Newark Liberty International Airport’s New Terminal A Awarded Best New Terminal In The World

On Monday, April 22, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey celebrated the recognition of Newark Liberty International Airport’s new Terminal A as the world’s best new airport terminal by the preeminent global airport evaluation firm Skytrax. The prestigious international industry honor comes a month after Skytrax gave Terminal A its highest rating, five stars, following a detailed audit of the terminal’s facilities, operations and customer service in 2023. Credit: PANYNJ

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey celebrated the recognition of Newark Liberty International Airport’s new Terminal A as the world’s best new airport terminal by the preeminent global airport evaluation firm Skytrax. The prestigious international industry honor comes a month after Skytrax gave Terminal A its highest rating, five stars, following a detailed audit of the terminal’s facilities, operations and customer service in 2023.

The Skytrax honor is considered a global benchmark of airport facility excellence, following the results of comprehensive surveys taken between August 2023 and March 2024 from passengers worldwide that evaluated traveler experiences regarding airport facilities, staff service and customer experience ranging from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security and immigration through departure at the gate. Newark Liberty is the second Port Authority airport in just two years to receive Skytrax’s highest honor for airport terminals: LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B was named the world’s best airport terminal in 2023 and was also rated five stars by Skytrax.

Newark Liberty’s latest Skytrax honor was announced at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards held last week at the Passenger Terminal Expo & Conference in Frankfurt, Germany, which was attended by Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole; James Heitmann, the agency’s chief operating officer; Jacquelene McCarthy, the agency’s director of aviation redevelopment; and Frank Radics, the Port Authority’s aviation operational standards and compliance general manager. The annual ceremony is known within the international aviation industry as the industry’s equivalent of filmmaking’s Academy Awards.

“This is a tremendously well-deserved honor for the flagship of the Port Authority’s ongoing renaissance at Newark Liberty International Airport,” said N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy. “It’s no surprise that the industry’s leader has bestowed one of its highest honors on this facility. From the distinctly Jersey aesthetic to the first-rate amenities and home-grown attractions, Terminal A is a point of pride for the Garden State that the whole world now gets to enjoy.”

“We believe strongly that our region deserves nothing but the best, and Newark Liberty has delivered the best new facility in the world for the state of New Jersey,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “As a native New Jerseyan, I am incredibly proud that passengers selected Terminal A for this global recognition, and I was honored to join the distinguished Port Authority team who accepted Newark Liberty’s award for the world’s best new airport terminal from Skytrax last week in Germany.”

“From Newark to LaGuardia, and from worst to best, our $30 billion redevelopment of the New York-New Jersey area’s major airports has truly transformed air travel for the millions of people who use our airports,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Our work at the airports reflects best-in-class standards, and we are extremely gratified by the international aviation industry’s recognition that this region is home to two of the world’s best new airport terminals.”

“It’s a tremendous honor to see this prestigious award for best new airport terminal in the world go to Newark Liberty’s spectacular new Terminal A,” said Elizabeth Mayor and Port Authority Commissioner J. Christian Bollwage. “This international recognition means the world to this region, to New Jersey, and to communities like the city of Elizabeth that contribute to the airport every single day.”

The $2.7 billion Terminal A represented both the Port Authority’s largest single investment in New Jersey and the state’s largest design-build project. The terminal opened in phases throughout 2023 as operations migrated from the 50-year-old former Terminal A. Within its first year of service, the terminal served 15 million passengers, greatly outperforming yearly passenger totals from the previous Terminal A.

The new 1 million-square-foot Terminal A features state-of-the-art passenger amenities, local artwork, a children’s play space, digital technology and dozens of local and national dining and retail options. Other unique passenger amenities include a sensory room that offers neurodivergent travelers and their families a calm space away from the bustle of the airport, and a children’s lending library curated by a local fifth grader.

