Flying is usually part of a larger trip, but there are also cases where it is the primary destination. Think air shows, aviation museums, aircraft factories, etc. That category includes a select few hotels that are AvGeek staples in their own right. We’ve written about a few hotels, like the H Hotel at LAX and the Excel Hotel in Haneda, Tokyo. But perhaps the biggest name in the game is the TWA Hotel at New York’s JFK International Airport.
We wrote two stories about TWA Hotels in 2019. One is about the hotel itself and the other is about the TWA Silver Wings reunion held there. We had a great time during that visit, but we didn’t actually spend a night at the hotel. Staying overnight and returning was on our to-do list and the opportunity arose recently.
Join us as we put on our HotelReporter hats and explore all that this unique terminal-turned-hotel has to offer. We’ll guide you through highlights, including Eero Saarinen’s architectural masterpiece, exhibits about TWA’s golden age, a rooftop pool with runway views, and a bar aboard an actual Lockheed Constellation.
Read on and decide whether this place should be on your personal to-do list.
The TWA Hotel is the only major hotel located in the heart of the airport, offering great convenience.
The heart of the hotel, both in concept and design, is Eero Saarinen’s iconic TWA terminal, opened in 1962. There is a model of the entire terminal in the lobby.
The gate area was replaced by JetBlue’s newer Terminal 5, but its iconic headquarters was protected by landmark status. It was abandoned for many years until it was taken over by the hotel. Rooms are located in two modern buildings next to the original terminal.
The hotel’s check-in counter is exactly where you would expect it to be: where the terminal check-in counter used to be.
Just a few steps past the check-in area, you enter the towering heart of the terminal building. This area has seating, shops and a small bar. The “sunken lounge” overlooks what used to be the main ramp. That area is currently occupied by a JetBlue terminal. You will still see an airplane standing outside the main window. I’ll get to her later.
The hotel does an amazing job of celebrating its historical heritage. The lobby features an authentic Solari split flap display.
TWA memorabilia is displayed throughout the central building.
There are many objects that celebrate 60s culture and design, including an old-fashioned hair salon and a twister room.
As I wandered around the far reaches of the hotel, I came across an exhibit about 1960s decor.
At the end of one of the walkways leading to the hotel room blocks is an in-depth exhibition about Eero Saarinen and the terminal design process.
Saarinen’s design drawings are also on display around the hotel.
A separate room features an exhibit about aviation magnate Howard Hughes.
If you stay here, be sure to allow plenty of time to wander around the building and enjoy all the exhibits. The historical content alone is enough to fill an afternoon for aviation history buffs.
room with nice view
We were excited to see a room with a view of the tarmac and headed down one of the red carpeted walkways that used to connect the main hall with the gate area.
We entered the room and went straight to the window.
In the foreground you can enjoy a variety of long-haul airlines operating out of JFK Terminal 4.
Runway 4/22 is visible in the background, so there are plenty of opportunities for takeoffs and landings.
We loved the period décor, which included vintage TWA posters and reproductions of ’60s magazines.
We spent some time taking in more views from the ramp. Check out some highlights in the video below, and if you like videos like this, don’t forget to show our YouTube channel some love!
Next we headed one floor up to the rooftop to enjoy one of the hotel’s main attractions.
Infinity Pool Plainspotting
What could be better than watching airplanes from the comfort of your hotel bed? How about viewing the ramp and runway up close from the swimming pool?
The hotel’s rooftop infinity pool offers incredible views of the ramp. As you might expect, spending time here is a hot commodity, so the hotel requires paid reservations during peak season. To use the poolside loungers, you must line up a little earlier than your reservation start time.
Up here there is a bar with a full kitchen. Be prepared if you get hungry while swimming or watching airplanes.
Even the more casual non-AvGeek visitors were vocal in their appreciation of JFK’s bustling ramp and runway activity.
From the pool, you can also see the ramps around Terminal 4 and JetBlue’s Terminal 5.
Our two hours on the roof flew by. On the roof we spotted Connie, the next stop on our TWA tour, a real L-1649A Lockheed Constellation.
Connie and Cocktails
One of our favorite parts of the TWA Hotel story is how they moved heaven and earth to bring Connie to the hotel grounds. The passage leading from the lobby to Connie summarizes her story.
