive Club Gold, AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, or Conciergekey status can enter Soho.

Source: American Airlines

Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY 5th District) called the new JFK terminal a "gamechanger" at Tuesday's press conference, saying the new facility can "compete will any terminal around the world."

Taylor Rains/Insider

Before the move, British Airways lived next door at Terminal 7 for 51 years. Company CEO Sean Doyle told media on Tuesday that the airline flew its first-ever Boeing 747 into the facility…

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…as well as operated the supersonic Concorde jet there for 26 years.

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With the move, Terminal 7 will be demolished to make space for the new Terminal 6, which is expected to be complete by 2027 and expand JetBlue Airways' stronghold at JFK.

JetBlue is getting an all-new $3.9 billion terminal in its 'hometown' of NYC as the airline continues to expand in the US and abroad — see what it will look like

The carrier currently flies out of Terminal 5, but the $4 billion redevelopment plan for Terminal 6 will add 1.2 million square feet of space and connect the two facilities. The Lufthansa Group will also move into the new terminal.

However, despite the addition, JetBlue's powerful Northeast Alliance with American still won't have truly seamless connectivity at JFK.

American and JetBlue are expanding their Northeast Alliance despite a looming DoJ lawsuit that could unravel it all

JetBlue passengers connecting to an overseas American flight in Terminal 8 will need to take the shuttle bus that connects the two terminals airside.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: JFK Airport

Isom told Insider that the airline wants to make sure those passengers have an easy connection, noting the airport's "great bus service" that he believes is "superior to some of the walking distances encountered at other terminal-to-terminal transports."

Terminal 8 marks the first phase of JFK's overhaul, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In addition to the Terminal 8 and Terminal 6 projects, the airport has also broken ground on the New Terminal One.

Source: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

The $9.5 billion renovation will include a new departures hall, arrivals hall, customs hall, restaurants, shops, and lounges.

Construction on JFK's new $9.5 billion international terminal just broke ground — see what the new facility will look like