“Proud to see the Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey set a new standard with the new best-in-class Terminal A,” said U.S. Rep. Robert J. Menendez of New Jersey. “This transformation elevates the travel experience for millions of travelers and is a testament to our region’s commitment to innovation and progress, as well as to our local artists and business owners who are an integral part of this incredible facility.”

“This is a proud honor for the Port Authority and the state of New Jersey that showcases the fact that Newark Liberty International Airport is a world-class facility that serves the transportation needs of the entire region,” said New Jersey State Senate President Nick Scutari. “The modernization of Terminal A is part of a vision that makes use of a meaningful investment in the largest design-build project in New Jersey. This state-of-the-art facility contributes to our economy and provides a quality experience for passengers.”

“Thanks to the dedication and ambition of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, passengers and aviation industry leaders agree that the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport is a top-rated, world-renowned facility,” said New Jersey State Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz. “Part of this success is from the inclusion of local vendors and art in Terminal A, which celebrates Newark and New Jersey and gives visitors a taste of our unique culture. I am thrilled to see this honor bestowed upon my district’s airport and look forward to the continued transformation of our region’s transportation infrastructure so that we can deliver more high-quality travel experiences that represent all of what New Jersey has to offer.”

“Congratulations to the Port Authority, the design and construction teams, and all the hardworking men and women who deliver world-class service day-in day-out for this global hub,” said New Jersey State General Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin. “The Terminal A project has been transformative for travelers and our economy. With an anticipated growth in demand, investments in our transportation infrastructure pay dividends for generations to come, especially when they are implemented with quality of this caliber.”

“I am delighted to celebrate the recognition of Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A as the world’s best new airport terminal,” said New Jersey State General Assembly Deputy Speaker Shanique Speight. “This honor is considered a global benchmark of airport facility excellence. This accolade is not just a win for our airport but a triumph for Newark and New Jersey, offering our citizens access to top-notch airport facilities and services. This is a proud moment that highlights our commitment to providing world-class experiences.”

“I congratulate Port Authority and Newark Airport for Terminal A’s designation as the world’s best new airport terminal by Skytrax,” said New Jersey State Sen. Joseph Cryan. “This prestigious and well-deserved recognition will only serve to benefit our local economy, bringing more jobs and visitors to the region overall.”

“Whereas the Skytrax five stars are the result of a comprehensive audit by experts, the World Airport Awards are based on actual passenger opinions,” said Dr. Lutz Weisser, managing director of Munich Airport International, the parent company of Terminal A’s operator Munich Airport NJ LLC. “Seeing that Terminal A is not only convincing auditors but is also loved by passengers shows us that we have managed to create an extraordinary travel experience at Terminal A. I am tremendously proud of the whole team who excels passenger expectations every day. The dedicated work of everybody at Terminal A and all our partners and concessionaires made this prestigious award possible.”

“It’s an amazing accomplishment to be named the best new terminal in the world,” said Michael Kunz, CEO of Munich Airport NJ LLC. “We are so incredibly proud of this milestone for Terminal A and for Munich Airport NJ. It is the pinnacle of achievement in both customer experience and the result of years of planning and tireless dedication to the program. This recognition comes with a solemn responsibility associated with maintaining a world-class standard of customer service and terminal operations.”

“This award covers new airport terminals that have opened in the previous 18 months of the 2024 World Airport Awards, and covers the full range of airport facilities, staff services and customer experience evaluation,” said Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax. “It is pleasing to see such a high standard being delivered here at Terminal A, which is very worthy of their award as the world’s best new airport terminal.”

In addition to the facility’s best new terminal award and five-star rating, the terminal has collected myriad other awards and recognitions. Terminal A was awarded a 2023 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prix Versailles Special Prize for the terminal’s exterior, a design that reflects the building’s distinctive architecture emphasizing spaciousness, functionality and abundant natural light. The terminal also received LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the most widely used green-building rating system in the world and an international symbol of environmental responsibility. In 2023, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in New Jersey named Terminal A as its 2023 Project of the Year.

For more information, visit newarkairport.com