The hotel’s website has an entire page devoted to Connie’s history, restoration, and New York tours, including a trip to Times Square. It was clearly a labor of love to recover her and move her to the hotel.
Connie has a fun variety of seats onboard, including a section with old-school airline seats.
As a mark of respect for Connie’s history, her cockpit was left intact. You can see the inside, but you can’t go in for conservation reasons.
What drinks did you drink on board Connie? Paper airplanes, of course! They have a full list of aviation-themed cocktails along with snacks.
Ending the day
We ended the day with dinner at Paris Cafe, the hotel restaurant run by the Jean-Georges family.
Our server recommended the Crispy Salmon Sushi as a fan favorite. You’re paying airport food prices here, but at least the quality is much more similar to an actual restaurant than an airport terminal cafe.
After such a long day, we thought we would fall asleep right away. But the wind changed and the runway right in front of our room (22R) started to get used to takeoff. So we did some more airplane watching before starting our day.
Are TWA Hotels worth your time?
We wouldn’t call this story a standard hotel review, because rating hotels on anything other than AvGeek’s appeal is outside our area of expertise. There are certainly some polarized thoughts about this place on the wider internet.
Our main goal was to determine TWA Hotels as a destination for aviation enthusiasts. In that respect, it is receiving favorable reviews from us. The views alone are stunning enough to justify a stay and captivate you for hours.
The hotel clearly recognizes TWA’s heritage and the terminal building’s rich history as part of its mission. It’s truly half hotel and half museum. As the best testament to TWA’s commitment to its legacy, look at the tremendous effort put into securing Connie and making her a part of the visitor experience.
We spent a whole day and night here and had fun the whole time.
For those of you considering a stay here, here are a few quick notes: Food options are quite limited. The lobby has a main restaurant and a small counter service area, but the food hall has lost most of its vendors.
You may be concerned that airplane noise will disturb your sleep, but the soundproofing in the cabin is excellent. And while this hotel is dog friendly, there is a hefty pet fee.
Regarding the rates, there is no denying that it is an expensive hotel. If you book in advance, a basic room can cost upwards of $300 per night, while a runway view room can cost closer to $500. Additional fees, including rooftop pool time, apply. We can see why this place might be out of the price range of some potential visitors. And many online reviews say the rooms are quite small and simply decorated for the price.
That’s a fair criticism, but there are a few things to keep in mind. New York City is generally an expensive city, and prices at these hotels are comparable to what you’d pay in other central tourist areas of the city. There are also additional costs to operating a business on airport property. Most importantly, consider that when you stay here, you’re not just paying for a room. You’re paying a lot for the location, the views, the history, the hotel’s investment in Connie, the pool, and the cost of restoring a long-abandoned terminal. The value proposition feels better when it’s structured as an all-encompassing AvGeek experience rather than just a hotel room.
Find out how to plan your visit here.
- This is an easy hotel to add to your New York City trip, especially at the beginning or end of your trip if you’re transiting through JFK.
- My wife and I stayed here on an independent trip from our home in Brooklyn and loved it. Tri-state area AvGeeks can make a quick weekend trip like we do.
- Even if you’re not spending the night, aviation history buffs passing through JFK can stop by, tour the terminal building, and grab a drink at Connie’s. Non-guests can reserve time to use the rooftop pool, but the price is higher than for hotel guests.
- Since the swimming pool is the main attraction, you might think summer would be the best time to visit. However, in the winter, the hotel overheats the pool to 95 degrees, so you can enjoy the pool even if it’s cold.
As for what the future holds for hotels, Story’s final thoughts from 2019 still hold true.
“As much as I enjoyed my time at the TWA Hotel, the road ahead is not easy. It combines its role as a hotel in a highly competitive market and as a tourist attraction targeting a surprising but decidedly niche audience: AvGeeks. Will both areas work well enough to enable sustainable operations? I enjoyed this visit so much that I would like to say yes. But that depends on whether enough people, including AvGeeks, feel it’s worth a visit.“
Well, that place is still standing almost five years after we wrote our first story. Now that I’ve spent the night, I can say that the TWA Hotel is worth considering for aviation history buffs and airplane reconnaissance enthusiasts.
If you have any thoughts on staying here, I’d love to hear them in the comments section below!
Note: We booked this stay at a discounted media room rate, and the hotel converted us to a runway view room and gave us rooftop pool time for the purposes of this story. The opinions herein are our own.
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