Stepping into the TWA hotel is like stepping onto the set of the Jetson’s, minus the flying cars. With 60’s music playing in the background, the surroundings take you back to the dawn of the jet age. Fun Fact: the New York Jets are named after the terminal.

Where to start?? Just getting to your room is an adventure – walking down the bright red carpeted corridor that once lead to the terminal’s gates. 

Rooms with a view overlook the runways or terminal. 

The terminal itself invites exploration. Full of quirky 60’s details, it’s hard to tell what’s original, renovated or new. 

The original conversation pit was recreated during the hotel renovation, and we couldn’t resist settling in for a cocktail. Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore the other cocktail bar located inside a vintage “Connie” airplane, but did have time to explore the hidden nooks upstairs. 

The building is full of TWA displays curated by The New York Historical Society. They include vintage TWA posters, uniforms, vehicles, architectural drawings and models. 

There are also hidden photo areas: a 60’s living room, a beauty salon and twister room, plus a recreation of the office of TWA owner Howard Hughes and exhibits about architect Eero Saarinen.

It’s hard to pick a favorite, but the ultimate is probably the rooftop pool overlooking one of the busy runways. Heated to 95 degrees during the winter, I can’t think of a more fun evening in New York than soaking in the pool watching jets take off and land. (Reservations required spring-fall, day passes available). 

Planning for the terminal began in 1954, and it opened 1962. Operations ceased in 2001 after which it was restored and converted into the hotel that opened in 2019. It is still surrounded by the JFK airport and directly connects to the JetBlue terminal.